Hell or High Water

“I’m here for the bass—and the rapids. We could find more-pristine whitewater out West, but there’s no river with a better story. The New River is a comeback kid,” writes Senior Editor Natalie Krebs. Despite decades of environmental damage, the country’s oldest river remains resilient—and flush with smallmouth bass. But to access the best fishing, you’ll need a boat, the skill to row it, and the will to take on West Virginia’s whitewater.