It’s a fishing day

Burke Lake Park fishing conditions · Virginia

Tomorrow, 1 pm–3 pmMuskellunge

The bite peaks at 55.

Frost Advisory until Monday 9 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 51 for muskellunge, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Muskellunge, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 513 am
  2. 51
  3. 51
  4. 516 am
  5. 41
  6. 45
  7. 419 am
  8. 41
  9. 41
  10. 4312 pm
  11. 47
  12. 55
  13. 513 pm
  14. 43
  15. 41
  16. 456 pm
  17. 41
  18. 41
  19. 419 pm
  20. 41
  21. 41
  22. 43Tue
  23. 47
  24. 47
  25. 433 am
  26. 51
  27. 51
  28. 516 am
  29. 51
  30. 51
  31. 559 am
  32. 51
  33. 51
  34. 5112 pm
  35. 55
  36. 55
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Muskellunge range 55–78°

Wind
2 mph

From the west

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:29 am

Sky
Patchy Fog

No rain expected

Air
44°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Virginia non-tidal (VDWR) regulations for these waters.

Muskellunge

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

55MarginalTomorrow, 1 pm–3 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Muskellunge bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Muskellunge feeds aggressively under full moon. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

40" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: 1 a day, 40" minimum. On the New River from Claytor Dam to the West Virginia line, no muskie 40–48" may be kept Jun 1 to the last day of February, and none under 48" Mar 1–May 31.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: May–Jul, Sep–Nov. More on muskellunge

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: 5 bass a day combined (largemouth and smallmouth), no statewide length limit. Many rivers and lakes have their own length rules, among them the James and New rivers (no bass 14–22", 1 over 22"), the Shenandoah (no bass 11–14"), and Kerr, Gaston, Leesville and Smith Mountain (only 2 of 5 under 14").

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: 25 crappie a day combined, no length limit. Exceptions include a 9" minimum on Kerr Reservoir and no daily limit on Lake Gaston.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: channel, white and flathead catfish 20 a day, no length limit. No daily limit in rivers below the fall line.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Chain pickerel bite in 45–80° water, best near 60°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: 5 a day (chain pickerel and northern pike), no length limit. No daily limit on Lake Gaston and Kerr Reservoir.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on chain pickerel

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: no daily or length limit for yellow or white perch (Lake Moomaw: 10 a day).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Season here: Feb–Apr, Oct–Dec. More on yellow perch

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia inland waters: carp may be possessed in unlimited numbers for personal use.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.42 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:29 am
  • Sunset today6:16 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Virginia DWR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: VA DWR/VMRC · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

218-acre Fairfax County lake stocked annually with muskellunge (since 1966 at ~2 fish per acre), walleye, and channel catfish. VA DWR manages it as a trophy muskie fishery. Largemouth bass and crappie round out the warmwater fishery.

No private gas-powered boats — rental rowboats, canoes, paddleboats, and electric-motor boats only. Fee for parking and boat rentals. Anglers 16+ need a Virginia freshwater fishing license.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Occoquan Regional Park6 mi · VirginiaBest tomorrow 4 am–3 pmFrost Advisory
75Worth the trip
Pohick Bay Regional Park9 mi · VirginiaBest tomorrow 7 am–2 pm
100Go
Mason Neck State Park10 mi · VirginiaBest tomorrow 3 am–2 pm
100Go
Leesylvania State Park13 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 3 pm
100Go
Chapman State Park14 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 2 am–3 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Burke Lake Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Burke Lake Park you need a Virginia freshwater fishing license issued by DWR (and a separate trout license for designated stocked trout waters October 1 through June 15). See the agency's current rules: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/licenses/

What fish are commonly targeted at Burke Lake Park?

Burke Lake Park is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge, and 3 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Burke Lake Park?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Burke Lake Park against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Burke Lake Park have?

Burke Lake Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. No private gas-powered boats — rental rowboats, canoes, paddleboats, and electric-motor boats only. Fee for parking and boat rentals. Anglers 16+ need a Virginia freshwater fishing license.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Burke Lake Park?

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) freshwater regulations apply at Burke Lake Park. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Burke Lake Park tidal water?

No. Burke Lake Park is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Burke Lake Park?

No private gas-powered boats — rental rowboats, canoes, paddleboats, and electric-motor boats only. Fee for parking and boat rentals. Anglers 16+ need a Virginia freshwater fishing license.