← Virginia fishing maps

Best bluegill lakes in Virginia

12 Virginia waters hold bluegill, 12 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.

1. Briery Creek Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
2. Laurel Bed Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass
3. Lake Orange — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
4. Lake Nottoway — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
5. Lake Frederick — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
6. Rural Retreat Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Fluvanna Ruritan Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
8. Hidden Valley Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Lake Brittle — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
10. Lake Shenandoah — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
11. Lake A. Willis Robertson — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
12. Horsepen Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish bluegill in Virginia

• Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
• Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.

Also in Virginia: best largemouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best common carp lakes

Bluegill elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Connecticut · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Mississippi · Texas · Florida · Illinois · Kansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Missouri · Delaware · Alabama · Georgia · West Virginia · Rhode Island · New Jersey · California · Hawaii · South Carolina