Philpott Lake Fishing
DWR-listed reservoir water in Franklin County, 2,880 acres.
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First notes on Philpott Lake
Find Philpott Lake, a reservoir of 2,880 acres, in Franklin County. It sits about 11 miles from Collinsville.
Shore casters have 1 fishing pier to try. A dated pool figure from the NWS sits further down.
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 Philpott Lake
Philpott Lake is a 2,880-acre impoundment located near Martinsville, Virginia. This lake is situated in the mountains of Patrick, Franklin, and Henry counties, which is a picturesque setting for outdoor enthusiasts. Philpott is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE) and is managed primarily for flood control and hydroelectric power generation.
Site notes for Philpott Lake
Access Sites: Goose Point Jamison Mill Near Dam Ryans Branch Twin Ridge Salthouse Branch Lake maps are available at the USCOE office located near the dam but these maps provide limited details. Kingfisher Quality Maps is a better option for anglers who would like a detailed map. The maps are waterproof and tear resistant. Kingfisher maps can be ordered by phone or through the Internet.
For Philpott Lake, the block above is copied from the DWR waterbody page.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Motors, parking and more at Philpott Lake
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Unlimited HP
- Facilities DWR marksparking, accessible facilities, picnic tables, restrooms, hiking trails, observation platforms, fishing pier or platform, boat ramps, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 2
Each line repeats a field DWR keeps for Philpott Lake; 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 Philpott Lake
Where Philpott Lake shines, per DWR
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | present |
| Panfish | present |
Every fish listed for Philpott Lake has a DWR source behind it.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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DWR maps no boating access site on Philpott Lake; the closest ones follow.
Fishing Philpott Lake without a boat
- Goose Point Park on Philpott Lakefishing pier
Neighbouring boat ramps around Philpott Lake
- Waid Recreation Area on Pigg RiverPigg River, 12 miles northeast
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.
Last reported Philpott Lake pool, dated
At Philpott Lake, the pool shown is dated; check the gauge page for now.
USACE Wilmington District pool as reported through the NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge PTTV2, read November 6, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Philpott Res At Philpott Dam Nr Philpott, Va | 970.61 ft lake elevation | Nov 7 6:10 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 7, 2026 6:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS values for Philpott Lake refresh on their own and are provisional.
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
Keep rules for Philpott Lake
| 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 Philpott Lake, start from the statewide rows and then read any water line.
Regulations tab on the DWR page for Philpott Lake
- Black Bass
- 5 per day in the aggregate
- 12 inch minimum length limit
- Walleye
- 5 per day
- 18 inch minimum length limit
- All other species are managed under statewide regulations
- Bluegill / Sunfish
- 50 per day in the aggregate
- No length limits
- Crappie
- 25 per day
- No length limit
- Catfish
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.
Record weights landed at Philpott Lake
| Species | Weight as printed | Date | Water as listed | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coho Salmon | 8 lbs. 12 oz. | 12-27-1971 | Philpott Reservoir | retired category |
| Lake Trout | 5 lbs. 6 oz. | 7-6-1966 | Philpott Reservoir | retired category |
State Record Freshwater Fish as of 9-2-2025 (keeper: Virginia DWR (State Record Freshwater Fish list as of 9-2-2025); angler names left off here), read November 6, 2026.
Weigh-ins scheduled for Philpott Lake
Trail dates and winning bags from Philpott Lake are gathered on their own page.
Virginia lakes clustered near Philpott Lake
On size, Smith Mountain Lake heads the lakes around Philpott Lake with 20,600 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philpott Lake | this water | 2,880 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Fairy Stone Lake | 3 miles southwest | 168 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Martinsville Reservoir | 12 miles southeast | 175 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Franklin County Park Pond | 14 miles northeast | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 11 |
| Lake Burton | 29 miles east | 76 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Smith Mountain Lake | 31 miles northeast | 20,600 acres | 6 | 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 Philpott Lake on the Commonwealth map
More Virginia lakes within reach of Philpott Lake
- Fairy Stone Lake3 miles southwest
- Martinsville Reservoir12 miles southeast
- Franklin County Park Pond14 miles northeast
- Lake Burton29 miles east
- Smith Mountain Lake31 miles northeast
Stores with hooks, line and lures around Philpott Lake
- Angler's Choicefly shop, Martinsville, 17 miles
- Franklin Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Rocky Mount, 17 miles
- Greasy Creek Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Willis, 23 miles
- Magnum Point Marinamarina, Union Hall, 24 miles
- Indian Pointe Marinamarina, Hardy
- Crazy Horse Marinamarina, Moneta
A bed and a breakfast counter near Philpott Lake
- Collinsville11 miles, Henry County
- Martinsville14 miles, City of Martinsville
- Rocky Mount16 miles, Franklin County
- Stuart17 miles, Patrick County
Locality pages that take in Philpott Lake
- Franklin Countycounty seat Rocky Mount
Piscifun tackle that suits Philpott Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Philpott Lake
Photo: kjell, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Questions on Philpott Lake before the truck is loaded
Where in the Commonwealth is Philpott Lake?
Our records place it in Franklin County, about 11 miles from Collinsville.
How big is Philpott Lake?
It is listed at 2,880 acres.
Does Philpott Lake have a DWR launch?
No DWR ramp here; Waid Recreation Area on Pigg River lies about 12 miles off.
Which fish does Virginia DWR name at Philpott Lake?
DWR names alewife, black crappie, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and walleye.
Is there a length limit on bass at Philpott Lake?
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 Philpott Lake?
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 Philpott Lake?
DWR maps one fishing pier there: Goose Point Park on Philpott Lake.
Which Virginia bait counter sits closest to Philpott Lake?
Nearest in our list: Angler's Choice (about 17 miles away).
Does anyone post a lake level for Philpott Lake?
The last pool reading we collected was 970.59 feet at 2026-11-06 20:10:00 UTC, via the NWS gauge page; it is not live.
Is Philpott Lake in the Virginia record book?
Coho Salmon, 8 lbs. 12 oz., 1971, is on the DWR record list for this water (angler names are left out here).
Rig up for Philpott Lake before sunrise
Buy the Virginia license online before you go.