Flathead Catfish caught by Chip Blevins in Claytor Lake in Virginia, United States on 07/23/08

You are great with the Cats and if I come that way
I wouldn't mind hooking up with you maybe next yr.
God willing thx.

Albert,
let me know when your coming and we can go
chip

Hi Chip - What baits do you use? I am new to the Virginia area and have fished Claytor several times but have had no great success...Few nice channel on nightcrawlers.....Lost the big ones due to light tackle. Any info would be appreciated, I normally put in at the bidge new the lighthouse? Probably fising in wrong sites. Thanks Fred in Bluefield Va

Fred,
I ussually fish shallow flats near deep water for channells. most channels i catch on cut shad or cut bluegill. For flatheads I look for thick brush in 3-8 ft of water and use live bluegills. I use MH rods and 20lb line on baitcasters with clickers. If you put in at lighthouse bridge go upriver about 1/2 mile and there is a huge flat on the left thats good for channels and flats.
Chip

Hi Chip,

Just got back from Claytor and went upriver and the algae is really getting bad - I was getting my bait fish and drifted into the bushes and somewhere in that lake is my brand new mh rod and reel. I guess I got into the bushes and it got jerked out of the boat and I didn't notice it until I reached for it and it wasn't there. Then my live well quit working - wouldn't take fresh water....so I now had plenty volunteers for cut bait...dropped anchor near grass, snags and a good deal of algae around 5 feet of water in the surrounding area....It got dark and I was set for the night because I don't know that area well enough to maneuver at night...Well to make a long story short....hugh snapping turtles, I hooked four in a row....I bet they were 20 pounds plus....After the fouth one, and it hissed at me like a dragon, I reeled in and had a good nights sleep on the boat....Probably won't go out again until around the 1st of Sep. Hopefully next trip I'll be able to post some pictures, I ain't posting pictures of snapping turtles that tried to eat me....and if somebody reads this and recently found a brand new mh rod and reel....Enjoy...

Fred,
I've also seen some huge snappers in Claytor, but haven't caught any. Last night, wed. I put my boat in at the state park public ramp around 11:00 and it started off slow, but ended up with a 19 pound channel within site of the ramp then headed to Peak creek area and caught 2 small flats and a 8 pound channel. Just around daylight I started throwing a buzzbait and caught a 2 pound smallmouth and a 6 pound largemouth within 200 yards of each other, I was about a 1/4 mile up peak on the left theres a small cove that I found with 60-70 foot water at the mouth and gos th about 10-15 really fast. I forgot my camera, I would have fliked to bass fish more, but was already late for work. Let me know if you ever want to go. I can show you lots of places at claytor or smith mountain. Do you do any bass fishing?