Mepps#3 inspired me to hit the river with the family and sneak in some back seat fishing.  

All I know is the shenandoah river company.  Does anyone know of any other canoe trip runners in the area?

Anyone know a good camp ground or close hotel to the river?  

I just went tubing on the potomac but I remember seeing fishing available from the company we went with, River Riders. Don't know if that'll help.

Hey Rod,

Alot of my friends hit this place up, and they seem to like it. It was also very near to where we were fishing on Sunday.

http://www.frontroyalcanoe.com/

Hope this helps

Rich,

for the last 8 summers I've been lodging/fishing/tubing and canoeing the Shenandoah with friends.  I've used all 3 companies that are out there... Front Royal Canoe company, Shenandoah outfitters and Down River canoe company.  Here is a list of the pros and cons of each

Shenandoah outfitters:

-further away than both by almost an hour

-where they drop you is always shallow the whole float

-the most organized of the 3 with a lot more equipment (tubes, canoes etc.)

-more family oriented

Down river canoe company:

-this one is my favorite

-less suplies/equipement (make previous reservations)

-the floats go through much deeper pools then the other ones but also has shallow rapids in parts, better for swimming and such...

-mom and pop run, family oriented but also good for the drinkers and partiers

Front Royal canoe company:

-my experience they were unorganized, not a lot of supplies

-but IMO on the nicest part of the river

-deep and shallow water

The main thing to me is water levels, even though it's august there still is deep pools but not around shenandoah outfitters, the other two are better for that.  I've had better fishing while floating with Down river CC.

I have a lodging company if you want their information, i've never camped though but i've seen TONS of camping on all three companies floats.  Throw nothing but a watermelon tube with black fleck and a brown tube with black fleck (forget about rooster tails and all that crap, these fish love the tube on the bottom, i've got some for you if you want to stop by the house) you'll catch tons, just drag it and pop it along the bottom, throw it up current and let it float down bumpin the bottom, fish the shade and put the rod down after 11 or so the shut down...

Thanks for the info guys.  Trevor, I'll look you up once we schedule a date.

Rich

There is a campground near Berryville VA called Watermelon park... Nothing great, but access to a nice section of river with Largemouth and Smallies.

http://www.watermelonpark.com/

i recommend downriver over front royal. pm me if you have any questions about camping areas or the river itself, ive done it dozens of times.

I'm going with down river canoe company this Saturday, I'll let you know how the water levels are on the runs.

There is a campground near Berryville VA called Watermelon park... Nothing great, but access to a nice section of river with Largemouth and Smallies.

http://www.watermelonpark.com/

yuck, Clarke County...

j/k I've heard that spot is pretty nice.

Yeah, whenever I know I'm gonna be spending time in Clarke Co, I stock up on the hand sanitizer...

A great hotel in front royal is the Hampton Inn off right off exit 6 on Rt66.  The river is low south of 66 toward the town, it gets deep around 13-15 feet where the north fork meets the south fork right at the public landing.  I go out every weekend at first light for some great fishing.  There is a campground right off the exit on the water but no tent camping as allowed.

just came back from the north fork, Woodstock river is low about 24-28 inches.  I was wading hit two smallies 1/1/2 and a 3 lber

There is a campground near Berryville VA called Watermelon park... Nothing great, but access to a nice section of river with Largemouth and Smallies.

It is a clean park that becomes somewhat crowded on the weekends.

If you can plan a midweek trip, I am sure you will be happy.

They have hookups if you are in a camper, and canoe rentals.

In that section of river, it is not unusual to boat 30 or more smallies in a couple hours.

Yeah, whenever I know I'm gonna be spending time in Clarke Co, I stock up on the hand sanitizer...

haha, I was just joking because their high school and my high school were rivals....that's funny though.