Claytor Lake
Claytor Lake is a lake in Virginia. The fish here are ranked by weather, water temperature and season, see the likely catch below.
Conditions right now
Weather
☀️ Clear sky
Water temp (est.)
23.4°C
Air temp
23.7°C
Wind
3.3 m/s
Pressure
1016.0
↓ falling
Clouds
5.0%
Water temperature is an estimate based on weather and season.
Best times today
🌇
Dusk
19:27–21:27
🌙
Night
21:27–05:17
Local time at the spot, from the most likely species' daily rhythm.
Next hours
09:00
☀️
24.0°
10:00
☀️
26.0°
11:00
🌤️
28.0°
12:00
🌤️
30.0°
13:00
🌤️
31.0°
14:00
🌤️
32.0°
15:00
⛅
32.0°
16:00
🌤️
32.0°
17:00
🌧️
32.0°
18:00
🌤️
31.0°
19:00
☀️
30.0°
20:00
☀️
29.0°
Likely catch now (12 species)
Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
Active through the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season, falling pressure ahead of weather.
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Active through the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season, bright sky slows things.
Blue Catfish
Ictalurus furcatus
Active through the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season, falling pressure ahead of weather.
Flathead Catfish
Pylodictis olivaris
Active through the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season.
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season, bright sky slows things.
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season, bright sky slows things.
Striped Bass
Morone saxatilis
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, bright sky slows things.
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, bright sky slows things.
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, peak season.
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
Slow during the night, peak season, bright sky slows things.
White Bass
Morone chrysops
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 23 degrees, bright sky slows things.
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Slow during the night, bright sky slows things.
Tips right now
Technique
Start with a ledger bait for common carp, the most likely catch right now.
Timing
This is a prime window for common carp at night. Fish hard now.
Lure
Ledger bait for common carp: Boilies or corn.
Colour
Clear water and good light: try natural, gold and bronze for common carp.
Depth
The water temperature suits the fish. Fish actively at normal depths and edges.
Fishing permit
A state fishing license is required to fish here. Licenses are issued by each state:
About this water
Claytor Lake in Pulaski County, Virginia, is a 4,472-acre (1,810 ha), 21-mile-long (34 km) reservoir on the New River, created for an Appalachian Power Company (APC) hydroelectric project. It is named for William Graham Claytor, Sr. (1886–1971) of Roanoke, Virginia, a vice president of APC who had supervised the construction of the Claytor Dam, which created the lake.
Read more on Wikipedia →