McGhee Lake, Virginia: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  McGhee Lake lies in Loudoun County, in Virginia. The coast is 38 miles away. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Purcellville at 7.7 miles is the nearest place to stop. Then Bull Run Mountain Estates, 9.8 miles, and Leesburg, 12 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on McGhee Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Loudoun County list smallmouth bass, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, largemouth bass and greenside darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At McGhee Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 32°F in January up to 76°F in July. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That is the shape of the year on McGhee Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Rayborn Lake sits 1.9 miles off and takes the overflow. For McGhee Lake in particular, ask before you travel.