Braley Pond fishing

Fishing at Braley Pond is on a reservoir, stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Channel Catfish. It is stocked about 8.3 times a year since 2016, most often in March and April. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and Largemouth Bass, dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Bluegill, and dusk and night for Channel Catfish.

Last stocked

May 13, 2026

Plants on record

91

Species recorded

3

Elevation

1,986 ft

Access and facts

Water type
reservoir
Shore access
Yes
Boat ramp
No
Float tube friendly
Yes
ADA accessible
No
Fee required
No
Facilities
restrooms, camping

Braley Pond is a 4.5-acre USFS impoundment reached via Route 250 west then Route 715. Shore fishing goes all the way around; there's a picnic area, restrooms, trails to the pond, and primitive camping, but no boat ramp or ADA access.

Sources: water_type , access.shore , access.boat_ramp , access.float_tube , access.ada , access.fee , shore_notes , facilities , fishing_notes , watch_outs , angler_notes

How Braley Pond is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of March. In 2026 it was February 23, 2026, earlier than usual.

Fish at Braley Pond

Fishing Braley Pond is most likely to be for Rainbow Trout. Rainbow Trout accounts for 28 of 56 plants on record, ahead of Brown Trout and one more.

Rainbow Trout 28 plants
Plants
28 of 91
Last stocked
May 13, 2026

Seasons and rigs are on the Rainbow Trout guide.

Brown Trout 21 plants
Plants
21 of 91
Last stocked
May 13, 2026

Seasons and rigs are on the Brown Trout guide.

Brook Trout 7 plants
Plants
7 of 91
Last stocked
April 7, 2025

Seasons and rigs are on the Brook Trout guide.

Fishing Braley Pond

Braley Pond is a 4.5-acre impoundment. Keeper-sized rainbow trout are stocked, and largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish are thriving. Channel catfish stockings have been discontinued until further notice, and anglers should expect lower catch rates over time due to the absence of continued stocking efforts. Shorefishing is available all around the pond.

Sources: dwr.virginia.gov

What to watch for

Anglers should be aware that due to exceptionally dry conditions, a complete fire ban has been implemented by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. All open fires are prohibited on all DWR properties West of I-95 until further notice.

What anglers say

According to a DWR study, fishing for channel catfish should improve in the future.

Stocking history

Showing 15 of 91 plants Showing 91 plants

Source: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 13, 2026 Brown Trout report
May 13, 2026 Rainbow Trout report
April 28, 2026 Brown Trout report
April 6, 2026 Brown Trout report
March 24, 2026 Brown Trout report
March 24, 2026 Rainbow Trout report
March 10, 2026 Brown Trout report
March 10, 2026 Rainbow Trout report
February 23, 2026 Rainbow Trout report
May 19, 2025 Rainbow Trout report
April 29, 2025 Brown Trout report
April 29, 2025 Rainbow Trout report
April 7, 2025 Brook Trout report
April 7, 2025 Rainbow Trout report
March 24, 2025 Brook Trout report
March 7, 2025 Brook Trout report
March 7, 2025 Rainbow Trout report
December 3, 2024 Rainbow Trout report
November 7, 2024 Brown Trout report
October 30, 2024 Brown Trout report
October 30, 2024 Rainbow Trout report
May 9, 2024 Brown Trout report
April 30, 2024 Brook Trout report
April 30, 2024 Brown Trout report
April 17, 2024 Brown Trout report
April 17, 2024 Rainbow Trout report
March 25, 2024 Brook Trout report
March 2, 2024 Rainbow Trout report
December 26, 2023 Brown Trout report
December 1, 2023 Brown Trout report
October 30, 2023 Brown Trout report
May 16, 2023 Rainbow Trout report
April 25, 2023 Brown Trout report
April 25, 2023 Rainbow Trout report
April 8, 2023 Brown Trout report
April 8, 2023 Rainbow Trout report
March 20, 2023 Brook Trout report
March 20, 2023 Rainbow Trout report
March 1, 2023 Rainbow Trout report
December 13, 2022 Brown Trout report
December 13, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
November 1, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
October 18, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
May 20, 2022 Brown Trout report
May 20, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
April 27, 2022 Brook Trout report
April 27, 2022 Brown Trout report
April 27, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
April 11, 2022 Brown Trout report
April 11, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
April 5, 2022 Brown Trout report
April 5, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
March 7, 2022 Rainbow Trout report
December 10, 2021 Rainbow Trout report
November 22, 2021 Rainbow Trout report
October 29, 2021 Rainbow Trout report
May 18, 2021 report
April 26, 2021 report
April 14, 2021 report
March 30, 2021 report
March 8, 2021 report
December 8, 2020 report
November 30, 2020 report
October 30, 2020 report
March 2, 2020 report
December 3, 2019 report
November 20, 2019 report
May 22, 2019 report
May 7, 2019 report
April 23, 2019 report
April 2, 2019 report
March 25, 2019 report
March 6, 2019 report
November 27, 2018 report
October 23, 2018 report
May 11, 2018 report
April 23, 2018 report
April 5, 2018 report
March 19, 2018 report
March 2, 2018 report
December 5, 2017 report
November 16, 2017 report
October 26, 2017 report
May 17, 2017 report
April 26, 2017 report
April 10, 2017 report
March 20, 2017 report
March 10, 2017 report
December 8, 2016 report
November 16, 2016 report
October 27, 2016 report
Show 76 more plants Show less

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

  • Largemouth bass : Thriving alongside stocked rainbow trout at this USFS pond. (source)
  • Bluegill : Thriving alongside stocked rainbow trout at this USFS pond. (source)
  • Channel catfish : Stocked annually since 2003; stockings have since been discontinued but a population remains. (source)

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes