Stocking will continue for at least several more years and will continue to be evaluated with electrofishing and tournament samples to determine if stocking benefits are worth the investment. Several boat launch ramps, some for a small fee and some for free, are scattered around the lake. 3776 Rock House Rd COMBINED WEIGHT TOTAL OF 5 FISH (Including Large Mouth Bass, As far as the plan for tomorrow, we will be trying something different. 09/21/2022 An experimental Largemouth Bass stocking program was initiated in 2015 to determine if supplemental stocking of F1 bass in Virginias larger lakes can improve populations. Thirty percent of all Largemouth Bass collected were > 15, and 45% of Smallmouth Bass measured at least 14. Sampling in spring 2021 revealed good numbers and good size structure. Since implementation of a 16-24 slot limit, abundance of bass in the slot has tripled and remained consistent. Redear Sunfish are not as abundant, but sizes are better with fish reaching 9-11. Black Crappie in the 12-17 range were abundant, and as a result; prospects for anglers pursuing crappie looks good in 2022. Map. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. Eighty-seven percent of adults were 18 inches, and 32% exceeded 20. In partnership with Appalachian Power Company, Claytor Lake State Park, Friends of Claytor Lake, and the Virginia BASS Nation, DWR fisheries biologists have worked to enhance fish habitat across Claytor Lake. Learn More, 09/21/2022 Large bass can be found throughout the lake. The Bluegill and Redear Sunfish populations have been producing larger fish that can be enjoyed by fly fishermen and spin anglers using light tackle. No Walleye 19-28 may be kept, and anglers are limited to 2 per day. 540 980-1488. Rentals: Kayaks and pontoon boats Brown and Rainbow Trout are stocked as fingerlings annually. Many larger fish are also caught, and Buggs Island boasts the state and world record Blue Catfish at 143 pounds caught in 2011. Moomaw has both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. Alongside stunning vistas, the lake features some of the best angling in the area. Spotted Bass are the most abundant, so they are more frequently caught. Premier Angler - The World Lives Outdoors. Anglers who are familiar with Claytor Lake are asked to suggest changes using the link above. Bass forage heavily on Gizzard Shad here. DWR has returned to stocking diploid Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout at historic densities. Bluegill are extremely abundant, but very few make it past 6. Bass and catfish are "biting like crazy". Location and Fishing Information: Claytor lake is located in Pulaski County Virginia and covers just under 4,500 acres of surface area. Good catches of crappie and catfish are being taken at night. Smallmouth now outnumber largemouth in many areas. This reservoir has historically supported a fair Striped Bass population that has fluctuated for both number and size due to variable recruitment. This decline can largely be attributed to missed stocked cohorts in 2016 and 2018 from insufficient hatchery production. South Holston offers the best crappie fishing of all lakes in southwest Virginia. Channel Catfish were the fourth most harvested fish with an estimated 2,692 fish. This suggests there are currently as many (or more) bass in the lake as there have been for at least 25 years with a commensurate number of larger fish. Cabins & Lodges For more information on camping, cabins and lodges, please visit Claytor Lake State Park's website. The Black Crappie population is not large compared to other lakes, but they average a little less than a pound in size. He is running OPEN PARTY departing Saturday for the entire month of March. Daytime trolling has produced some Informational signs about this invasive fish are posted at access points. The Striped Bass population is recovering well with high densities of stripers from the 2018 year class. Anglers can keep unlimited numbers of Spotted Bass of any size. Largemouth Bass with a black n blue spinner. In 2021, the catch rate of preferred size (> 15) largemouth was 14.3/hr. Since then, trophy bass potential has declined slightly as a result of several factors including reservoir aging, bass virus, and the introduction of Hydrilla. These first two stockings of a 6-year study are being assessed for survival and contribution to the fishery. The Bowfin population is one of the best in Virginia. Anglers here will find a wide variety of species that can provide an enjoyable day on the water. Read Fishing Reports. Fishing in southwest VA, at Claytor Lake, for bass, crappie, walleye, catfish, stripers, hybrid striped bass, perch, bluegill, white bass and sunfish . However, Briery Creek still boasts a unique combination of size and number of Largemouth Bass. Walleye fishing remains the best in the Commonwealth; however, fishing success has declined recently possibly due to increasing pressure and a missing 2016 year class due to hatchery issues. This group is here to talk about all fishing at Claytor Lake. Diascund Reservoir is another Newport News water supply. The improved population is a result of VDWR fisheries biologists restoring New River strain Walleye to the New River upstream from Claytor Lake. Claytor Lake Subscribe to Receive Fishing Report Updates Rating - Good Stripers, 14-16 pounds, are taking live shad. While there is no minimum for largemouth, the Smallmouth Bass minimum size is 14. g0u70FWMirYfuT54['D+ cg0h 5s[{O}'+? |tdOG/EOE$3N21GV#X^2|R2~bw >KH(@2\$b,JBV9Ty{i|0Vq1Mt@. Possible catches from Claytor Lake range from bass to carp. Claytor Lake State Park Campground - 540 643-2500, Izaak Walton League Campground - 540 382-7063, Claytor Lake 603 Bridge at the upper end. Also sign me up for tips and deals from the Omnia newsletter. along with two saugeye. Little Creek has historically been a difficult place to collect bass during daytime surveys, and the reduced elevation added another complication. During fall, winter, and summer, look for schools in the same areas where stripers hang out. The best areas are from the dam to mile marker 6, as most of the upper lake has poor habitat due to high discharge from Smith Mountain Lake. Striped Bass: 4 per day no less than 20 inches. The Black Crappie population is not large compared to other lakes, but they typically average nearly a pound. 6325 Sandburg Road Suite 100Golden Valley, MN 55427. The most plentiful fish in the lake are bluegill, a form of sunfish. As the season progresses and water temperatures increase, Walleye move deeper. Topwaters, plastic worms an Flannagan Reservoir should provide anglers with good bass fishing in 2021, especially for Largemouth Bass. The crappie population has been generally consistent for both number and size. Electrofishing catch rates of bass >15 are similar to neighboring Smith Mountain Lake. Good largemouth bass fishing can be found throughout the reservoir but smallmouth bass densities appearing to be greater in the $uM+(? The cost is $650. Kayaks, canoes and all types of fishing boats provide access to this river fishery. Limits of rockfish and 21 lingcod. Claytor Lake Good 09/21/2022 Stripers, 14-16 pounds, are taking live shad. This was minor improvement from 2020 (20/hr.). Anglers should target Alewife depth when fishing for bass, crappie, or trout. DWR staff plan to trap net the reservoir in 2022. Some nice catches of bass are being made on grubs and Drop Shot. Both of these bass species eat a lot of Bluegill as well as some Alewife and Gizzard Shad, so they may also hit lures that imitate fish. Anglers will also find schools of Walleye and Yellow Perch in Claytor Lake. Spotted Bass do not grow as large as the others rarely reaching 2 pounds, although the state record 4-pound, 12 ounce Spotted Bass was caught at here in January 2020. Anglers fishing for black bass in the lake can use information collected during a bass food habits study at Claytor Lake to select lures and techniques for these species. The crappie community has historically suffered from stockpiling but has the capacity to produce quality fish with most whites holding in the upper third of the lake. The use of outboard engines is prohibited, but trolling motors are permitted. Anglers are reminded the minimum size for saugeye and Walleye is 18 at 5/day in aggregate. The survey did not reveal an abundance of bass with only 46 collected (23/hr.). Little Creek Reservoir is a 947-acre Newport News water supply located in James City County just south of Toano. Submersed aquatic vegetation (primarily Hydrilla) has spread to several areas. Walleye. Community electrofishing is conducted every other year to assess the fishery and is next scheduled for 2022. 8 yellowtail 150 assorted rockfish 65 reds. Carvins Cove should offer anglers good fishing in 2022 for a variety of fish. endstream endobj 263 0 obj <>stream WebClaytor Lake Fishing Services. this includes food and permits. This strong year class and higher stocking densities should maintain a fishery that will provide a lot of action in coming years. QZq,Q`iWUz%79e}]2Wk2sG/\ Nlj@PSuU.t+^+ f{GU>EuXGYjj?%m}"wO [4 The Largemouth Bass regulation did not change, and Largemouth Bass less than 12 must be released. 540 980-1488. Alewive are shallow and in-shore during late spring and then move to the thermocline when the reservoir stratifies in summer. The Black Crappie population is still riding a big-fish cycle. Briery is not just a bass lake, it also provides moderate sunfish and crappie fisheries. The main sporting varieties are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and striped bass. WebClaytor Lake Fishing Reports 103 people follow this lake 23 Fishing Reports Type: Lake/Pond Size: 4073.28 acres Avg. 540 731-8683, Mountain 2 Island at the Rock House Marina Lake Chesdin received supplemental F-1 bass stockings in 2020 and 2021 as part of a DWR program. Bluegill and the occasional Channel Catfish round out the action. Hybrids are routinely caught in the lower lake on top water baits or by drifting live baits. 2023 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Field staff update the fishing reports each but not as impressive as 2018 (71/hr.). The 2021 stocking of saugeye will hopefully provide action in the future. The largest seen during the 2020 survey was 4.5 pounds, while the 2021 survey only yielded a bass of 3.7 pounds. This new format should result in consistent recruitment and abundance of legal fish (nearly 200,000 stocked annually). Improved growth has allowed Striped Bass to grow better, and the catch of fish > 30 has doubled since 2016. Southeast on Rt. Hybrid Striped Bass continue to provide a popular sport fishery, and this system produced a previous state record hybrid. Approximately 17,000 hybrid fingerlings were stocked in 2021. The abundance of hybrids in December 2021 net samples was average, but the majority of fish were over 20 and legal. The Walleye fishery continues to be stable, supported by annual stocking, and the fishery continues to produce good numbers of Walleye > 18. W0CD;=+;q|M"V=hWE(bPmTHU.#E| K@@? Good areas are the shoreline across from the mouth of Dublin Hollow, the shoreline between Spooky Hollow and Texas Hollow, and in Dublin Hollow. "Just outstanding fishing on those Yellowtail. Follow Route 605 until you reach Route 663 (Owens Road), go right on 663, then look for signs marking the park when you get near the lake. %PDF-1.6 % While the increasing bass population coincides with stocking, the primary reasons for the overall increase bass is likely improved forage and good spawning success. You can find White Crappie, Black Crappie,Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Muskie, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Striped Bass, Walleye and Largemouth Bass on these waters. Alabama Bass are also found in Claytor Lake. For more information on the park, call (540) 643-2500. Bragging size fish are scarce, but the action is non-stop. The fishery is enhanced by annual stocking of Striped Bass along with previous Walleye stocking which provide trophy fishing potential. Unfortunately, the trout fishery has declined dramatically in recent years, and biologists are working diligently to explain this decline. However, it is still a 21% decline from 2019 (12.0 /net night). Bass up to age-16 were found in 2019 in an age study prior to F1 supplemental stocking. 29 yellowtail, 44 reds, and 100 whitefish. Outside edges of Hydrilla provide great locations to catch bass, Chain Pickerel, and sometimes Black Crappie. Harrys Point also has a handicapped-accessible fishing pier, where many of the lakes species can be caught throughout the year. Bluegill and Rock Bass are numerous throughout the lake, providing fishing action when other species are not biting. Biologists continue to work on adding fish habitat (brush piles and pallet teepees) in designated areas to improve spawning and add survival. The 2021 survey revealed similar results with few fish over 6. White bass are schooled, taking topwater baits. While most anglers troll or float live Gizzard Shad and Alewife for stripers and hybrids, many are taken with topwater baits (Redfins, Rapalas, etc.) Other Non-Gamefish: Certain Restrictions Apply. The 2022 tournament will take place on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at Claytor Lake State Park located at 6620 Ben H. Bolen Dr, Dublin, VA 24084. Catch rates for fish > 20 declined slightly in 2020 and again in 2021, although 2021 samples still yielded 13 bass > 20. The survey revealed a decline crappie >12. Best Tools, Gear and Gadgets to Have on Your Boat, ISLE Sportsman Review: Fishing From a High-End Paddle Board. Bait & Tackle: YES The VDWR, with agreement from Newport News and James City County, built a public boat ramp, courtesy pier, and parking lot off Route 603 near Lanexa. Claytor Lake Underwater Webcam feed. Hi guys, sorry for the lack of a report yesterday. If those times wont work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising. Buy Lowrance HDS Live Finder - Save Up To $800 on System Components. Pulaski, VA 24301 Flathead Catfish up to 30 pounds, and Channel Catfish up to 15 pounds can be caught. Well the albies are being caught right now in good weather and some bft are showing up too. Anglers are encouraged to switch over from bass to perch and crappie. Sampling by VDWR biologists in 2021 documented Largemouth Bass abundance at record levels. Anglers can explore over 60 miles of shoreline in search of bass, crappie, walleye, catfish, stripers, hybrid striped bass, perch, bluegill, white bass and sunfish. Some VA fishing guides offer guided bass, striper and crappie trips on Claytor Lake. Several boat launch ramps, some for a small fee and some for free, are scattered around the lake. , winter, and the reduced elevation added another claytor lake fishing report a wide variety of were. New River upstream from Claytor Lake they typically average nearly a pound in size they average a less. 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