Woods & Waters Magazine

15/07/2025

Snakehead are pretty much here to stay and a popular “sportfish” now around much of the region. In our July issue we bring you our top 5 snakehead destinations…

Snakehead or so-called “Frankenfish” have been a resident of areas waters ever since 2002 when they first showed up in a Crofton, Maryland. These

06/07/2025

Pick up a copy of our July edition at a sport shop in your neck of the woods OR read it online at https://woodsandwatersmagazine.com/ -df_5096/3/

Between our covers you'll find a lot of great information about Virginia adventures. We start off with our annual 10 Summer Adventures article with trips and quests you can attempt all over the state. Our cover story covers the five best snakehead fisheries in the region. This month's Destination File features a trip to Lake Orange by W2 Pro Team member Aaron Ball. Want to learn how to fish summer bass better in area lakes and rivers? We have an article on that, too, featuring advice from guides. The Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show is coming up the first weekend in August as well as the accompanying 86th annual Virginia Peninsula Sportsmen's Association Big Game Show and we preview that awesome prelude to the fall hunting seasons event. Our W2 Boat Review covers the incredible new Skeeter ZXE series. Brian Boog's Small Waters visits Nottoway Reservoir. Wingshooting Wisdom with Kate Ahnstrom covers gun barrel fabrication techniques. Steve Chaconas uses his Hook, Line & Thinker column to share the news that while the tidal Potomac River has plenty of largemouth bass in it, finding a big fish may be difficult this season. There's all that plus our Tide/Moon Charts, Calendar of Events, Regional Focus Reports and some great, new real estate listings from our friends at United Country Virginia Realty. Enjoy!

02/07/2025

W2 Pro Team member Lonnie Conner with his son took second in a recent tourney on the Shenandoah out of Riverton with this limit weighing 11.47 lbs. He reports the river is high and a bit muddy with water temps in the mid 80’s and a good early morning bite.

02/07/2025

New Merchandise Alert…
Fishing Pro Tech has some new items that should assist you with summer bass fishing. The CAST Echo is now available in a larger size said to closely mimic herring and is effective when using FFS. The Ever Green Grass Ripper swimjig is super productive in water inundated with summer weeds. The Strike King 6XD Elite reaches down deep for reservoir bass on structure. The versatile KVD Finese Worm can be fished a number of ways including, wacky rigged, Neko rig, shaky head, Texas style, Carolina rigged and as a swimming worm.

24/06/2025

The first 2026 SKEETER ZXE 20 has arrived at Anna’s Marine Center at Lake Anna! This boat is amazing and the subject of the July Woods & Waters Boat Review. It has some truly unique new features anglers have suggested. Take a look when you can as this 250 hp rig will go quickly.

20/06/2025

Check out the three citation smallmouth bass caught by Virginia angler Shane Crawford during a recent kayak bass fishing event on the upper Potomac River earlier this month!

This doesn't happen very often where we see three citations caught in the same area, especially in single day events, but Shane's total length of 100 inches included three trophy Virginia smallmouth that may shed some light on how far the river has come since the floods of 2018 as well as maybe a factor on why Maryland may have opted to cease stocking efforts.

Given the amount of events nowadays on our river systems especially kayak bass fishing, anglers become even more vital to the data collection as "riverkeepers" in their own right especially when it comes to specie populations and density. The upper Potomac River appears to be back with over 30 citation smallmouth this year, and given the river conditions the last two months, it certainly has not been expected!

Thank you to Jonathan Scott for submitting these great pics and update.

17/06/2025

W2 Pro Team member and Shenandoah River Guide Lonnie Conner says the post spawn bite is hot on the river! He and clients caught three citations by size with only one topped 22.5” inches. Water temps are 78 degrees.

17/06/2025

Is aluminum going to be the future of affordable bass boats? We review the new Tracker Savage 215, an impressive new rig available from our friends at Anna’s Marine Center.

America’s favorite fishing boat manufacturer is looking to reset the table again with the recent introduction of the TRACKER Savage 215 model.

12/06/2025

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is thrilled to announce a new record fallfish weighing in at 3-13 and measuring nearly 20 inches. Jerry R. Hall, from Lexington, landed the record-breaking fish in the Jackson River near Coewvington, Virginia. Mr. Hall caught the trophy-sized fish on April 3, 2025, with spinning tackle using a Joe’s Fly.

The fish was officially weighed at the DWR regional office in Verona. After biologist verification and review by the State Record Committee, Mr. Hall’s catch was certified and is recognized as the current Virginia State Record Fallfish. The fallfish surpassed the previous record of 3 pounds, 12 ounces caught by Danny Arbogast in 2024 from the Cowpasture River. This is the second time Mr. Hall has held the fallfish State Record.

If you’re interested in the Angler Recognition Program or want to see the other state record fish, visit the program webpage.

12/06/2025

We are getting word of a potential new record for flathead catfish caught yesterday by Craig Riffey from Occoquan Reservoir. More details as they become available.