What To Do
Fishing and Hunting
Bedford is a sportsman’s paradise. From hunting game to fishing the beautiful trout and bass that lurk in its rivers, streams and lakes, Bedford offers gorgeous scenery, quiet mountain hollows, and plenty of animal life. Bedford challenges both the novice and the experienced.
Fishing
Liberty Lake Park
Located at 939 Burk’s Hill Road in Bedford, Liberty Lake Park features a stocked lake and pond for fishing. The lake is stocked with trout by the Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries from October through June. A fishing license and trout stamp are required during that time. Call 540-587-6061 for information.
City Lake
Located on Lake Drive, City Lake is a four-acre park that provides fishing on a small lake in a quiet wooded setting.
Smith Mountain Lake
Forty miles long and 20,000 acres large, Smith Mountain Lake is tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and reigns as Virginia's top freshwater striped bass fishery, holding the state record at 49.4 lbs!
Rock Hollow Trout Farm
1250 Rock Hollow Lane
Bedford, VA 24523
540-586-4455
Quality Fishing for Hard Fighting Rainbow and Golden Trout in the Scenic Hills. Trout Stream - $50.00 per person (Reservations Required) 1 mile of private stream with many pools and runs, stocked daily, 5 fish limit per person. Trout Pond - $5.00 Admission/$5.00 per pound (Seniors & children under 9 free admission), 1 acre pond stocked regularly with Rainbow Trout. Trout Stream Open October - November Open for group outings of 5 or more. Reservation required 7 days in advance. December - June Open Daily 8:00am to 5:00pm. Trout Pond open December - May, Monday-Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm, Sunday 9:00am to 2:00pm. Bait and Tackle Shop, Equipment Rentals, Snack Bar, Gift Certificates, Corporate and Group Outings Available. Located 3 miles South of Bedford on Route 43 South at 1250 Rock Hollow Lane.
Charters and Guides
Confluence Outfitters, LLC
251 Crest of Pedlar Drive
Monroe, VA 24574
434-941-9550
fish@confluenceoutfittersva.com
www.confluenceoutfittersva.com
Guided fishing adventure on the James and Maury Rivers. Trips include all tackle, drinks, and snacks. Our full day trips include lunch prepared riverside. For details visit our website or give us a call.
Dale Wilson's Smith Mountain Lake Guide Service
4185 Smith Mountain Lake Parkway
Huddleston, VA 24104
540-297-5650
www.captaindalewilson.com
Email: captain.dale@hotmail.com
Captain Dale Wilson is the lake's most experienced fishing guide, over 30 years. He fishes year round on Smith Mountain and Leesville Lakes. He specializes in the use of artificial lures, while casting for stripped bass, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass. He is a proud member of Mercury Motors and Ranger Boats "pro staff." We furnish all equipment or you can bring your favorite rods and reels.
Jim's Guide Service
Captain Jim Salley, US Coast Guard licensed
203 Mill Lake Road
Huddleston, VA 24104
March through November
540-297-6394
Email: CapnJimSalley@aol.com
Spike’s Prime Time Fishing
Striper fishing charters and luxury waterfront rentals
Capt. Spike and Capt. Kathy Franceschina, US Coast Guard licensed
4067 Hales Ford Road
Moneta, VA 24121
540-297-5611, 540-297-2139
Web: www.spikesprimetimefishin.com
To Fish On Striper Guide Charters
Captain Fred Price, Jr, US Coast Guard licensed
540-721-4442
540-309-9713
Email: tofishon@aol.com
Web: www.tofishon.com
Custom trips for 1-6 people. Specializing in striped bass. Tackle, bait, fuel, cleaning and filleting supplied.
Virginia Outdoorsman
Captain Mike Snead
Smith Mountain Lake
40 Village Springs Drive
Hardy, VA 24101
540-721-4867
Email: virginiaoutdoorsman@gmail.com
Blue Ridge Parkway
Along much of its route, the Parkway hugs the crest of the world’s oldest mountains. The National Park Service protects over 100 miles of streams, many of them small, spring-fed watercourses that rise along the spine of the Blue Ridge. There are also 13 lakes (including Abbott Lake at the Peaks of Otter) enhancing the natural beauty of the scenic drive and abounding with native and stocked fish in a mountain environment.
Licenses & Regulations: Fishing is permitted in all Parkway waters with a valid state fishing license from Virginia or North Carolina. No special trout stamp is needed and persons under 16 can fish without a license. Fishing is not permitted from footbridges, dams or adjacent walls. Some waters may have individual regulations and those will be clearly marked. Fishing is allowed from one half hour before sunset to one half hour after sunset. Digging for bait on parkway land is not allowed. Many streams meander onto U.S. Forest Service or private land and regulations may vary as the jurisdiction changes.
Fish Species: Most of the lakes on the Parkway support warm water species such as bass, bream or bluegill. In Parkway streams, a variety of trout may be found.
Brown Trout have been stocked in the Eastern streams since the late 19th century.
Rainbow Trout have been stocked in Eastern streams as sport fish. These beautiful fish with the pink strip down the side are originally native to the Western United States.
Brook Trout are the only native trout in the southern Appalachians. This small fish with beautiful orange and red markings has survived many changes in its habitat during the centuries that humans have occupied the Blue Ridge. Catching a "Brookie" is an experience that most anglers carry with them for a lifetime.
Visit the Bedford Welcome Center for your complimentary copy of the Virginia Freshwater Fishing Regulations or contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Abbott Lake at the Peaks of Otter
Catfish, smallmouth bass, golden shiners, sunfish and blue gill are yours for the catching at Abbott Lake located at the Peaks of Otter. A Virginia fishing license or short-term permit is required. Short-term Virginia fishing licenses can be purchased at the Peaks of Otter Lodge. Artificial lures are required in Abbott Lake.
Visit the Bedford Welcome Center for your complimentary copy of the Virginia Freshwater Fishing Regulations or contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1132 Thomas Jefferson Road in Forest, 434-525-7522 or online at www.dgif.state.va.us.
The James River and Washington and Jefferson National Forest Streams
Species present: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Muskellunge, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish
Seasons: All Year
Access: There are numerous access points developed and managed by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Visit www.dgif.state.va.us for more information. Both primitive and developed camping are available.
Visit the Washington and Jefferson National Forest website at www.southernregion.fs.fed.us/gwjnf.
Hunting
Bedford provides superb hunting opportunities from deer to wild turkeys, rabbit and waterfowl. Thousands of acres of public land are open to hunting, including state-owned wildlife management areas and national forests.
For information on seasons, bag limits, regulations and licenses, contact the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 1132 Thomas Jefferson Road, Forest, VA 24551-9223, 434-525-7522 or visit www.dgif.state.va.us.
Hunting Lodges
Wheat Valley Lodge and Hunting Preserve
1643 Wheat Valley Road
Bedford, VA 24523
540-586-2812
Complete hunting and lodging accommodations. Two full bathrooms, free cold storage for harvested game, some processing help available. Linens and laundry facilities, ATV trails and ample sleeping room for your group.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Hunting is allowed on Parkway land. Access to hunting areas is permitted with a valid Virginia hunting license by registering at the Peaks of Otter Visitors Center May through October. All other times, passes may be obtained at the Ranger Stations along the Parkway.
Foxhunting:
Bedford County Hunt, Inc
P.O. Box 65
Cifax, VA 24556
Web: www.bedfordcountyhunt.com
The Bedford County hunt season begins on September 1 and lasts through late March. September and October are cubbing and informal. Formal season begins the first of November. Meets are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday unless otherwise scheduled. For updates and cancellations, phone 540-586-1051 or email oldenacres@aol.com.
© 2007 Bedford Tourism and Welcome Center
816 Burks Hill Road | Bedford, VA 24523
Phone: 540-587-5681 | 1-877-447-3257 | Fax: 540-587-5983
Photos used on the website are courtesy of Lynn Kirby, Stimulus Advertising,
Don Hall Photography, and Gar Brandt Photography. All Rights Reserved.
