The Late Fall Feed Cooler water temperatures still have fish positioned in shallow water and feeding before they begin their move to winter holes. Water will be around 50 degrees, still comfortable for fish. Big fish are biting and are just about everywhere ...wood, docks, grass remnants, and points. A variety of lures are working, including Lucky Craft 1.5 cranks, LVR D-7 lipless cranks, … [Read more...]

The 13th Annual Adaptive Anglers on the Fly's special Fly Fishing Camp is scheduled Nov. 18-20. The multi-generational group of adaptive anglers includes youth, seniors, teens, and adults - both male and female - from across the state and beyond. Some disabilities to be served include traumatic spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, spine bifida, primordial dwarfism, traumatic brain injuries, … [Read more...]

By Guide Chris Craft November has come in unseasonably warm this year and the lake is 8-10 degrees above average. This means we have fish scattered throughout the water column. You can find fish from 2 feet all the way down to 20 feet. The baitfish is still mostly on the main lake and has not even begun to push into the backs of creeks.   BASS-I have found bass up lake on shallow … [Read more...]

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced November is Virginia Oyster Month in the Commonwealth. The month of November is an excellent opportunity for visitors and Virginians to experience fresh wild-caught and farm-raised oysters from Virginia's eight different oyster regions, as well as participate in the numerous oyster festivals and events across the state. One of the best ways to enjoy the … [Read more...]

Elk were once native to Virginia. Elkhorn Lake in Augusta County is a reminder of their past presence and the Elk River in neighboring West Virginia is a tribute to the great animals. A few years back, Virginia decided to join in with Kentucky to bring elk back to our region. How are they doing? In a word. Spectacularly! According to the Game Department, since restoration efforts began, … [Read more...]

By Elaine Callahan Autumn has arrived, and all bird-nesting activities have ceased. Thankfully. “You’ll miss them when they’re gone,” my husband said one morning, as I ducked down to take a peek at the ledge on the front porch, covered with mud, plastic tape, and an assortment of sticks and moss. When the pair of little, dark-headed birds kept insistently trying to glue gobs of red mud … [Read more...]

By Charles Crenshaw The Crenshaw family, the Dickerson family and the Seamonds family have a lot of history at Broadus Wood High School. Until 1906, there were three one-room schools near the village of Earlysville. They were Sandy Bottom, Longwood and Happy Hollow. My grandfather, Charles Crenshaw, attended Sandy Bottom. If there was farm work to be done, it came first, not school. It was … [Read more...]

Frequent contributor, Sherman Shifflett, is writing a book about his father, Harvey Shifflett. Below are a few excerpts from his upcoming book.   Dad kept an inordinate number of roosters. One day mom asked him why he kept so many roosters. He replied, "I don't want the hens to suffer."   When Dad went to bed, the entire family had to turn in. One night I told him, "You're … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett   During the 1940's-50's, wild honeybees were plentiful. They could be seen in pastures with clover, flower gardens, orchards, or anywhere there was available nectar. Creeks and water holes were other places the bees frequented. Dad was always able to find "honey trees", where the wild honeybees built their hives. I remember one occasion in Covesville when Dad … [Read more...]

From Sherman Shifflett   This story came from a gentleman who runs a 2,000-acre corn farm near Barron, Wisconsin, not far from Oshkosh. He once flew F-4Es and F-16s for the National Guard and participated in the first Gulf War. Here is his account about two eagles and three crows:   I was planting corn to finish a field before the next morning when I witnessed “The Great … [Read more...]