Rainbow Trout Stocked · 23 plants · last April 30, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk Clifton Forge Reservoir fishing
Clifton Forge Reservoir fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Tiger Trout on a reservoir. Also recorded: Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Redbreast sunfish, Black crappie, Bluegill, and Redear sunfish. It is stocked about 8.5 times a year since 2016, most often in April and May. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout, and Largemouth bass, dawn, day, and dusk for Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Bluegill, and dusk and night for Channel catfish.
- Last stocked
- October 29, 2026
- · Tiger Trout
- Plants on record
- 96
- Species stocked
- 4 (+6 also recorded)
- Elevation
- 1,394 ft
Fish at Clifton Forge Reservoir
Rainbow Trout Stocked · 23 plants · last April 30, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk 
Brook Trout Stocked · 21 plants · last April 30, 2026 Best: dawn, day, dusk 
Brown Trout Stocked · 8 plants · last March 6, 2026 Best: dawn, day, dusk 
Tiger Trout Stocked · 2 plants · last May 14, 2024 Best: dawn, dusk 
Largemouth bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk Best: dawn, dusk
Largemouth bass species guide
Channel catfish Confirmed present Best: dusk, night Best: dusk, night
Channel catfish species guide
Redbreast sunfish Confirmed present 
Black crappie Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk, night Best: dawn, dusk, night
Black crappie species guide
Bluegill Confirmed present Best: dawn, day, dusk Best: dawn, day, dusk
Bluegill species guide
Redear sunfish Confirmed present Best: day Best: day
Redear sunfish species guideHow Clifton Forge Reservoir is stocked
Douthat Lake (4.4 mi), Jackson River (5.8 mi), and Pads Creek (9.8 mi) were stocked more recently. Douthat Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Tiger Trout, Jackson River is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Tiger Trout, and Pads Creek is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout, Brook Trout, and Brown Trout.
Stocking history
| Date | Species | Quantity | Avg. length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 29, 2026 | Tiger Trout | – | – | report |
| October 29, 2026 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| October 29, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 30, 2026 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 30, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 23, 2026 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 6, 2026 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 16, 2026 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 6, 2026 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| March 6, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| February 26, 2026 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| November 25, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 14, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 16, 2025 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| May 16, 2025 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| May 16, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 28, 2025 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 28, 2025 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| April 16, 2025 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 20, 2025 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 3, 2025 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 3, 2025 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| March 3, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| December 19, 2024 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| December 19, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 18, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 23, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 14, 2024 | Tiger Trout | – | – | report |
| May 14, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 19, 2024 | Tiger Trout | – | – | report |
| April 19, 2024 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| April 3, 2024 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 7, 2024 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| February 21, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| January 18, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 27, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 25, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 30, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 3, 2023 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 10, 2023 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 17, 2023 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| February 14, 2023 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| January 27, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 7, 2022 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| November 7, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 28, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 19, 2022 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| May 19, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 3, 2022 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| May 3, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 20, 2022 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 20, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 15, 2022 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| March 5, 2022 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| February 11, 2022 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| November 9, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 21, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 20, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| May 11, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| April 6, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| March 5, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| February 11, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| January 7, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| November 23, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| October 13, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| May 20, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| May 14, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| April 29, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| February 21, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| January 16, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| November 20, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| October 31, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| May 21, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| May 7, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| April 26, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| March 1, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| January 25, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| December 6, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| November 28, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| October 23, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| May 16, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| May 8, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| April 19, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| March 14, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| January 29, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| December 6, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| November 21, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| October 4, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| May 23, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| May 2, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| April 12, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| March 6, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| January 26, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| December 13, 2016 | – | – | – | report |
| November 17, 2016 | – | – | – | report |
| October 13, 2016 | – | – | – | report |
Access and facts
- Water type
- reservoir
- Nearest town
- Clifton Forge, VA
A 9-acre town water-supply lake in a gorge above Clifton Forge, surrounded by national forest. Take Route 606 from town onto Reservoir Trail to the parking area. A foot trail circles most of the lake with established bank-fishing spots. There is no ramp or paddle access.
Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.
Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources before you go.
Nearest lakes
Camping near Clifton Forge Reservoir
Campgrounds within 15 miles of Clifton Forge Reservoir's mapped point, nearest first: Morris Hill camping (9.1 miles), Coles Point camping (9.6 miles), and Bolar Mountain camping (11.5 miles), each with its own campground page on campgroundsdb.com.
Straight-line distances.
Public land at Clifton Forge Reservoir
Clifton Forge Reservoir is 0.1 miles outside the edge of George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
Boundaries from Public Lands DB, part of the same network.
Common questions
What fish are at Clifton Forge Reservoir?
Fishing Clifton Forge Reservoir usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 23 of 54 plants on record, ahead of Brook Trout and 2 more. Rainbow Trout was last stocked April 30, 2026. Brook Trout was last stocked April 30, 2026. Brown Trout was last stocked March 6, 2026. Tiger Trout was last stocked May 14, 2024. Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Redbreast sunfish, and Black crappie, plus 2 more are recorded here outside the stocking reports.
When is Clifton Forge Reservoir stocked?
Last stocked October 29, 2026. It is stocked about 8.5 times a year since 2016, most often in April and May.
How do you get on Clifton Forge Reservoir?
The nearest town is Clifton Forge, VA. A 9-acre town water-supply lake in a gorge above Clifton Forge, surrounded by national forest. Take Route 606 from town onto Reservoir Trail to the parking area. A foot trail circles most of the lake with established bank-fishing spots. There is no ramp or paddle access.
Which lakes near Clifton Forge Reservoir were stocked more recently?
Douthat Lake (4.4 mi), Jackson River (5.8 mi), and Pads Creek (9.8 mi) were stocked more recently. Douthat Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Tiger Trout, Jackson River is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Tiger Trout, and Pads Creek is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout, Brook Trout, and Brown Trout.