Pedlar River Fishing Guides
A Blue Ridge mountain trout stream running through national forest under the Appalachian Trail, with wild brookies above and stocked water below.
Guides on the Pedlar River
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About the Pedlar River
The Pedlar drains the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge south of the Tye and north of the James, and for most of its length it runs through George Washington National Forest ground with the Appalachian Trail on the ridge above it. That combination – public land, steep gradient, cold water and genuine remoteness – makes it one of the better mountain streams in central Virginia and one that rewards walking. The upper river gathers off the flanks of Bald Knob and the high country around the Priest and Mount Pleasant, then runs into Pedlar Lake, the reservoir that supplies Lynchburg with drinking water.
Above the lake the Pedlar is a wild brook trout stream in the classic southern Appalachian mould: small, tight, overhung with rhododendron, and full of native fish that are more colourful than they are long. This is short-rod water where a careful approach matters more than a good cast. Below the lake and down through the national forest reach near the Forest Road gauge, the river opens up and holds stocked rainbows and browns along with holdover fish, and the further down you go the more the character shifts toward smallmouth, rock bass and redbreast sunfish as the water warms toward the James.
Note that the reservoir itself and its immediate surrounds are a municipal water supply with its own access restrictions, so read the posted signs rather than assuming national forest rules apply everywhere. The gauge at Forest Road publishes discharge and stage but no temperature, which matters more here than on a warmwater river – in a hot, dry August the lower reaches get marginal for trout, and the honest answer is to move up. Spring and fall are the seasons this river is built for.
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Access
Forest Road gauge access near Buena Vista - the main roadside entry to the lower national forest reach.
FS 39 corridor - several pull-offs following the river through the forest.
Pedlar Lake area - reservoir access, subject to posted municipal water-supply rules.
Appalachian Trail crossings - foot access to the upper wild brook trout water.
Lynchburg Reservoir Road pull-offs - walk-in entry to the middle river.
US 60 crossing - access near the lower river toward the James.
Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area trailheads - long walk-in to the headwater forks.
Seasons
Spring: the prime season - good flow, hatching insects and stocked fish in the lower river.
Summer: fish the upper wild water early; the lower reaches warm and go marginal for trout.
Fall: excellent and beautiful, with brook trout in spawning colour and light pressure.
Winter: cold and low; legal and quiet, but slow going and often iced in the upper reaches.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Pedlar River?
As of Sep 17, 5:45 am, the USGS gauge PEDLAR RIVER AT FOREST ROAD NEAR BUENA VISTA, VA reads 3 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Pedlar River?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Fallfish, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker on the Pedlar River in Virginia.
Where can you access the Pedlar River?
Forest Road gauge access near Buena Vista - the main roadside entry to the lower national forest reach. FS 39 corridor - several pull-offs following the river through the forest. Pedlar Lake area - reservoir access, subject to posted municipal water-supply rules. Appalachian Trail crossings - foot access to the upper wild brook trout water. Lynchburg Reservoir Road pull-offs - walk-in entry to the middle river. US 60 crossing - access near the lower river toward the James. Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area trailheads - long walk-in to the headwater forks.
When is the best time to fish the Pedlar River?
Spring: the prime season - good flow, hatching insects and stocked fish in the lower river. Summer: fish the upper wild water early; the lower reaches warm and go marginal for trout. Fall: excellent and beautiful, with brook trout in spawning colour and light pressure. Winter: cold and low; legal and quiet, but slow going and often iced in the upper reaches.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Pedlar River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Virginia agency site: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/