Best Fishing in Wytheville
Take time to enjoy the Blue Ridge Highlands Fishing Trail
Wytheville's many attractions can keep you busy for days with sites such as a First Lady's birthplace, historic museums and the Fort Chiswell Animal Park. Change gears by kicking back along a shady stream or lingering by a lake with a fishing pole in hand. You'll find some of the largest fish in Virginia ready to jump on your hook in Wytheville waters, in an area known as the Blue Ridge Highlands Fishing Trail. Cast a line, sit back and relax in a city with some of the best fishing options.
Best Fishing For Wild Trout
If hooking a trout that's never seen the inside of a hatchery gives you a thrill, you'll find two hot locations within a 60-mile drive of the city. Home to the largest brown trout caught in the state—just a few ounces shy of 15 pounds—the South Fork of the Holston River is just a short 28-mile drive south of the city. For a more rugged adventure, hike into the remote forested areas at Grayson Highlands State Park. Located 56 miles south of the city, you'll find 10 miles of wild trout waters encompassing five different streams.
Best Place to Reel in Billy Base
Some of the biggest bass in the state lurk in lakes surrounding Wytheville. For smallmouth bass, head to New River Trail State Park 26 miles south of the city. The state record smallmouth bass—at 8 pounds, 1 ounce—was hooked here in 2003. You might also catch a muskie in the river topping 40 pounds! At Claytor Lake, located 25 miles northeast of Wytheville, spotted bass can exceed more than 4 pounds. Looking to get away from it all? Remote Laurel Bed Lake is an hour's drive southwest, but you'll find rock bass upwards of 2 pounds in its waters.
Best Place to Fish Without a License
Don't want to hassle with getting a fishing license for a few hours of fishing? Head out to a nearby pay-to-fish area where you won't need one. Here, you’ll be able to fish in private trout waters along Cripple Creek, 15 miles south of Wytheville at the Cedar Springs Trout Farm. You won't be casting your line into a small pond of hungry trout—the 2-mile stretch of the shady mountain creek gets stocked with about 350 pounds of trout per day, including rainbows, goldens, browns and brookies. You won't catch anything smaller than a 2-pounder, and trout ranging from 8 to 14 pounds aren't uncommon.
Best Place to Fish with Kids
Make it a fun day of fishing for the kids an hour's drive north of the city at Little Beaver State Park just across the border in West Virginia. Rent a paddle boat, rowboat, kayak or canoe to drop your line into the open water. With a wide range of game fish stocked in the lake, the kids can try their luck fishing for trout, bass, channel catfish, bluegill and crappie. You can also let them burn off some energy on the playground, pretend to be a mountain goat along the Billy Goat's Gruff Trail or ferret out the park's geocaching spots. Bring a picnic basket and some blankets, and enjoy views of the lake and trees while lunching under a shady arbor.
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