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157-acre lake near South Hill. A quiet Southside impoundment near South Hill, best known as a very good channel catfish water with solid largemouth and panfish. The lake tops out around 14 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
There are 3.8 miles of drawn shoreline to work. An index of 2.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 1.3 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in Mecklenburg County. For a second option, Lake Gaston lies 14 mi southeast.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 14 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 7 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 14 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (2 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 14 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 14 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) |
Early season chain pickerel use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 3 to 14 ft game here, winter a 4 to 14 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 7 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 14 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Virginia waters are set by the Virginia DWR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Gordon specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Virginia fishing regulations →
Lake Gordon is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, chain pickerel on Lake Gordon.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Lake Gordon is regulated by the Virginia DWR. Check the official Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Gaston 14 mi, NC/VA · Kerr Lake (Buggs Island) 19 mi, NC/VA · Lake Nottoway 34 mi · Briery Creek Lake 36 mi · Roanoke River 45 mi, NC · Lake Chesdin 51 mi · Falls Lake 54 mi, NC · Horsepen Lake 59 mi · James River 68 mi · Leesville Lake 73 mi · Jordan Lake 79 mi, NC · Fluvanna Ruritan Lake 83 mi
See how Lake Gordon stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Virginia · best crappie lakes in Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in Virginia
Browse all Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.