North Fork Pound Reservoir Fishing
This reservoir lies in Wise County, 154 acres.
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North Fork Pound Reservoir in brief
North Fork Pound Reservoir is a Virginia reservoir in Wise County, listed at 154 acres. The nearest community on the Census list is Wise, some 10 miles distant.
An NWS gauge posted a pool reading for it, dated below.
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.
North Fork Pound Reservoir in the words of Virginia DWR
Pound Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake that was built in 1966. The impoundment covers 154 surface acres, and includes 13.5 miles of wooded shoreline. Ownership of the land surrounding the lake was transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1983. Pound Lake offers fishing for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, as well as bluegills, black and white crappie, channel and flathead catfish and carp. Walleye and muskies are also present, but in lower numbers.
Finding the access at North Fork Pound Reservoir
To get to the lake, take Route 23 to Pound; turn west onto Route 630. Follow Route 630 for a mile to the boat landing.
DWR wrote the passage above about North Fork Pound Reservoir; check its page for updates.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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- Boat motors (DWR layer)Unlimited HP
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, accessible facilities, restrooms, boat ramps, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 3
The rows on North Fork Pound Reservoir mirror DWR records.
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 on the DWR page for North Fork Pound Reservoir
Species groups DWR grades at North Fork Pound Reservoir
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | best bet |
| Panfish | present |
DWR wording drives the North Fork Pound Reservoir species list; generic labels stay unlinked.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Ramps onto North Fork Pound Reservoir
There is no DWR ramp for North Fork Pound Reservoir; ask the owner before towing.
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Pool elevation reported for North Fork Pound Reservoir
Treat the North Fork Pound Reservoir pool number as history: it was read once and does not refresh here.
USACE Huntington District pool as reported through the NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge POUV2, read November 6, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
Virginia limits in force on North Fork Pound Reservoir
| 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 |
Those statewide digest rows govern North Fork Pound Reservoir unless an exception below names it.
DWR regulation notes on North Fork Pound Reservoir
- Bass
- 14 to 18 inches slot limit.
- All bass between 14-18 inches must be released.
- Catfish
- 5 per day.
- All catfish less than 18 inches must be released.
- Crappie
- 10 inches minimum
- All crappie less than 10 inches must be released.
- Other Species
- Statewide creel limits apply for all species.
- Other Regulations & Information
- Despite being in a national forest, a National Forest Stamp is not required to fish the reservoir.
- Gasoline motors are allowed, but the entire lake is a no-wake zone.
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.
North Fork Pound Reservoir next to its Virginia neighbours
If North Fork Pound Reservoir feels crowded, Flannagan Reservoir spreads across 1,143 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Pound Reservoir | this water | 154 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Flannagan Reservoir | 17 miles northeast | 1,143 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Bark Camp Lake | 18 miles south | 61 acres | 1 | 31 |
| Lake Keokee | 22 miles southwest | 92 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Hidden Valley Lake | 37 miles southeast | 61 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Laurel Bed Lake | 48 miles east | 330 acres | 1 | 0 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Around North Fork Pound Reservoir, within a Virginia drive
Other Virginia reservoirs close to North Fork Pound Reservoir
- Flannagan Reservoir17 miles northeast
- Bark Camp Lake18 miles south
- Lake Keokee22 miles southwest
- Hidden Valley Lake37 miles southeast
- Laurel Bed Lake48 miles east
Where to buy bait before North Fork Pound Reservoir
- Eastern Fishing and Rental Toolsbait and tackle shop, Norton, 11 miles
- Colgard Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Norton, 12 miles
Virginia towns close to North Fork Pound Reservoir
- Wise10 miles, Wise County
- Clintwood11 miles, Dickenson County
- Norton13 miles, City of Norton
- Coeburn15 miles, Wise County
The localities North Fork Pound Reservoir runs through
- Wise Countycounty seat Wise
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on North Fork Pound Reservoir
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Shorelines around North Fork Pound Reservoir through a camera
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LookoutBelle, CC BY 2.0
North Fork Pound Reservoir: what Old Dominion anglers keep asking
Which Virginia locality holds North Fork Pound Reservoir?
Look in Wise County, about 10 miles from Wise.
Roughly how much water is North Fork Pound Reservoir?
About 154 acres.
Which DWR access site suits a first trip to North Fork Pound Reservoir?
No DWR ramp sits within 15 miles; ask the owner about launching.
What might bite for a Virginia angler at North Fork Pound Reservoir?
DWR lists bluegill, common carp, channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass and muskellunge.
Which digest bass row covers North Fork Pound Reservoir?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Does a Virginia freshwater license cover North Fork Pound Reservoir?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Under-16 anglers are exempt.
Can a bank angler work the shoreline of North Fork Pound Reservoir?
No dedicated pier appears on DWR data.
Which shop is on the way to North Fork Pound Reservoir?
Stop at Eastern Fishing and Rental Tools (about 11 miles away).
Which agency posts water height for North Fork Pound Reservoir?
The last pool reading we collected was 1607.73 feet at 2026-11-06 19:30:00 UTC, via the NWS gauge page; it is not live.
Plan a Saturday on North Fork Pound Reservoir
Check the digest, then pick a ramp.