Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Front Royal to Castleman's Ferry: the Valley's classic float-and-wade smallmouth river. The river tops out around 8 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Shenandoah River maps at 1,212 acres behind 73.9 miles of shoreline. An index of 15.1 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 23.7 mi with a 3.3-mi widest point. Clarke County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lake Frederick, is 6 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 10.6). It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.6) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.6) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 10.6) (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 7.5) (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it North/South Fork confluence (Front Royal): an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | North/South Fork confluence (Front Royal) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 1.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 1.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 1.6) (6 ft) |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 10.6). It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 7.5) (4 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 7.5) (4 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.6) (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 7.5) (4 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is North/South Fork confluence (Front Royal) — inflow / creek mouth, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | North/South Fork confluence (Front Royal) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | North/South Fork confluence (Front Royal) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 1.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 7.5) (4 ft) |
Count 18 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Warren Dam tailrace, sits near 7 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Virginia waters are set by the Virginia DWR — and special regulations can apply to Shenandoah River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Virginia fishing regulations →
Shenandoah River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, channel catfish, muskellunge, common carp on Shenandoah River.
Riffle & run (mile 10.6) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Shenandoah River is regulated by the Virginia DWR. Check the official Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Frederick 6 mi · Lake Brittle 27 mi · Warden Lake 30 mi, WV · Sleepy Creek Lake 34 mi, WV · Rock Cliff Lake 37 mi, WV · Parker Hollow Lake 41 mi, WV · Kimsey Run Lake 42 mi, WV · Little Seneca Lake 42 mi, MD · Greenbrier Lake 42 mi, MD · Potomac River (Upper) 43 mi, MD/WV · Occoquan Reservoir 43 mi · Clopper Lake 44 mi, MD
See how Shenandoah River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in Virginia · best muskellunge lakes in Virginia · best common carp lakes in Virginia
Browse all Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.