Campbell County

Campbell County features conveniently located state-maintained boat launches and egress points. Spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days fishing, paddling, and boating in the Upper Staunton River from Leesville Lake to Brookneal. In spring, spawning striped bass are plentiful, inspiring a pair of popular tournaments for striped bass and catfish (pre-register at BrooknealCatfishTournament.com).

two fish caught in Campbell County Va The Leesville Dam Tailrace has some of the best walleye fishing in Virginia. With areas of glass-like serenity along wooded shorelines to Class II & III rapids below Long Island Park, the rich, unspoiled ecology of the river encourages vigorous growth with ample food sources for its catfish and bass. The braided channels below Long Island provide a variety of riffles, runs, pools, and eddies to suit any fisherman’s preference.

Fish in Staunton River in Campbell County Va The Vic Thomas State Fish Hatchery raises striped bass and walleye to stock rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Virginia. Channel Catfish are more abundant in the Staunton River than any other river in the state. Flathead catfish up to 60 inches have been sampled there. Along the northern border of the County, you can fish the beautiful James River along Mt. Athos Road to Joshua Falls Boat Landing. Campbell County also features numerous fish-filled creeks leading to the lakes and rivers.

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At a Glance:

3 Lakes

Brookneal Reservoir

The Brookneal Reservoir is located 1.3 miles outside of the town of Brookneal. It is 16 acres in size and is open to the public. The reservoir is home to Bream, Bluegill, and Largemouth Bass.

Leesville Lake

Leesville Lake is 17 miles long and features 100 miles of wooded shoreline. The lake consist of 94,900 acres of water and covers 3,270 acres. Leesville Lake begins at the Smith Mountain Dam and stretches to the Leesville Dam.

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Timber Lake

Timber Lake is located off of Timberlake Drive. Timber Lake is 60 acres and is home to a variety of fish including largemouth bass, catfish, black bullhead, yellow perch, grass carp, and chain pickerel

3 Waterways

Big Otter River

Big Otter River is located just outside the Town of Altavista. It is commonly referred to as Otter River and Big Otter Creek. The top fish in the river is Flathead Catfish.

James River

The Piedmont Section of the James River is located between Lynchburg and Richmond. Small mouth bass can be caught throughout the entirety of the James, but Channel Catfish are in more abundance in the Piedmont Section. The river can be accessed through canoes, kayaks, and small boats.

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Staunton River

The Staunton River is a section of the Roanoke River that starts at the Leesville Dam and continues to the John H. Kerr Reservoir. The river features class three Fish Trap, Class II rapids, and flatwater. The Staunton River is accessible by boat.

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1 Outfitter

Carter’s General Store Deli and Outpost

Carter’s Store and Deli is conveniently located between the Leesville Lake Dam Tailrace access and the newly opened Dalton’s Landing Canoe and Kayak Launch. They have a selection of tandem kayaks, single kayaks, and tubes available to rent for half and full day adventures. They have a limited supply of rods, reels, and artificial and live bait. They can connect you with a local guide for the perfect trip! They serve a variety of delicious food to that is perfect to take with you on the water or have when you get back from a long day fishing.

6376 Bedford Hwy,
Leesville, Virginia
Phone: 434-309-1753

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3 Guides

Angler’s Lane

Angler’s Lane fishes both the Staunton River and the James River. They offer full day float trips and include everything you’ll needs throughout the day! Anglers Lane has guided more days on the Staunton River than any other guide service, having started in 1999. They know the river intimately and own properties along the river and have access to others along the entire 40 miles from Leesville Dam to Brookneal.

18013 Forest Rd E04
Forest, VA 24551 US
Phone: 434-385-0200

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CVA Fly Fishing

CVA Fly Fishing offers both walk and wade trips. They supply all necessary gear including rods, reels, flies, and even lunch. They have waders available for rent as well.

Phone: (757) 805-5648

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Matt Miles Fly Fishing

Matt Miles offers a variety of different excursions and classes. His offerings range from half to full day for either one or two people. He offers both fly tying and fly casting classes. He offers services to both the Staunton River and the James River.

Phone: 434-238-2720

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2 Gear Stores/Rentals

Carter’s General Store Deli and Outpost

Carter’s Store and Deli is conveniently located between the Leesville Lake Dam Tailrace access and the newly opened Dalton’s Landing Canoe and Kayak Launch. They have a selection of tandem kayaks, single kayaks, and tubes available to rent for half and full day adventures. They have a limited supply of rods, reels, and artificial and live bait and the grill is open for the fishermen to provision up!

6376 Bedford Hwy,
Leesville, Virginia
Phone: 434-309-1753

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Pop’s Bait and Tackle

Pop’s Bait and Tackle is a new small business selling a variety of different baits, lure, rods, reels, boating equipment and more. Their product line is growing as their customer base grows.

103 Wood Ln
Altavista, VA, 24517
Phone: 434-941-1318

Campbell County

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