Claytor Lake Fishing near Pulaski, Virginia

• Overview

  Claytor Lake is set in Pulaski County, Virginia. The bank is 1,854 feet above sea level. This is big water, about 6.4 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. There is roughly 44 miles of bank, and each arm behaves like its own water. Nothing else we list in Pulaski County covers more water. Pulaski sits 5.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Beyond it, Dublin at 5.8 miles and Radford at 9.6 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Claytor Lake

  Our records give 115 ft, so you have a figure to work from. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Reported across Pulaski County: striped bass, bluegill, fantail darter and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Claytor Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 33°F at the bottom of winter. Whether it freezes depends on the year. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. At Claytor Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Being publicly held, the water is generally open for fishing. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Lake Powhatan sits 4 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Claytor Lake in what we hold.