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Virginia rivers and streams

South Fork Shenandoah River Fishing

River and creek fishing in Clarke County and 3 other localities.

Get driving directionsAll Clarke County spots

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Clarke County

The South Fork Shenandoah River, sized up for Virginia anglers

Look for the South Fork Shenandoah River, a river, in Clarke County and 3 other localities. The closest Census place is Shenandoah Farms, about 5 miles from the mapped point.

It has 15 access sites on DWR records. 3 USGS gauges measure it.

15DWR access sites

3USGS gauges

14species DWR names

4localities

Virginia DWR waterbody pages, Stocked Trout Reaches and Cold Water Stream Survey layers and Boating Access Locations; USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.

Directions to South Fork Shenandoah RiverDWR page for South Fork Shenandoah River

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DWR

The South Fork Shenandoah River in the words of Virginia DWR

The South Fork Shenandoah River begins at the confluence of the North River and South River near Port Republic and flows north 97 miles to meet the North Fork Shenandoah at the Town of Front Royal. The South Fork Shenandoah watershed covers 1,650 square miles. Surface runoff from the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, parts of the Allegheny Mountains, Massanutten Mountain, and ground water from the karst regions of the Shenandoah Valley and Page Valley make up the flow of the river.

DWR directions to South Fork Shenandoah River

Note: All float descriptions are based on normal river flow conditions. Difficulty and safety considerations may vary according to changes in water level and flow. Port Republic to Island Ford Distance: 10 miles A boat ramp was constructed by DWR at Port Republic at the confluence of the North River and South River.

For South Fork Shenandoah River, the block above is DWR text cut to whole sentences.

Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.

Flow

Streamflow on the South Fork Shenandoah River today

USGS gauge	Latest reading	Time (ET)
S F Shenandoah River Near Lynnwood, Va	186 cfs, 2.24 ft gage height	Nov 8 6:45 pm
S F Shenandoah River Near Luray, Va	324 cfs, 1.88 ft gage height	Nov 8 6:45 pm
S F Shenandoah River At Front Royal, Va	354 cfs, 1.14 ft gage height	Nov 8 7:15 pm

US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 7:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.

USGS posts these South Fork Shenandoah River values live; they are provisional.

USGS site	Name
01628500	S F SHENANDOAH RIVER NEAR LYNNWOOD, VA
01629500	S F SHENANDOAH RIVER NEAR LURAY, VA
01631000	S F SHENANDOAH RIVER AT FRONT ROYAL, VA

USGS instantaneous values, provisional.

Virginia water levels

Species

DWR-listed fish in the South Fork Shenandoah River

Black crappie Bluegill Bullhead Common carp Channel catfish Crappie Flathead catfish Largemouth bass Muskellunge Pumpkinseed Redbreast sunfish Rock bass Smallmouth bass White crappie

For South Fork Shenandoah River, the species follow DWR wording, not angler reports.

Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.

Access

Boating access along the South Fork Shenandoah River

Site	Recorded attributes	Owner	Location (DWR)
Alma boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, freshwater	Page County	Rt 650 South of Alma (.5)
Bentonville boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	gravel access, freshwater	DWR	From Bentonville, West on Rt 613 (1)
Berry's boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater	VDOT	Rt 50 East of Rt 340 (5.5)
Elkton boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, freshwater	Town of Elkton	From Elkton, North on Rt 33 Business (.2)
Fosters boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	concrete ramp (no ramp), 1 ramp, freshwater	DWR	From Luray, Rt 675 North (2.7); R on Rt R-684 (6)
Grove Hill boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	gravel access, freshwater	DWR	From Shenandoah, Rt 340 North (2); R on Rt 650 (1.1)
Inskeep boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	concrete ramp, freshwater	DWr	From Luray, Rt 684 North (2.5) at the Rt 675 Bridge
Island Ford boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	gravel access, freshwater	VDOT	From Island Ford Rt. 340, W. Rt 649, Left Rt. 642, ramp on right
Karo boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	gravel access, freshwater	DWR	From Front Royal, West on Rt 340 (5) at Karo
Massanutten boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater	DWR	From Luray, Rt. 211 West (3.8); R on Rt 615 (2.8)
Newport boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, freshwater	DWR	Northeast on Rt 340 (7) of Shenandoah
Port Republic boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, freshwater	DWR	From Grottoes, Rt. 340 N.; W. Rt. 659, R. bef. river, Ramp on left.
Shenandoah Riverside boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	hand launch (boat slide), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater	Town of Shenandoah	Town of Shenandoah, Morrison Street
Simpson's boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	concrete ramp (no dock), freshwater	Warren County	From Front Royal, West on Rt 340 (.3); R on Rt 619 (4.3); L on Rt 673 (.7); L on Rt 623
White House boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River	dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater	VDOT	From Luray, Rt 211 East (2.8); R on Rt 646 (.1)

Neighbouring boat ramps around South Fork Shenandoah River

• Lockes boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 5 miles northeast
• Castleman's Ferry boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 8 miles northeast
• Lake Frederick boat rampLake Frederick, 8 miles west
• Morgan's Ford boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 9 miles southwest
• Riverton boat ramp on North Fork Shenandoah RiverNorth Fork Shenandoah River, 12 miles southwest

Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.

Virginia boat ramps

Limits

How many fish leave the South Fork Shenandoah River with you

Species as printed	Applies to	Creel	Length
Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass	statewide	5 per day in the aggregate (combined)	No statewide length limits
Alabama, Spotted Bass	statewide	No statewide daily limit	No statewide length limit
Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids	statewide	4 per day in the aggregate	No fish less than 20 inches
Striped Bass	Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk)	Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters	no length limit printed
Striped Bass	Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay	No possession	no length limit printed
Walleye, Saugeye	statewide	5 per day in the aggregate	No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches
Sauger	statewide	2 per day	No statewide length limits
White Bass	statewide	5 per day	No statewide length limits
Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike	statewide	5 per day	No statewide length limits
Muskellunge	statewide	1 per day	No muskellunge less than 40 inches
Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass	statewide	50 per day in the aggregate (combined)	No statewide length limits
Crappie (black or white)	statewide	25 per day in the aggregate (combined)	No statewide length limits
Rock Bass (redeye)	statewide	25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass	No statewide length limits
Roanoke Bass	statewide	25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass	No statewide length limits
Perch (yellow and white)	statewide	No statewide daily limit	No statewide length limit
Trout	statewide	6 per day	7 inch minimum size
Channel, White, and Flathead	statewide	20 per day	No length limits
Blue	statewide	20 per day	No statewide length limits

Start from the statewide table on South Fork Shenandoah River, then read any water line.

• From the confluence of the North and South Rivers in Port Republic to the confluence of the North Fork and South Fork Shenandoah in Front Royal.
• Black Bass (Smallmouth and Largemouth):
• 5 per day. No bass 11-14 inches can be harvested.
• Sunfish:
• 50 per day. No length limit
• Rock Bass:
• 25 per day. No length limit
• Crappie:
• 25 per day. No length limit
• Muskellunge:
• 1 per day. Minimum size 40 inches
• Channel Catfish:
• 20 per day. No length limit
• Flathead Catfish:

Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.

Digest departures from statewide rows on South Fork Shenandoah River

Water as printed	Species	Rule as printed
North Fork, South Fork and Mainstem Shenandoah River	Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass	No largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 inches

Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.

A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.

Statewide creel and length limits as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.

Virginia licenses and limits

Compare

Moving water around the South Fork Shenandoah River, in a table

Stream	Distance	DWR access sites	USGS gauges	Stocked reaches
South Fork Shenandoah River	this stream	15	3	0
Shenandoah River	5 miles northeast	4	0	0
Happy Creek	12 miles southwest	0	0	1
Passage Creek	17 miles west	0	1	2
Hogue Creek	20 miles northwest	0	1	1
Peters Mill Run	27 miles southwest	0	0	1

Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations and Stocked Trout Reaches, USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.

Nearby

Close to South Fork Shenandoah River on the Commonwealth map

More Virginia lakes within reach of South Fork Shenandoah River

• Lake Thompson6 miles
• Lake Frederick9 miles
• Wilkins Lake12 miles
• Sleeter Lake14 miles

Stores with hooks, line and lures around South Fork Shenandoah River

• Sportsman's Warehouse, 190 Delco Plzsporting goods store, Winchester, 12 miles
• Jake's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Winchester, 15 miles
• Bridgewater Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Bridgewater
• Heartland Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Dayton
• Gregory's Lakeside Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Front Royal

A bed and a breakfast counter near South Fork Shenandoah River

• Shenandoah Farms5 miles, Warren County
• Berryville7 miles, Clarke County
• Stephens City12 miles, Frederick County

Locality pages that take in South Fork Shenandoah River

• Clarke Countycounty seat Berryville
• Page Countycounty seat Luray
• Rockingham Countycounty seat Harrisonburg
• Warren Countycounty seat Front Royal

Other Commonwealth streams by the South Fork Shenandoah River

• Shenandoah River5 miles
• Happy Creek12 miles
• Passage Creek17 miles
• Hogue Creek20 miles
• Peters Mill Run27 miles

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Fish photos

Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at South Fork Shenandoah River

Answers

The South Fork Shenandoah River, asked and answered for Virginia anglers

Which localities does the South Fork Shenandoah River cross?

Our records put it in Clarke County and 3 other localities, about 5 miles from Shenandoah Farms.

Where can I put a boat into the South Fork Shenandoah River?

15 access sites are on the DWR list, including Alma boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River.

What swims in the South Fork Shenandoah River?

The DWR list includes black crappie, bluegill, bullhead, common carp, channel catfish, crappie and flathead catfish.

When is the South Fork Shenandoah River stocked?

No DWR trout stocking or wild trout reach is listed for it.

Is there a length limit on smallmouth in the South Fork Shenandoah River?

The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits. The limits band adds its exception.

Can visitors fish the South Fork Shenandoah River?

A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Under-16 anglers are exempt.

What is the South Fork Shenandoah River running at on the USGS gauge?

See 3 USGS gauges above, live.

Which Virginia bait counter sits closest to the South Fork Shenandoah River?

Nearest in our list: Sportsman's Warehouse (about 12 miles away).

Spend a cool Blue Ridge morning on the South Fork Shenandoah River

Buy the license online first.

Virginia licenses and limitsAll Virginia rivers