A free pamphlet on fishing regulations and seasons is available and can be obtained at licensing agents, each county clerk's office, by writing or calling the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 4010 W. Broad St., Richmond 23230, (804) 367-1000 or at www.dgif.virginia.gov.

A health advisory, issued by the Virginia Department of Health, recommends against eating fish caught between the confluence of the Shenandoah River and the West Virginia line in Clarke County, and on the North Fork from the confluence of Passage Creek downstream, and on the South Fork from the Mountain Road bridge to the main stem. The advisory was issued in the 1980s for possible polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination on the bottom of the river and for mercury contamination. PCB is an organic, man-made carcinogen.

State residents age 16 and older are required to obtain a fishing license before fishing on inland waters, and non-residents over age 12 need a license. Anyone needing a license also needs to purchase a National Forest Stamp when fishing in waters within the boundaries of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, except on the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. A separate trout license is required when trout fishing in designated stocked waters from Oct. 1 to June 15. Licenses are sold at authorized agents located throughout the region. www.dgif.virginia.gov

Frederick County/Winchester:
Three major parks in Frederick County, offering stocked trout lakes:

• Wilkins Lake, in Jim Barnett Park in Winchester, is open daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Sherando Lake, at Sherando Park on Va. 277 east of Stephens City, offers bass, perch and trout, and is open 8 a.m.-dusk.
• Clearbrook Lake, at Clearbrook Park on U.S. 11 north of Winchester, offers trout and perch and is open 8 a.m.-dusk.
• The Cove Campground in Gore offers fishing facilities. The fishing fee is $5 during the week, and $12 for adults and $6 for children under 12 on weekends. The facility's three lakes are stocked with various kinds of fish, and a fishing license is not required to fish at The Cove Campground. 858-2882
• Lake Frederick, maintained and owned by The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is 117 acres near the intersections of U.S. 340, U.S. 522 and Va. 277, east of Stephens City at Double Tollgate. It is stocked with bass, perch, croppie, bluegill, redear sunfish, walleye and channel catfish.
• The lake opens an hour before sunrise and closes an hour after sunset. Boating is permitted only with electric motors. A boat ramp is on site, as well as a privately owned bait and tackle shop.

Two designated trout streams are also available:

• Paddy Run, on Va. 600 in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
• Hogue Creek, which runs perpendicular to Va. 679 and U.S. 522, northwest of Winchester. Trout fishing is permitted year-round.

Shenandoah County:
Access points for boats to the Shenandoah River are available at the following locations:

• Moreland Gap Road, between Interstate 81 and U.S. 11 at the Shenandoah Caverns exit.


• Chapman's Landing, near Narrow Passage on the west bank of the North Fork, accessed on Chapman's Landing Road off U.S. 11, 2 miles north of Edinburg.


• Strasburg Community Park, on Queen Street in town, along the river at the end of the park's right-of-way.


• Elsewhere in the county at low water bridges. Most of the river flows along private property, so permission to fish or access the river there must be obtained from the owner.

Virginia keeps the following Shenandoah County streams stocked year round:

• Big Stoney Creek west of Lantz Mill on Va. 675.
• Mill Creek in Mt. Jackson, off Bryce Boulevard.
• Paddy Run at Paddy Gap, off Zepp Road at the Shenandoah-Frederick County line.
• Passage Creek in Fort Valley's Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area, off Va. 678.
• Peter's Mill in Little Fort, Fort Valley, off Va. 758.
• Tomahawk Pond south of Orkney Springs on Va. 610, via Va. 263
• Upper Passage in Crisman Hollow, Fort Valley, off Va. 678.

Other areas to fish:

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• Fort Valley Stables in Fort Valley offers catch and release year round, including mostly large mouth bass. 933-6633 or (888) 754-5771


• Orndorff's Rainbow Trout Farm, at 5140 Zepp Road in Maurertown also offers public fishing opportunities. The farm is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends March through September. 436-3384


• Murray's Fly Shop Guide Service offers fish guiding on the Shenandoah River and nearby tributaries. 984-4212

Warren County:
The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are among the nation's best for smallmouth and largemouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, bluegill, muskellunge and channel catfish.

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• Trout and regular fishing is available along a mile stretch of stream in Front Royal's Gertrude E. Miller Park. 635-7750


• • The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains a mile stretch of Passage Creek in front of the Front Royal Fish Cultural Station, 3957 Mountain Road in Strasburg. This area is a catch-and-release stream from Oct. 1 to June 1. The station is available to answer questions or for scheduled tours from 8:30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. weekdays for individuals and groups. The facility features a fish hatchery for walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish (seasonally) and some trout.