As we move into trout season, eventually Sherando Lake will be stocked. In an earlier post, I commented on the upper section. This report focuses on the stream leading into the lower lake. Prior to visiting, I assumed that the stocking occurs only in the lake. The good news is that the stocked trout water signs speckle the trees next to the stream leading up to the lip of the lower lake. More water to fish!
Unfortunately, the stream is narrow and exceedingly shallow. At best, it’s 15 feet wide and 3 or 4 inches deep. There are few pools that would be deep enough to hold fish for any significant period of time. In fact, as I walked and drove up the stream, I could count the number of likely stocking places on the fingers of one hand. My suspicion is that trout are unceremoniously dumped into the skinny water and they skitter around looking for a spot marginally deep enough to hold them until they are either eaten by predators or are caught up by fisherman.
The lake itself is a different story. There’s a decent size parking area at the base of the lake with a fisherman’s trail moving around the left-hand side. Don’t bring your fly gear to the lake because the bank’s deep and the forest hugs the shore. The trail ends at a beach area – to access that section, you must pay a fee. On this day, I did not follow the trail, but it appears to go all the way to the beach area.
Sherando Lake Trout Fishing Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a remote trout stream, this is not a good solution. Granted, immediately after stocking, you may do well here but, given the shallowness of the water, I doubt that this is a good place to go on any given weekend during the season.
Secrets Revealed? No. This is a very public location that is documented on the Virginia VDGIF stocking plan and in the
Flyfisher’s Guide to Virginia.
Getting There: From I-64, take exit toward S Delphine Ave/Rt 624. Rt 624 continues onto Lyndhurst Station Road. Stay on Rt 624. It eventually becomes Mt Torrey Road. Follow it to the entrance to the Park on the right. Follow the signs to the upper lake.
Date Fished: 4/5/2010
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Nice spot – logical stocking location
Easy to fish – no significant obstructions
Small, but rocky stream
Spillway out of lake
Southern edge of lake
Northern edge of lake
Unless stated otherwise, this article was authored by Steve Moore