Rainbow Trout Stocked · 40 plants · last May 23, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk Rural Retreat Lake fishing
Rural Retreat Lake fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout on a reservoir. Also recorded: Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, and 1 more. It is stocked about 7.6 times a year since 2016, most often in March and April. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, and Muskellunge, dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Bluegill, and dusk and night for Channel Catfish.
- Last stocked
- October 14, 2026
- · Rainbow Trout
- Plants on record
- 85
- Species stocked
- 3 (+7 also recorded)
- Elevation
- 2,507 ft
Fish at Rural Retreat Lake
Rainbow Trout Stocked · 40 plants · last May 23, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk 
Brook Trout Stocked · 2 plants · last May 23, 2024 Best: dawn, day, dusk 
Brown Trout Stocked · 2 plants · last May 17, 2023 Best: dawn, day, dusk 
Largemouth Bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk Best: dawn, dusk
Largemouth Bass species guide
Muskellunge Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk Best: dawn, dusk
Muskellunge species guide
Channel Catfish Confirmed present Best: dusk, night Best: dusk, night
Channel Catfish species guide
Bluegill Confirmed present Best: dawn, day, dusk Best: dawn, day, dusk
Bluegill species guide
Black Crappie Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk, night Best: dawn, dusk, night
Black Crappie species guide
Northern Pike Confirmed present Best: dawn, day, dusk Best: dawn, day, dusk
Northern Pike species guide
Hybrid Striped Bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk Best: dawn, dusk
Hybrid Striped Bass species guideHow Rural Retreat Lake is stocked
Stocking history
| Date | Species | Quantity | Avg. length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 14, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 23, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 22, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 11, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 24, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 5, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| February 20, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 25, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 14, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 19, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 3, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 22, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 12, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 5, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| February 8, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| December 17, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 18, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 23, 2024 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| May 23, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 1, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 23, 2024 | Brook Trout | – | – | report |
| April 23, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 13, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 28, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 7, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| December 1, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 14, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 17, 2023 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| May 17, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 15, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 3, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 29, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 17, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| January 20, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 22, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 3, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 23, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 10, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 28, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| April 16, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 26, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| March 17, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| November 20, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| October 12, 2021 | Brown Trout | – | – | report |
| October 12, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | – | – | report |
| May 28, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| May 17, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| April 29, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| April 17, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| March 29, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| March 13, 2021 | – | – | – | report |
| November 30, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| October 3, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| May 27, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| May 4, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| April 20, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| April 11, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| March 31, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| March 13, 2020 | – | – | – | report |
| November 19, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| October 28, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| May 30, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| April 13, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| April 1, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| March 23, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| March 4, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| February 7, 2019 | – | – | – | report |
| November 3, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| October 10, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| May 26, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| April 26, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| April 14, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| March 17, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| March 6, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| February 9, 2018 | – | – | – | report |
| November 16, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| October 31, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| May 26, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| May 4, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| April 28, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| April 14, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| March 28, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| March 6, 2017 | – | – | – | report |
| November 7, 2016 | – | – | – | report |
| October 3, 2016 | – | – | – | report |
Access and facts
- Water type
- reservoir
- Nearest town
- Rural Retreat, VA
- Facilities
- restrooms, camping, dock
From Rural Retreat take Route 749, right on Route 677, left on Route 778 to the DWR concrete ramp. A shoreline trail, a handicap-accessible fishing pier and a county campground ring the lake. DWR trout plants go into a 2-acre pond beside the lake, not the lake itself.
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 Rural Retreat Lake
Campgrounds within 15 miles of Rural Retreat Lake's mapped point, nearest first: Stony Fork Campground (11.3 miles), Raccoon Branch camping (11.5 miles), and Raven Cliff camping (12.3 miles), each with its own campground page on campgroundsdb.com.
Straight-line distances.
Common questions
What fish are at Rural Retreat Lake?
Fishing Rural Retreat Lake usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 40 of 44 plants on record, ahead of Brook Trout and one more. Rainbow Trout was last stocked May 23, 2026. Brook Trout was last stocked May 23, 2024. Brown Trout was last stocked May 17, 2023. Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, and Bluegill, plus 3 more are recorded here outside the stocking reports.
When is Rural Retreat Lake stocked?
Last stocked October 14, 2026. It is stocked about 7.6 times a year since 2016, most often in March and April.
How do you get on Rural Retreat Lake?
The nearest town is Rural Retreat, VA. Facilities include restrooms, camping, and dock. From Rural Retreat take Route 749, right on Route 677, left on Route 778 to the DWR concrete ramp. A shoreline trail, a handicap-accessible fishing pier and a county campground ring the lake. DWR trout plants go into a 2-acre pond beside the lake, not the lake itself.