Fishing at Lake Accotink, Fairfax County, Virginia

• Overview

  Fairfax County in Virginia is where Lake Accotink sits. This is farm and woodlot ground. The water covers some 74 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is little indentation to the bank, so wind hits most of it the same way. On our Fairfax County list it sits near the top for size. Ravensworth is the closest town at 0.6 miles. For a city, Arlington is 8.7 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Lake Accotink

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Fish documented in Fairfax County include blueback herring, alewife and bluegill. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Lake Accotink fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 77°F at the top of summer and 34°F at the bottom of winter. Mild ends to the year keep the season long. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Lake Accotink fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. The water borders Lake Accotink Park, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. The nearest alternative is Huntsman Lake, 3.5 miles out. Rules at Lake Accotink are worth checking on the day.