It’s a fishing day

Claytor Lake fishing conditions · Virginia

Tomorrow, 1 pm–7 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 90.

Log a trip here
Right now: 90 for walleye, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, 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. 904 pm
  2. 86
  3. 86
  4. 867 pm
  5. 71
  6. 71
  7. 6310 pm
  8. 67
  9. 65Sun
  10. 681 am
  11. 66
  12. 76
  13. 764 am
  14. 76
  15. 70
  16. 707 am
  17. 66
  18. 61
  19. 6310 am
  20. 72
  21. 82
  22. 861 pm
  23. 86
  24. 86
  25. 864 pm
  26. 90
  27. 86
  28. 767 pm
  29. 76
  30. 71
  31. 7110 pm
  32. 80
  33. 80Mon
  34. 801 am
  35. 76
  36. 76
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
12 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:19 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
53°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

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.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

90GoTomorrow, 1 pm–7 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. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 2 a day

Release 19–28".

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 2 walleye a day; none from 19 to 28" may be kept.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Claytor Lake and the New River to Fries Dam

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–7 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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth under 14"; 5 bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Claytor Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–7 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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–7 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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 1 pm–7 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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 2 a day (Jan 1–Jun 30, Sep 16–Dec 31); 4 a day (Jul 1–Sep 15)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Sep 16–Jun 30: 2 a day combined, none under 20". Jul 1–Sep 15: 4 a day, no length limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Claytor Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here Apr–Oct. 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 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.05 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:19 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:53 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:50 pm–4:50 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:00 am–7:00 am

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 12 pm–8 pm
82Worth the trip
New River (Thurmond Gorge)67 mi · West VirginiaBest tomorrow 9 am–7 pm
100Go
Summersville Lake83 mi · West VirginiaBest tomorrow 2 pm–5 pm
86Go
South Holston River90 mi · TennesseeBest now until 6 pm
78Worth the trip
Watauga River104 mi · TennesseeBest now until 6 pm
78Worth the trip
Lake Norman105 mi · North CarolinaBest tomorrow 12 pm–5 pmFrost Advisory
77Worth the trip

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.