Savage Strike Drift Boat Trips      

 

 

Musky & Smallmouth Float Trips

New River - Virginia

Schedule - May - June - July - August -  December - January

 

Monday thru Friday only during spring & summer

                               Maximum 2 fisherman - $300.00 (8 hrs)

                                               $250.00   for 1 fisherman

                                Deduct $ 50.00 per day for a half day trip (4 hrs)

Night fishing trips - average 5 hrs - MUCH larger smallmouth will be caught & musky catch odds increase with warmer weather   

                                $250.00 per night trip for 5 hrs 

                                $350.00 for 8 hr night trips

 

      * NOTE*  All musky trips are for adult fisherman with some reasonable casting skills . Most musky lures have 5/0 treble hooks that could cause serious damage.

Virginia fishing license

The quickest and easiest way for non-residents to obtain a fishing license is to go on-line at www.dgif.virginia.gov/. You will have the option of filling out license info on-line or calling Virginia game & fish to obtain an instant license. [ on-line you can purchase and print] ; by phone you will be given a series of numbers which is your license.

 

 

          I fish the New River below Claytor Lake Dam in Virginia . Fishing is done from a Clack-A-Craft drift boat built in Idaho and designed for trout fishing western rivers but makes a stable, dry , safe fishing platform chasing musky and smallmouth on the New River. You have the choice of fishing exclusively for musky , smallmouth or both. I provide all equipment . You will need a VERY SMALL cooler for your drinks and food. A RAINCOAT IS A MUST!

        
 


The " SAVAGE STRIKE"  drift boat

        Debby and I have floated the mighty Snake River in Wyoming, the Yellowstone in Montana and made hundreds of trips down the New River in this drift boat . No motor, no batteries, no worries. This model is a "high side" drift boat and I've had her in class III rapids several times on some of the major rivers out west and the New River with no problems.

 

Future Plans

          Beginning in 2008 I will start phasing out a considerable amount of striper fishing in Tennessee and guide more trips on the New River near my home. I guided and fished extensively on the New in the 90's until a cowardly act of vandalism destroyed my two expensive rafts. I'm back on the New River with the drift boat and offering the same service to clients that striper clients have received for more than 20 years - dedication, hard work & professionalism that is equal to the best and second to none. My personal musky catches in the past year reflect my seriousness , and you see the facts instead of hearing a lot of hype. Smallmouth fisherman can also be assured of a top notch quality trip for trophy or numbers of bronzeback be it spinning or fly fisherman.

 

The photo's below represent the smallmouth and musky that can be caught at the time of year I currently guide on the New River.

Smallmouth average 1 to 3 lbs.

 
           They say a picture is worth a thousand words. A big grin on retired commercial pilot Dick Strohmeier tells the story of this above average 4 lb plus summer smallmouth caught (and released) with Savage Strike Guide Service.

 

Fly Fisherman    The New is a smallmouth fly fisherman's dream. May, June & July are optimum months for catching bronzeback's on the fly. My personal  smallmouth rod is an  8 1/2',  # 5  weight  St. Croix.  I welcome novice and veteran fly fisherman to experience smallmouth on the fly from the comfort of a boat which was specifically designed for the fly fisherman.

        A early June (2008) night time New River musky.

Fin Saver Landing Nets

 

Musky average size is 30 to 45 inches - weight varies a lot - heavier in winter.

My two largest musky to date - 40 lbs, 53 " long - caught & released June 2007  and 42 lbs, 54" caught and released July 3rd, 2008.

 

 ALL MUSKY ARE PHOTOGRAPHED AND RELEASED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accomodations

 

 

        Beautiful log cabins in a rustic surrounding on the New River are available a short drive from your musky and smallmouth destination. If interested in these cabins visit their website, www.newriverretreat.com

or give me a call for more info. Motels are also located nearby if you prefer.

 

 

 

The local musky fisherman

 

        If the guys from In-Fisherman ever want to learn a thing or two about river muskies they can learn some new tricks from people like the father/son team of Alex and David Scott or my friend Norman Elliot. Alex has been labeled as the local "guru" by outdoor writers - nobody has caught more musky in the New. I have the premier guide service for musky on the New River but do not compete with these fisherman who are my friends - nor would I want to try !

 

 

 

The three photos above are from my trip to Canada courtesy of my friend and long time client Paul Freer.

[above left] A white wolf walks the shoreline while we fished her lake.

[center photo] Paul Freer admires a hefty northern pike as our guide "Big John" looks on.

[above right] The sunset at 11:00 pm on Hatchet Lake west of Sasketchewan.

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