Gatewood Reservoir Fishing
A reservoir in Pulaski County, 162 acres.
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The essentials of Gatewood Reservoir
In Pulaski County, the reservoir known as Gatewood Reservoir covers 162 acres. The closest Census place is Pulaski, about 6 miles away.
Access, the DWR species list and the digest rules follow.
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.
How DWR describes Gatewood Reservoir
Gatewood Reservoir, a 162-acre water supply impoundment owned by the Town of Pulaski, is nestled in the hills of southwestern Pulaski County, Jefferson National Forest. Gatewood is a scenic lake, where you can still “get away from it all” for a day. It is an excellent spot to bring the family for a picnic or to camp and fish. Current information on Gatewood Reservoir is available from their website . Gatewood is only open to boats from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in November.
These are DWR sentences on Gatewood Reservoir, cut to whole sentences.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Motor rule and facilities at Gatewood Reservoir
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Electric Motors Only
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, accessible facilities, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, hiking trails, fishing pier or platform, boat ramps, electric motors only, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 3
Only the fields DWR fills in for Gatewood Reservoir appear here.
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.
Species DWR lists for Gatewood Reservoir
The DWR fishing outlook grid for Gatewood Reservoir
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | best bet |
| Panfish | present |
For Gatewood Reservoir, species come from DWR pages and trout records rather than from catches.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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No DWR launch sits on Gatewood Reservoir, so the neighbours are listed.
Virginia launches flanking Gatewood Reservoir
- Allisonia boat ramp on Claytor LakeClaytor Lake, 10 miles southeast
- Harry DeHaven boat ramp on Claytor LakeClaytor Lake, 11 miles east
- Dublin boat ramp on Claytor LakeClaytor Lake, 13 miles east
- Austinville boat ramp on New RiverNew River, 14 miles south
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Cooler math for Gatewood Reservoir under Virginia rules
| 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 |
The 2026 statewide rows are the default on Gatewood Reservoir.
DWR page rule lines for Gatewood Reservoir
- The only size limits on fish in Gatewood Reservoir are:
- Bass
- 12 inch minimum size limit, 5 per day creel limit
- Channel Catfish
- 18 inch minimum size limit, 5 per day creel limit
- Other Species
- Statewide daily creel limits are enforced
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.
Gatewood Reservoir among nearby lakes
Next to Gatewood Reservoir, Claytor Lake is the giant of the group at 4,363 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatewood Reservoir | this water | 162 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Claytor Lake | 10 miles east | 4,363 acres | 3 | 0 |
| Byllesby Lake | 19 miles south | 163 acres (DWR outline area) | 1 | 0 |
| Rural Retreat Lake | 26 miles southwest | 90 acres | 1 | 31 |
| Pandapas Pond | 27 miles northeast | 8 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 26 |
| Hales Lake | 29 miles southwest | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 31 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Just off Gatewood Reservoir, by road
Another Virginia impoundment after Gatewood Reservoir
- Claytor Lake10 miles east
- Byllesby Lake19 miles south
- Rural Retreat Lake26 miles southwest
- Pandapas Pond27 miles northeast
- Hales Lake29 miles southwest
Filling the bait bucket close to Gatewood Reservoir
- Rock House Marinamarina, Pulaski, 8 miles
- New River Sports-Wythevillebait and tackle shop, Wytheville, 14 miles
- Backwoods Outdoor Supplybait and tackle shop, Hillsville, 17 miles
- Greasy Creek Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Willis, 25 miles
Places to stay near Gatewood Reservoir
- Pulaski6 miles, Pulaski County
- Dublin10 miles, Pulaski County
- Wytheville14 miles, Wythe County
- Radford18 miles, City of Radford
The Virginia counties and cities along Gatewood Reservoir
- Pulaski Countycounty seat Pulaski
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Gatewood Reservoir
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Gatewood Reservoir, in pictures
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christopher Bowns, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Gatewood Reservoir, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
How do I find Gatewood Reservoir on a Virginia map?
Point the map at Pulaski County, about 6 miles from Pulaski.
How many acres is Gatewood Reservoir?
Size on record: 162 acres.
Does DWR keep a public launch on Gatewood Reservoir?
The nearest DWR launch is Allisonia boat ramp on Claytor Lake, 10 miles away.
What swims in Gatewood Reservoir?
The DWR list includes black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish and smallmouth bass.
How many largemouth can go home from Gatewood Reservoir?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
What does DWR charge to fish Gatewood Reservoir?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Anyone not yet 16 is excused from buying one.
Where can bank anglers fish Gatewood Reservoir?
No pier is on file here.
What tackle store is handiest for Gatewood Reservoir trips?
Rock House Marina (about 8 miles away) heads the shop list.
Load the cooler for Gatewood Reservoir
Each 2026 Virginia fee and creel row is linked below.