Every Boat Ramp on Claytor Lake

About Claytor Lake

Claytor Lake is a 4,475-acre reservoir in the New River Valley of southwestern Virginia, offering outstanding multi-species fishing in a scenic mountain setting. The lake supports an impressive diversity of gamefish, including both largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped bass, musky, walleye, and crappie. The musky fishery is particularly noteworthy, with the New River strain of muskellunge producing fish over 40 inches in the lake's deeper channels and around major creek inflows.

Claytor Lake State Park provides a well-maintained boat ramp and marina, along with camping, swimming, and hiking facilities. The lake's position on the upper New River system means it receives clean, cool water that supports both warm-water and cool-water species. Smallmouth bass provide excellent catch-and-release fishing along the rocky banks and ledges, while striped bass are caught by trolling live bait and large lures over the main channel. The New River Valley's charming small towns and proximity to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg add to the appeal of Claytor Lake as a fishing and vacation destination.

Nearest towns: Dublin, Radford, Pulaski