Fishing at Lake Anna

Largemouth Bass: Virginia's Best

Lake Anna consistently produces more citation largemouth bass — defined by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as 8 pounds or 22 inches — than any other body of water in Virginia. The lake recorded 50 citation bass in 2001 alone, a benchmark that has been matched or exceeded in multiple years since. The lake record, a 13-pound fish caught in 1986, has stood for four decades. VDWR biologists stocked 75,000 Florida/Northern strain hybrid largemouth fingerlings in 2021 to supplement the self-sustaining population, reinforcing an already strong genetics base.

The bass fishery splits into three distinct zones. The lower lake near the power plant and dam — the "down lake" region — produces bass that spawn on stumps and docks and feed aggressively on the warm water influenced by nuclear plant discharge. This area is consistently productive in late fall, winter, and early spring, when other areas of the lake are cold and sluggish. The mid-lake region, from the Route 208 bridge area into the lower arms, has mixed habitat — stumps, docks, grass, and some gravel patches — and produces solid spring and summer fishing. The upper reaches — the northern "Golden Pond" end of the North Anna arm — have the highest bass density, with more stump fields, more coves, and more natural structure than any other section of the lake. This is where the biggest fish congregate in late winter and early spring as water temperatures begin to rise through the 49- to 50-degree range.

The bass spawn at Lake Anna runs from April through May, with timing varying by section. Down-lake fish spawn earliest, benefiting from warmer water near the power plant. Upper-arm bass spawn on stumps, rocks, bullrushes, and willow grass — habitat that rewards patient sight-fishing on calm spring mornings. Nearly all Lake Anna bass caught in recent years are released; VDWR creel data shows over 99% catch-and-release rates, which is why the population has sustained itself without intensive stocking.

Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass

Striped bass and hybrid striped bass are stocked annually by VDWR — approximately 200,000 striped bass fingerlings per year in recent years, with the hybrid proportion adjusted based on stocking surplus and population goals. Stripers cannot naturally reproduce in Lake Anna because the lake has insufficient river flow above a dam to support spawning migration. The stocking program sustains a fishery that has produced trophy fish routinely — 4-fish limits of 8-to-12-pound fish in strong years, with the occasional 20-pound-plus fish from the deeper main channel.

The current striper regulation at Lake Anna is a 20-inch minimum size limit with a creel limit of four fish per day (aggregate for striped bass and hybrid striped bass combined). Note that the 30-to-40-inch protective slot that applies at Smith Mountain Lake does not apply at Lake Anna — the regulations differ meaningfully between the two lakes, and anglers who fish both should confirm current Virginia regulations before keeping fish.

Winter striper fishing at Lake Anna is one of the lake's signature experiences. As public-lake surface temperatures drop, stripers and hybrids concentrate in the deeper main channel and near the warm water discharge zone. Guides who fish near Dike III on the private side during December through February report some of the year's best action for quality fish. Public-side anglers target the main channel below the Route 208 bridge and near the dam, where depth and warmer-than-ambient temperatures hold baitfish and predators through the cold months.

Crappie, Catfish, Walleye and Other Species

Lake Anna is well known as a crappie lake, consistently ranking among Virginia's top crappie producers. In 2001, Lake Anna ranked third statewide for citation crappie. Black crappie stack at bridge pilings, submerged brush piles, and timber throughout the lake, with peak fishing in the upper arms from March through May when water temperatures climb into the mid-60s. Channel catfish are widely distributed and provide good fishing particularly in Twin Creeks and the upper Pamunkey arm. A naturally occurring population of walleye exists in the lake — not officially stocked, but present in sufficient numbers that anglers targeting stripers in deeper structure regularly encounter them. Walleye are found primarily near Dike III in winter months. White and yellow perch are abundant throughout the lake and provide year-round light-tackle action.

Northern snakehead — an invasive species — has been documented in Lake Anna, as it has throughout much of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Virginia requires any snakehead caught to be killed immediately and not returned to the water. VDWR monitors the population.

The Private Side Winter Fishing Advantage

Private-side (warm-side) property owners have an exclusive winter fishing advantage that is worth understanding explicitly. The nuclear plant's continuous discharge keeps water temperatures near Dike III significantly warmer than the public side during cold months. In December and January, when most public-side anglers are at home, private-side residents and their guests can fish in water that is actively holding bass, stripers, and walleye that have moved toward the warmth. Some of the biggest largemouth of the year at Lake Anna are caught by private-side property owners from their own docks in February. This is a genuinely compelling advantage for serious anglers. It does not compensate for the inability to access the full public lake by boat — that is a separate calculation each buyer must make based on their priorities.

Fishing Guides and Access

McCotter's Lake Anna Guide Service is among the most experienced guide operations on the lake, with detailed published knowledge of bass populations across all three lake regions. Multiple additional licensed guides operate on the public side. Licensed guides can access the public lake from any public ramp; access to the private side requires a guide with property-owner connections. Virginia freshwater fishing license is required for anyone 16 or older. Licenses are available online at GoOutdoorsVirginia.com and at most Lake Anna marinas.