Rural Retreat Lake in Wythe County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Rural Retreat Lake in Wythe County, Virginia. Height above sea level is 2,507 feet. Surface area is around 86 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 2.8 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It is high ground by Virginia standards. You are 1.9 miles from Rural Retreat. Further out sit Atkins (7.8 miles) and Wytheville (12 miles). It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Rural Retreat Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Wythe County list mottled sculpin. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Rural Retreat Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 31°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Rural Retreat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Someone has mapped a fishing spot half a mile off. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Hale Lake at 7.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Rural Retreat Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.