GILES COUNTY, Va. – The New River in Giles County is scenic and, as it turns out, is full of fish.
Chris Thompson invited me to go fishing with a promise we would have a better-than-average chance of catching a big one. Maybe even a fish big enough to earn Virginia’s “citation” status. For smallmouth bass, that’s any fish of 20 inches or five pounds or larger.
“I like our chances a lot,” Thompson said as we pushed off from a landing not far from McCoy Falls, a set of rapids well known for tubing and kayaking.
When Chris Thompson likes your chances – you are in for a good day.
He’s boated more citation-sized bass this year than most anglers will in a lifetime.
“You’re not going to believe me, but you can go to our website and check out the videos. As of today, 54. 54 over 20 inches. 10 of those over 21, six over 22-inches,” Thompson said when asked how many he’s caught this year.
“I’ll just say that really, it’s (the New River) my absolute favorite for numbers and size. State record out of here is eight pounds and eleven ounces. We’ve caught several this summer pushing seven pounds. So I really look for the state record smallmouth in the next five years to get broke anywhere from above Claytor to the West Virginia line,” he said.
And the river lives up to its reputation. Though Chris was acting as a guide, he fished as well. Together be boated well over 20 nice-sized fish.
Thompson has been fishing since he was a child. But a couple of years ago he and his wife took a leap of faith, he quit his job and hung out a shingle, creating CT Outdoor Adventures of Virginia. He fishes for smallies when the season is right, but he also targets walleyes and muskies during other times of the year. If you want, he’ll also take you camping.
He has always enjoyed fishing and even worked charter boats at the coast for a time. Finally, his wife told him to pursue his passion.
“And February last year, we bought a boat, and we both decided the worst thing that could happen is we bought a boat, so we just launched, built the website and started fishing,” Thompson said. “And here our second year, towards the end of the season, our second year, we’re on track to grow 500 percent.”
Chris is one of those people who just thinks like a fish, and knows their moods and their seasons.
“It’s, it’s embedded in my blood. My dad’s a fisherman. His brothers, my granddad used to bring me out of school to go trout fishing back when they had Heritage Day on the Roanoke River. I just You cut me out bleed fishing,” he said.
So we fished. Looked at the wildlife and had lunch on an island in the river.
Despite the large numbers of bigger fish, Chris rated the day at eight out of ten.
None of those citation-sized fish came our way. Chris’ biggest fish missed by half an inch at 19.5 inches. My largest was a tick over 18.
But the wildlife was plentiful. The river was beautiful and catching fish almost seemed like a bonus.