Smallmouth Bass Fishing on the New River from Hinton, WV to Sandstone Falls

Smallmouth bass fishing on the New River located in southern West Virginia is one of the best rivers to catch a lot of smallmouth bass. The section of the New River that runs from the Bluestone Dam down to Sandstone falls provides a great float trip where you can catch some nice smallmouth bass with size. This trip could take anywhere from 8-15 hours depending if you stop and fish around the shoals and waterfalls located throughout this area of the New River.

You can put your boat into the water right where the Greenbrier River meets the New River in Hinton, West Virginia. Fishing baits that work good on this section of the New River are spinners, tubes, grubs and live bait such as minnows and hellgrammites. In the summertime this section of the river usually runs low and allows you to see rock cover where small mouth bass are known to hang around. Green and black colored tubes work really well in this section of the New River.

If you plan on floating the New River I recommend you take a cooler with drinks and food because this will be a long trip. You can catch some nice smallmouth on this section if you take your time and stop and work around shoals. Some of the best places to stop and fish floating the New River on this section are right above waterfalls or shoals and right after waterfalls and shoals. You should use caution when taking a boat or fishing pontoon over the waterfalls because rocks are everywhere.

If you really want to catch some big smallmouth I recommend floating this section during the winter time because you'll catch some smallmouth in the 5-7 pound range. You will not catch a lot of fish on the New River during the winter time, but the one's you catch will be bigger. Use caution floating the New River in the wintertime because the water will be up and flowing pretty fast. I'd recommend using a flat bottom aluminum boat with a trolley motor and anchor during the winter months so you can stop if you need to as well as maneuver your boat through the swift water.

As you get down toward Sandstone Falls you'll need to start looking on the banks on your left for a takeout spot. There's quite a few spots to exit the New River but you don't want to miss a spot because then you'll come up on Sandstone Falls fairly quick and you do not want to go over those falls because you will flip and get hurt. Remember; exit the New River before floating up on Sandstone Falls.

Fishing the New River in the summertime provides you the opportunity to catch more smallmouth bass, but the New River is sometimes crowded in some spots when you're fishing. The area from Bluestone Dam down to the bridge that crosses over to the town of Hinton is usually filled with people wade fishing.

If you like catching catfish then I recommend fishing deep holes from the bank of the New River. I wouldn't recommend floating the New River for catfishing. One spot that you can catch some nice channel catfish on the New River is at Sandstone Falls. You should use cut bait such as fish or chicken livers work good at attracting the catfish.