Lake Frederick Fishing
A Virginia reservoir in Frederick County, 117 acres.
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What a Virginia angler should know about Lake Frederick
Virginia records Lake Frederick as a reservoir of 117 acres in Frederick County. A 50-foot maximum depth appears on its DWR page. Count on around 4 miles to reach Stephens City.
It has 1 boat ramp in DWR boating access records. Without a boat, use 1 fishing pier DWR lists.
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.
The DWR description of Lake Frederick
Lake Frederick is a 117-acre impoundment owned by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. The department acquired the lake and a fifty foot buffer around the entire shoreline in 1981. Lake Frederick remains clear throughout the year and stratifies forming a thermocline during the summer months. The lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet and an average depth of 20 feet. Much of the shoreline and the upper ends of the two embankments contain standing submerged timber.
Parking, ramps and rules on site at Lake Frederick
The lake lies just west of Rt. 340, five miles north of Front Royal. Turn at the Public Fishing Lake sign. ( )
Everything in quotation here is DWR wording about Lake Frederick, not ours.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Engine limits and amenities at Lake Frederick
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Electric Motors Only
- Facilities DWR marksparking, accessible facilities, food concession, restrooms, hiking trails, fishing pier or platform, boat ramps, horsepower limit, electric motors only, paddle access
- DWR region numberDWR Region 4
Where DWR leaves a field empty for Lake Frederick, this list does too.
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.
The fish DWR records for Lake Frederick
DWR best-bet ratings for Lake Frederick
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | present |
| Panfish | best bet |
At Lake Frederick this list follows DWR labels only; no survey or angler reports went into it.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Frederick boat ramp | dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater | DWR | On Rt 340 South (1) of Double Toll Gate |
Piers and shoreline at Lake Frederick
- Lake Frederick fishing pierfishing pier
Fallback Commonwealth launches near Lake Frederick
- Morgan's Ford boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 7 miles south
- Catletts Ford Landing on North Fork Shenandoah RiverNorth Fork Shenandoah River, 7 miles southwest
- Riverton boat ramp on North Fork Shenandoah RiverNorth Fork Shenandoah River, 7 miles south
- Berry's boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, 9 miles east
- Front Royal boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 10 miles south
- Lockes boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, 11 miles east
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Fishing Piers layer (name and water only), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia keep counts for Lake Frederick
| 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 |
Statewide digest rows rule Lake Frederick wherever its own entries are silent.
The Lake Frederick regulations tab, as printed
- Largemouth Bass
- 5 per day
- No bass between 12–18 inches can be harvested.
- Only one bass longer than 18 inches may be harvested.
- Sunfish
- 50 sunfish per day.
- No length limit.
- Crappie
- 25 per day.
- No length limit.
- Channel Catfish
- 5 per day.
- 15 inch minimum size.
- Northern Pike
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.
Lake Frederick weighed against Virginia neighbours
Sleeter Lake holds the most water near Lake Frederick: 101 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Frederick | this water | 117 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Wilkins Lake | 8 miles north | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Thompson | 11 miles southeast | 10 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Clearbrook Lake | 15 miles north | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 30 |
| Sleeter Lake | 22 miles east | 101 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Bealers Ferry Pond | 25 miles southwest | 8 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.
Neighbouring stops for Lake Frederick
Nearby lakes worth a cast after Lake Frederick
- Wilkins Lake8 miles north
- Lake Thompson11 miles southeast
- Clearbrook Lake15 miles north
- Sleeter Lake22 miles east
- Bealers Ferry Pond25 miles southwest
Commonwealth tackle shops serving Lake Frederick
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 190 Delco Plzsporting goods store, Winchester, 8 miles
- Jake's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Winchester, 12 miles
Where anglers bunk when fishing Lake Frederick
- Stephens City4 miles, Frederick County
- Middletown6 miles, Frederick County
- Shenandoah Farms8 miles, Warren County
- Winchester9 miles, City of Winchester
Lake Frederick, broken out by Virginia locality
- Frederick Countycounty seat Winchester
Piscifun reels for a Virginia day on Lake Frederick
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Sorting out the Lake Frederick species by sight
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Andy Sloane, CC BY-SA 2.0
Straight replies on Lake Frederick from the Virginia rule books
Which county or city should I drive to for Lake Frederick?
Head to Frederick County, about 4 miles from Stephens City.
What surface figure do DWR or NHD give Lake Frederick?
Virginia sources give 117 acres; DWR lists 50 feet as its deepest water.
Can a skiff on a trailer reach Lake Frederick from a public ramp?
A lone DWR access site, Lake Frederick boat ramp, serves it.
Does DWR list largemouth or smallmouth for Lake Frederick?
Start with black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and redear sunfish; DWR names them.
What bass creel does the digest set for Lake Frederick?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Which Virginia license does Lake Frederick call for?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Virginians under 16 fish without paying.
Where do Virginia bank casters set up on Lake Frederick?
DWR maps one fishing pier there: Lake Frederick fishing pier.
What store sells bait near Lake Frederick?
Sportsman's Warehouse (about 8 miles away) is first on our list.
Make a dawn run to Lake Frederick
Virginia fees and limits sit on one page.