Load up the boat, pack your best rod and reel and hit the road–  It is time to "Fish Virginia First" – The Mid-Atlantic's Premier Fishing Trail! Some of the best fishing destinations in the country await you in Virginia! Home of some of the most picturesque and inspiring rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and reservoirs around, Virginia promises to satisfy your desire to fish, as well as your sense of adventure.

Fishing in Montgomery County lends itself to a wide range of species, from small brooks and streams to the mitty New River you can expect to find any thing from native Brook Trout to 42" Musky.

The New River is the hot spot for fishing in Montgomery County. Designated as a State Scenic River, the New River is the second oldest river in the world, with only the Nile being older. Another unique feature is that the New River is one of the few that flows northward. Many say it is also the best Smallmouth Bass fishing in the state.

Pandapas Pond is a 2,200 elevation 8-acre lake in the Jefferson National Forest, easy to reach off US 460. In addition to a measure of solitude, it offers fishing, a walking trail around the lake, and picnicking, and it is well suited for a morning of leisurely, flat-water canoeing or fishing. Pandapas is in the headwaters of Poverty Creek in northwest Montgomery County, just minutes west of Blacksburg. At the northeast end is a wetland environment. Surrounding the pond are Appalachian hardwoods and pines.

Poverty Creek threads its way southwest through the mountain pass of Brush and Gap Mountains to the New River. This stream is stocked by the state with feisty rainbow, brook, and brown trout from an area hatchery. In summer, the water level in the stream gets low, and stocking is suspended until the creek refills. Trout fishing is best in late fall, winter, and early to late spring.

Craig Creek flows into the upper James River. This stream is stocked by the state with feisty rainbow, brook, and brown trout from an area hatchery. In summer, the water level in this stream gets low, and stocking is suspended until the creek refills. Trout fishing is best in late fall, winter, and early to late spring.