It’s a fishing day

Claytor Lake fishing conditions · Virginia

Today, 12 pm–9 pmSmallmouth bass

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 68 for smallmouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Smallmouth bass, 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. 683 am
  2. 68
  3. 68
  4. 686 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 589 am
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 6812 pm
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 683 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 686 pm
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 589 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 58Tue
  23. 68
  24. 68
  25. 683 am
  26. 68
  27. 58
  28. 586 am
  29. 53
  30. 53
  31. 539 am
  32. 53
  33. 53
  34. 5312 pm
  35. 58
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Smallmouth bass range 55–78°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:40 am

Sky
Patchy Fog

No rain expected

Air
39°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.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–30 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"), Claytor Lake (no smallmouth under 14") and Lake Moomaw (12" minimum).

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

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

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

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia statewide: 5 walleye and saugeye a day combined, none under 18". Claytor Lake and the New River up to Fries Dam: 2 walleye a day, none 19–28".

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

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec. More on walleye

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

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

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia landlocked striped bass and hybrids: 4 a day combined, none under 20", open all year. Kerr, Claytor, Gaston and Smith Mountain have their own seasonal rules.

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

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on striped bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday, 12 pm–9 pm

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
  • Barometer30.44 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:40 am
  • Sunset today6:32 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:20 pm–2:20 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:00 pm–7:00 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

A New River reservoir in southwest Virginia known for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, and a special-regulation striper and hybrid fishery.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Smith Mountain Lake54 mi · VirginiaBest tomorrow 2 pm–3 pm
84Worth the trip
New River (Thurmond Gorge)67 mi · West VirginiaBest today 11 am–8 pm
82Worth the trip
Summersville Lake83 mi · West VirginiaBest today 11 am–9 pm
68Marginal
South Holston River90 mi · TennesseeBest today 1 pm–9 pm
68Marginal
Watauga River104 mi · TennesseeBest today 2 pm–4 pm
78Worth the trip
Lake Norman105 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 2 pm–3 pm
96Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Claytor Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Claytor Lake 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 Claytor Lake?

Claytor Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, and 2 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 Claytor Lake?

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 Claytor Lake 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 Claytor Lake have?

Claytor Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Claytor Lake?

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) freshwater regulations apply at Claytor Lake. 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 Claytor Lake tidal water?

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