Lake Brittle in Fauquier County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Brittle stands in Fauquier County, Virginia. It stands 397 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 69 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. On our Fauquier County list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to New Baltimore, 2.4 miles off. The big place round here is Arlington, 33 miles distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Lake Brittle

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Species logged across Fauquier County include bluegill, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish, rock bass and fantail darter. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Lake Brittle repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 76°F; by January the average is down near 33°F. The season stretches long at both ends here. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Plan any trip to Lake Brittle around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lake Ashby, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Lake Brittle in what we hold.