Fort Pickett Lakes Fishing
DWR-listed lake water in Dinwiddie County, 384 acres.
Pick for channel catfishPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 Photo of Lake Gaston: ted, CC BY 2.0
First notes on Fort Pickett Lakes
Find Fort Pickett Lakes, a lake of 384 acres, in Dinwiddie County. It sits about 9 miles from Blackstone.
Ramps, fish and Virginia limits come next.
Acres as stated on the Virginia DWR waterbody page, read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Census 2023 places.
DWR notes on fishing Fort Pickett Lakes
Fort Pickett Lakes Home Lakes Fort Pickett Lakes Important Notices for this Waterbody Notice Channel Catfish Stocking Discontinued Until Further Notice Channel catfish stockings have been discontinued until further notice. Existing channel catfish populations remain in the waterbody, but anglers should expect lower catch rates over time due to the absence of continued stocking efforts. Overview
For Fort Pickett Lakes, the block above is copied from the DWR waterbody page.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
For the channel catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 Motors, parking and more at Fort Pickett Lakes
- Boat motors (DWR layer)35 HP (Unlimited HP for Pickett Reservoir)
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, boat ramps, paddle access
- DWR region numberDWR Region 1
Each line repeats a field DWR keeps for Fort Pickett Lakes; blank fields are left off.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Fish Virginia DWR names at Fort Pickett Lakes
Where Fort Pickett Lakes shines, per DWR
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | present |
| Catfish | best bet |
| Panfish | best bet |
Every fish listed for Fort Pickett Lakes has a DWR source behind it.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Trailer ramps the DWR lists at Fort Pickett Lakes
DWR maps no boating access site on Fort Pickett Lakes; the closest ones follow.
Neighbouring boat ramps around Fort Pickett Lakes
- Nottoway County Lake boat rampNottoway Lake, 13 miles northwest
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Keep rules for Fort Pickett Lakes
| Species as printed | Applies to | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Alabama, Spotted Bass | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | statewide | 4 per day in the aggregate | No fish less than 20 inches |
| Striped Bass | Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) | Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters | no length limit printed |
| Striped Bass | Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Walleye, Saugeye | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate | No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
| Sauger | statewide | 2 per day | No statewide length limits |
| White Bass | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Muskellunge | statewide | 1 per day | No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
| Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | statewide | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Crappie (black or white) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Rock Bass (redeye) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass | No statewide length limits |
| Roanoke Bass | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass | No statewide length limits |
| Perch (yellow and white) | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Trout | statewide | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
| Channel, White, and Flathead | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Blue | statewide | 20 per day | No statewide length limits |
At Fort Pickett Lakes, start from the statewide rows and then read any water line.
Regulations tab on the DWR page for Fort Pickett Lakes
- Maps & Directions
- Facilities
- The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources became responsible for the fish and wildlife management programs at Fort Pickett in the fall of 1997.
- To help fund these various programs, a separate fishing permit is required. These permits are available online using the iSportsman platform which can be accessed
- here
- . Access to some of the lakes is restricted due to military training exercises. Always be sure to check access restrictions using the iSportsman platform.
- Most of the lakes at Fort Pickett contain largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie, and channel catfish. Some of the lakes contain chain pickerel.
- Pickett Reservoir, a 384-acre impoundment on the Nottoway River, provides good largemouth bass, bluegill and black crappie fishing. There is also a good carp fishery in this lake for these anglers. Where gasoline motors are permitted on the Fort Pickett reservoirs and ponds, there is a 25 mph speed limit.
- Maps & Directions
- Boat Access Site:
- Map
- To be eligible to fish at Fort Pickett an angler must have or accomplish the following:
- A valid Virginia fishing license (unless exempt).
- Create a user profile in the
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Statewide creel and length limits as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia lakes clustered near Fort Pickett Lakes
On size, Great Creek Watershed Lake heads the lakes around Fort Pickett Lakes with 212 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pickett Lakes | this water | 384 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Nottoway Lake | 12 miles northwest | 188 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Great Creek Watershed Lake | 16 miles south | 212 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Nottoway Falls Lake | 16 miles west | 60 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Brunswick Lake | 17 miles southeast | 150 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Modest Creek Lake | 20 miles west | 29 acres | 0 | 0 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Close to Fort Pickett Lakes on the Commonwealth map
More Virginia lakes within reach of Fort Pickett Lakes
- Nottoway Lake12 miles northwest
- Great Creek Watershed Lake16 miles south
- Nottoway Falls Lake16 miles west
- Brunswick Lake17 miles southeast
- Modest Creek Lake20 miles west
Stores with hooks, line and lures around Fort Pickett Lakes
- Whippernock Marinamarina, Sutherland, 22 miles
A bed and a breakfast counter near Fort Pickett Lakes
- Blackstone9 miles, Nottoway County
- Kenbridge15 miles, Lunenburg County
- Lawrenceville17 miles, Brunswick County
- Crewe19 miles, Nottoway County
Locality pages that take in Fort Pickett Lakes
- Dinwiddie Countycounty seat Dinwiddie
Piscifun tackle that suits Fort Pickett Lakes
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Fort Pickett Lakes

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain

Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain

Photo: Andy Sloane, CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions on Fort Pickett Lakes before the truck is loaded
Where in the Commonwealth is Fort Pickett Lakes?
Our records place it in Dinwiddie County, about 9 miles from Blackstone.
How big is Fort Pickett Lakes?
It is listed at 384 acres.
Does Fort Pickett Lakes have a DWR launch?
No DWR ramp here; Nottoway County Lake boat ramp lies about 13 miles off.
Which fish does Virginia DWR name at Fort Pickett Lakes?
DWR names black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass and redear sunfish.
Is there a length limit on bass at Fort Pickett Lakes?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Can a visitor fish Fort Pickett Lakes?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. DWR asks nothing of anglers under 16.
Is there a fishing pier on Fort Pickett Lakes?
DWR records no fishing pier for it.
Which Virginia bait counter sits closest to Fort Pickett Lakes?
Nearest in our list: Whippernock Marina (about 22 miles away).
Rig up for Fort Pickett Lakes before sunrise
Buy the Virginia license online before you go.

