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Best crappie lakes in Virginia

13 Virginia waters hold crappie, 13 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. Schooling panfish that suspends around timber, brush and creek channels.

1. Briery Creek Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
2. Back Bay — 7 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, White Perch
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 Gordon — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Chain Pickerel
6. Lake Frederick — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Rural Retreat Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
8. Fluvanna Ruritan Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
9. Hidden Valley Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
10. Lake Brittle — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
11. Lake Shenandoah — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
12. Lake A. Willis Robertson — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
13. Horsepen Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish crappie in Virginia

• Spring 2–8 ft — The famous spring bite: brush, timber and docks in protected shallow pockets.
• Summer 10–25 ft — Find suspended schools over channel-edge brush piles and deep timber.
• Fall 8–20 ft — Schools follow shad into creeks; fish channel bends with cover.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Tight schools in deep holes and channel bends; slow presentations.

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

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