Carroll County Featured Fishing Sites

Site #1: Lovill's Creek Lake

Description:

Lovill's Creek Lake is a 55-acre flood control lake located near the town of Cana in Carroll County. The lake's fish population consists of largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, crappie, and suckers. In spring 2000, a largemouth bass slot limit of 12-15 inches was posted at the lake. Under this regulation, anglers can harvest largemouth bass less than 12 inches or greater than 15 inches, but they will have to release largemouth bass between 12-15 inches. Largemouth bass are abundant, but most are 8-12 inches long. Most bluegills are 3-5 inches long. Redear sunfish occasionally reach 8-10 inches. Channel catfish are stocked every other year. Channel cats (up to 10 pounds) can be caught in the lake. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains a public boat ramp. Boat access, pier fishing, and picnic shelters are all available.

Access Points:

Lovill's Creek Lake is located south of Cana on Route 686. To reach the lake from Route 52 south of Fancy Gap, take Route 687 to Route 686.

Site #2: New River

Description:

When you plan a trip on the New River in southwest Virginia, you will be floating into the past. The New River is an ancient river system, the oldest on the North American continent and second only to the Nile River in Africa as the oldest river in the world. It begins as two streams in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, before merging into the New River four miles from the Virginia line. And therein lies another quirk of this ancient river - it flows northward rather than southward like most of the other major rivers along the eastern seaboard. It meandors some 160 miles through the counties of Grayson, Carroll, Pulaski, Montgomery and Giles in Virginia before it turns into Bluestone Lake in West Virginia and emerges later as the Kanawha River at the Gauley Bridge. The New River ends its metamorphosis when it empties into the great Mississippi River.  

Throughout its journey in Virginia, the New River flows through spectacular, untamed mountain scenery complete with craggy rock cliffs and magnificent gorges. Thus, the New River provides plenty of excitement for whitewater enthusiasts, with several major Class II - III rapids. There is also an abundance of flatwater to please motorboaters and canoeists.  

Fishing is not to be missed in the New River. Simply stated, New rivals the James and Rappahannock rivers as one of the best fishing rivers in Virginia. It supports outstanding populations of just about every major freshwater game fish in the state: smallmouth bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, striped bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, muskellunge, walleye, black crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, yellow perch, redbreast sunfish, and bluegill. State records that have been caught in the New River include muskellunge (45 lbs. 8 oz.), smallmouth bass (8 lbs. 1 oz.) which was caught 3/12/2003, yellow perch (2 lbs. 7 oz.). The state record spotted bass came out of Claytor Lake in 1993 at 3 lbs. 10 oz. And the river has the potential to yield many more record-setting catches in the future.  

Fast water and big rock outcroppings are a feature of the New River, spelling perfect habitat for big smallmouth bass and flathead catfish. You can pull your canoe up on an island and fish with jigs or spinner baits to hook some fine trophies.  

But that doesn't mean the New is all fast water. Several lazy, slow stretches abound, where you can soak in the spectacular scenery of rock cliffs, old Indian settlements and tobacco farms, and still have luck fishing for rock bass near grass beds. The slow waters near the dams along the river will yield big flathead and channel catfish as well as walleye and smallmouth bass when fished with jigs and live bait.

Access Points: Byllesby Pool Concrete Ramp, Latitude 36° 46' 25" N  
36.7736384, Longitude 80° 56' 12" W  
-80.9366109, Directions: From the Town of Riverhill, N on Rt 739 to the River

Site #3: Stewart's Creek Wildlife Management Area

Description:

This is another of Carroll County's secret treasures. Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Stewarts Creek Wildlife Management Area is operated by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. It is situated on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Plateau leading down onto the Piedmont. The 1,087-acre tract boasts clear running mountain streams with native brook trout, wildflowers in the spring, rhododendron thickets, and scenic beauty help to illustrate the area. Hunting is permitted for deer, grouse, turkey, and squirrel. The fishing here can only be described as "excellent." However, it should be noted that the streams are managed under a no harvest regulation and all fish must be immediately released back into stream. Approximately 4.5 miles of Stewart's Creek and its two major tributaries, North Fork and South Fork Stewart's Creek, within the Stewart's Creek Wildlife Management Area, are catch-and-release regulation areas for trout.

Access Points: Stewart's Creek WMA is southeast of Galax on the east side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take Exit 1 off I-77. Follow the trailblazer signs to the area.