Sampling in spring 2021 revealed good numbers and good size structure. This 1,110-acre impoundment lies within James City and New Kent Counties. In a beautiful setting, this mountain reservoir called Claytor Lake offers up camping, boating and fishing away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Intensive forage stocking of 1-3 Bluegill annually since 2015 has resulted in a 20% increase in forage abundance. With the possibility of catching Smallmouth, Largemouth, and Spotted Bass, Claytor Lake is popular with nearly 67% of lake anglers fishing for these three species of black bass. With consistent Walleye stocking in recent years, this fishery is improving, with 5% of anglers targeting them. The Smallmouth Bass population makes up less than 10% of black bass but still contributes to the fishery. The reports are compiled by an outside contractor who receives the The 2021 spring electrofishing survey collected 191 Largemouth Bass for a catch rate of 64/hr. Brown trout to almost six pounds are being caught on live minnows at night, under the lights. Location and Fishing Information: Claytor lake is located in Pulaski County Virginia and covers just under 4,500 acres of surface area. This was a slight decline from 2020 (129/hr.). Community electrofishing is conducted every other year to assess the fishery and is next scheduled for 2022. Fishing from the shoreline is permitted throughout the park except for The lake was not trap netted in 2021, but the 2020 net survey found the crappie population healthy with an abundance of fish 11-13. Buford Sparks. Bass and catfish are "biting like crazy". Walleye observed in the 2021 sample were 1527 with an average of nearly 20. Largemouth Bass 20 inches accounted for 5% of the sample. While there is no minimum size limit for Largemouth Bass, the Smallmouth Bass minimum size limit is 14 inches. The reservoir has potential to produce citation Yellow Perch and Black Crappie, and anglers with good electronics can sometimes find these schools. NOTE: Walleye catch rates are on the rise the last two years due to increased stocking in the Staunton River drainage. The crappie fishery could benefit from harvest of 8-10 fish instead of larger ones. 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. There are plenty of amenities located on and around the lake including marinas, boat ramps and lodging. Jigs and deep crankbaits for bass. The 2021 survey was conducted on May 7th with water temperatures near 70 and did not account for the majority of spawning bass which had vacated the shallows. Stripers - Still some night fishing from midnight till 2:30 AM bucktails and rapalas F-18 still the baits of choice. The survey yielded 65 preferred-sized bass ( 15) for a catch rate of 21.7/hr. The Virginia state record musky, walleye and smallmouth bass were all caught in the Sign in to your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy. If you are interested in going on this trip please contact Steve at 714 272-4395. for fish over 20. Variable stockings over the next five years will occur in efforts to determine if abundance or size structure can be enhanced. Striped Bass: 4 per day no less than 20 inches. Additionally, several bass in the 16-20 range have been sampled the past five years, and 2021 was no exception. The Striped Bass population is recovering well with high densities of stripers from the 2018 year class. along with two saugeye. Water temperatures below 70 degrees produce the best striper Striped Bass and hybrid striper Hybrid Striped Bass fishing. Spotted Bass with a Leland's Crappie Magnet Jig Heads, 5 lb. Claytor Lake State Park 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. Bluegill: 50 per day no length restrictions. Sandy also boasts impressive catfish, sunfish, and crappie fisheries. The lake is to remain five feet down until Sunday p.m., November 17, when refilling will begin. Hybrid Striped Bass were stocked in 2013-2015 and 2017-2021, and pure Striped Bass were stocked in 2017 to diversify fishing opportunities. Field staff Spotted Bass are the most abundant, so they are more frequently caught. The survey yielded 65 Largemouth Bass for a catch rate of 39/hr. Sampling in 2018 showed stocked bass only added 6% to years when stocking occurred and only 0.03% to the entire adult population after three years of stocking. If you want in on this action bring your 30 pound yo-yo jis set ups, we also have sardines on the boat. Catfish are abundant with the most common species being Channel and Blue Catfish. Anglers should find a good distribution of fish 8-13. As Lake Moomaw has aged, it has provided better habitat for Smallmouth Bass. Good areas are the shoreline across from the mouth of Dublin Hollow, the shoreline between Spooky Hollow and Texas Hollow, and in Dublin Hollow. However, only Walleye were stocked since 2016, and this fishery declined to a level similar to historical populations. It is unclear why the drastic change after 20 years, so it is uncertain if this population will continue to sustain current numbers or will return to historical levels. Crappie anglers have reported catching saugeye in various areas of the lake. Bluegill are numerous throughout the lake providing action when other species are not biting. This ranked much lower than in 2020 (76/hr.) In the 2017 angler survey, Channel and Flathead Catfish fishing effort climbed to nearly 13%, making catfish angling the second biggest fishery here. The combined creel limit for black bass is still 5 per day. Looking to find places to wade fish? The reservoir has numerous arms and coves with plenty of area for anglers to explore with steep shoreline drops and clear water. Alabama Bass are also found in Claytor Lake. Recent creel surveys estimated very high voluntary release of Largemouth Bass over 99%, which undoubtedly is helping keep mortality rates low (about 24%). Yesterday was a tough day caused by the conditions and, especially the sea lions. Species Caught Here: Bass. Occoquan Reservoir stunned biologists in spring 2020 by producing an extraordinary Largemouth Bass catch rate of 94/hr. Well the albies are being caught right now in good weather and some bft are showing up too. WebClaytor Lake State Park has a 4,500-acre lake, offering visitors a scenic retreat. The 2021 spring survey collected 173 Largemouth Bass for a CPUE of 86/hr. The second cohort is in the 1620 range, and the third cohort produces fish > 20. Collected bass were in good condition and showed favorable relative weights. There are copious water willow beds along many shorelines and lots of submerged timber in this 2100-acre reservoir. Other Non-Gamefish: Certain Restrictions Apply. Channel Catfish were the fourth most harvested fish with an estimated 2,692 fish. Public Property. Improved growth has allowed Striped Bass to grow better, and the catch of fish > 30 has doubled since 2016. Buffalo, Grassy, Bluestone, and Butcher Creeks are very productive for crappie. With catches of 20 to 30 pound Common Carp possible, anglers from as far away as England come to fish here. The drawdown is scheduled to begin at one foot per day on Monday morning, November 4, until the lake reaches its full drawdown depth of five feet (1841 elevation) by Saturday morning, November 9. Surveys from 2021 depicted a strong Largemouth Bass population with abundant numbers of 12-18 fish (1-3 pounds). +HX/,Gm"|^]30 No Fishing Supplies (Bait & Tackle) Listed. Claytor Lake State Park Boat Launch Ramp Anglers can find Largemouth Bass in coves throughout the lake, but the best places to fish are Peak Creek, Clapboard Hollow, and large coves in the lower lake area. There were some bass in the 3-4.5 pound range, and the largest was 20 and 5.2 pounds. The trip is limited to only 15 people! Anglers report catching a number of trophy Yellow Perch (> 1 pound, 4 ounces or 12) each year. endstream endobj startxref Learn More, Get Special Offers Delivered Right to Your Inbox. Dublin, VA 24084 The 2021 survey yielded a CPUE-P of 14.4/hr. During spring 2019 electrofishing, 69% of the Largemouth Bass collected over 8 inches WebClaytor Lake (Allisonia) VA Fishing Reports, Map & Hot Spots Claytor Lake (Allisonia) Pulaski - Virginia 15 catches 251 followers 8 spots A New River impoundment, this lake ugZe9Ldu3S@'\]wZuH@3FTr"8JDJ\)1I One of the better fishing opportunities on Chesdin comes from Channel Catfish with fish averaging 4-6 pounds. this includes food and permits. The 2020 net survey collected 456 crappie over two nights, and most fish were from two year classes with peaks of distribution centered on 8-9 and 10-11. Guests can also rent bikes and Anglers are Locations and coordinates of fish habitat structures developed since 2012 can be seen in the maps below: Claytor Lake and the New River upstream of Claytor Lake Dam to Buck Dam in Carroll County: Claytor Lake State Park, located on the north side of the lake, provides 497 acres of park with camping, cabins, picnic areas, and a swimming beach, as well as a marina. Bass: 5 per day, only 2 can be less than 14 inches. Good largemouth bass fishing can be found throughout the reservoir but smallmouth bass densities appearing to be greater in the Bass anglers fishing South Holston Lake in 2022 should have an exceptional season. Largemouth Bass in the 24 pound range are still common; however, density of those over four pounds has declined somewhat mainly due to reduced productivity of the system. A new size and creel limit is in place from Claytor Lake Dam upstream to Buck Dam on the New River in Carroll County year round (formerly a seasonal size and creel limit). Brown trout to almost six pounds are being caught on live minnows at night, under the lights. HTKo0WF$y)*CJ4gffJog{|>6OB In spring, Striped Bass may be found in the upper end of the lake and in the river above the lake as fish travel upstream to spawn. From July 1 to September 15, there is no minimum size limit for Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass and anglers are allowed to keep 4 per day combined. Harrys Point boat ramp, a no-fee ramp located in the mid-lake area within Pulaski Countys Harry DeHaven Park, has a double ramp and courtesy piers. tZ28xG }@`6 This survey also yielded 14 Alabama Bass (7/hr.) White bass are schooled, taking topwater baits. Visit this link for the locations of these reefs. Redear Sunfish are not as abundant, but sizes are better with fish reaching 9-11. Public access is somewhat limited but there is a good boat launch area at Claytor Lake State Park on the northern shore of the lake. "Just outstanding fishing on those Yellowtail. Anglers can also catch decent numbers of Black Crappie and sunfish. Both CPUEs were down from 2019 (90/hr.). 603 Bridge at the upper end. Flannagan Reservoir should provide anglers with good bass fishing in 2021, especially for Largemouth Bass. Large Mouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass are on there summer patterns and have pulled off to deep points and structure. 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. The park provides a fishing pier, public boat ramp, boat rentals, and decent shoreline access. Fishing has also become a major attraction at Claytor Lake. It may be another year before the trout fishery recovers. While black bass and trout are the mainstay fisheries in Lake Moomaw, anglers should also find favorable populations of Black Crappie, Bluegill, Chain Pickerel, and Channel Catfish. Anglers are encouraged to check out fish habitat reefs that have been recently created by DWR. Spotted Bass in Claytor Lake do not grow as large as Largemouth and Smallmouth bass, rarely reaching 2 pounds in size, although the state record 4-pound, 12-ounce Spotted Bass was caught at Claytor Lake on January 1, 2020. placing Chesdin in first place again for all district lakes. Anglers can expect to experience similar catch rates for trout in 2022 as they saw in recent years. Largemouth Bass are abundant with good numbers of fish up to 17. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors. White Bass are regulated by a creel limit of five per day, with no size limit. Claytor Lake Underwater Webcam feed. Drum densities have increased greatly in recent years. From September 16 to June 30, Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass must be 20 inches long to be harvested and anglers are allowed to keep 2 per day combined. 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