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188-acre lake near Blackstone. Created in 1978 at Nottoway Falls, a scenic timber-filled impoundment with strong spring largemouth and shoreline panfish action. The lake tops out around 16 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 162 acres of water rimmed by 4.9 miles of bank. The 2.7 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 97% of this chart. Call it 1.7 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Nottoway County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Chesdin, 22 mi east of here.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 16 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tiny spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 16 ft before dropping to 5 to 16 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 16 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 16 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (16 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk | Deep basin (16 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 16 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Nottoway specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Virginia fishing regulations →
Lake Nottoway is about 16 ft (5 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, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish on Lake Nottoway.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 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 Nottoway 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 Chesdin 22 mi · Briery Creek Lake 26 mi · Lake Gordon 34 mi · James River 36 mi · Horsepen Lake 40 mi · Lake Gaston 42 mi, NC/VA · Kerr Lake (Buggs Island) 51 mi, NC/VA · Fluvanna Ruritan Lake 55 mi · Roanoke River 61 mi, NC · Lake Anna 64 mi · Lake Orange 74 mi · Leesville Lake 82 mi
See how Lake Nottoway stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Virginia · best crappie lakes in Virginia · best bluegill 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.