Wilcox Lake in City of Petersburg: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within City of Petersburg, Virginia, you have Wilcox Lake. It lies 141 feet above sea level. At roughly 18 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Petersburg lies 2.1 miles from the water. The big place round here is Richmond, 25 miles distant. Also on the doorstep: Cernys Pond (2.7 miles), Hamlins Pond 2.8 miles, Hanzlik Pond (4 miles), Isaac Walton Pond 4.4 miles and Swift Creek Lake (5.2 miles). This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Wilcox Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. City of Petersburg records list American eel, white perch, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish and Roanoke darter among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Wilcox Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 79°F for July and 38°F for January. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Wilcox Lake. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Cernys Pond is 2.7 miles distant. Check the position on Wilcox Lake before loading the car.