How to use our fishing calendar
Planning your next fishing trip in Roanoke, United States ? Today is a good day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...
- Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
- Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
- Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
- Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.
Fishing around Roanoke, Virginia centers on the Roanoke River, Smith Mountain Lake, Carvins Cove and a network of nearby trout streams in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Anglers target everything from striped bass and largemouth bass to stocked rainbow trout, making the Roanoke area a versatile freshwater fishing destination for both boat and bank fishermen. read more...
Sun and Moon Times
-
Nautical Twilight begins:Sunrise:
-
Sunset:Nautical Twilight ends:
-
Moonrise:
-
Moonset:
-
Moon over:
-
Moon under:
-
Visibility:20%
-
Waning Crescent
-
Distance to earth:365,214 kmProximity:95 %
Moon Phases for Roanoke
-
good Day
-
minor Time:12:58 am - 02:58 am
-
major Time:08:33 am - 10:33 am
-
minor Time:04:09 pm - 06:09 pm
-
major Time:08:56 pm - 10:56 pm
Current Fishing Weather
Wind Speed and Direction
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Wind Direction and Speed are one of the most important aspects for choosing a fishing spot. An offshore wind can help land-based anglers with longer casting distances, while an onshore wind will make kayak fishing safer. Often fish will also move to certain feeding areas depending on the wind direction. Check out the long term wind forecast at the charts below.
Fishing Barometer
Atmospheric Pressure:
Change since midnight:
Trend for next 6 hours:
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure affects fish activity. The best fishing can be had on a rising barometer and also the time just before it is falling. A steady barometer in the higher ranges can also mean good fishing. A falling or low barometer reading without much change is usually not a very good time for fishing.
UV Effect on Fishing
As a rule of thumb, the higher the UV index, the deeper fish will move. Shallow water fishing is best done at times with a low UV index. When the UV is high, stick to early mornings, late evenings and shaded areas. The effect is less noticable in deeper water, but often a higher UV index can produce good results in the deep.
7 Day Fishing Weather
| Date | Major Bite Times | Minor Bite Times | Sun | Moon | Moonphase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
Waning Crescent |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
Waning Crescent |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
Waning Crescent |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
Waning Crescent |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
 New Moon |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
New Moon |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
New Moon |
|
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
R: S: |
R: S: |
 Waxing Crescent |
Fishing Overview Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia fishing revolves around a mix of big reservoirs, productive rivers, and mountain trout streams that give anglers year-round options. The Roanoke River, Smith Mountain Lake, Carvins Cove, and nearby Blue Ridge tailwaters all offer distinct patterns, so success comes from matching your approach to each fishery’s seasonal changes.
On Smith Mountain Lake, striped bass and black bass dominate the conversation. From late winter into early spring, stripers stage along the main river channels and creek mouths, holding near bait in 30–60 feet of water. Vertical jigging with flukes on 1/2–1 oz jig heads, spoons, or live shad rigged on downlines is highly effective. As water warms into late spring, early-morning topwater over points and humps can produce explosive striper strikes; walk-the-dog plugs and big pencil poppers are staples.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass on Smith Mountain Lake follow classic reservoir patterns. In early spring, focus on rocky secondary points and transition banks with jerkbaits, finesse jigs, and medium-diving crankbaits. During the summer, bass slide deeper to brush piles, docks, and submerged timber in 12–25 feet; Texas-rigged worms, drop shots and shaky heads around vertical cover produce consistent bites. In fall, shad pushes into creeks, making small swimbaits and squarebill crankbaits deadly around wind-blown banks and pockets.
Closer to town, the Roanoke River offers accessible fishing for bass, sunfish, carp and the region’s well-known trout section upstream. In the warmwater stretches, target smallmouth and rock bass around riffles, current seams and mid-river boulders. Simple rigs like 1/8 oz tube jigs, small craw imitations, and in-line spinners excel in slightly stained water. For carp, pack bait or hair-rigged corn fished on the bottom in slower pools near town bridges can yield surprisingly large fish.
Roanoke’s trout opportunities hinge on cold-water tributaries and managed river sections in the nearby Blue Ridge. In spring, stocked rainbow and brown trout key on eggs, worms, and small baitfish. Ultralight spinning tackle with 4 lb test, small single-hook spinners, and 1/16 oz marabou jigs work well in clear pools. As pressure mounts, downsizing to 2–4 lb test, using natural colors, and approaching from downstream with a low profile drastically improves hookups.
For a quieter experience, Carvins Cove Reservoir provides good numbers of bass, panfish and occasional walleye. Focus on coves with standing timber and rocky points. During low light, topwater poppers and buzzbaits draw aggressive largemouth; once the sun is up, move to finesse soft plastics and small jigs along the first drop-offs.
Across the Roanoke region, a few tactical tips pay off consistently: prioritize moving water after light rains on rivers, fish the first and last two hours of daylight on clear reservoirs, and keep an eye on bait schools with electronics or surface dimples. Rotating between power techniques to locate active fish and slower finesse presentations to clean up reluctant biters is a productive pattern on nearly every piece of water surrounding Roanoke.
Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Roanoke area
Harbours and Marinas can often times be productive fishing spots for land based fishing as their sheltered environment attracts a wide variety of bait fish. Similar to river mouths, harbour entrances are also great places to fish as lots of fish will move in and out with the rising and falling tides. There are 2 main harbours in this area.
Moorman Marina - 15.5723515104km, Chandler Boat Marina - 16.43493708931km
We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Roanoke. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.
Ore Branch - 1.90748929791km , Murray Run - 1.98299611206km , Garnand Branch - 2.96200176507km , Tinker Creek - 3.33447138669km , Mud Lick Creek - 5.03235425716km , Carvin Creek - 5.52845337332km , Niagara Power Plant Dam - 6.13240380008km , Niagara Dam - 6.16934135783km , Barnhardt Creek - 6.60269983084km , Spring Valley Lake Dam - 7.12386492214km , Windsor Lake Dam - 7.49951169223km , Orchard Dam - 7.94286984284km , Cook Creek - 8.49067483214km , Gish Branch - 8.60547344182km , Loch Haven Lake Dam - 9.84627684497km , Falling Creek Dam - 9.90887862659km , Little Falling River Number One Dam - 9.92546916556km , Snyders Branch - 10.04741661607km , Cave Spring Branch - 10.20837333618km , Coyner Branch - 10.26909475394km , Laymantown Creek - 10.5176451353km , Horse Pen Branch - 10.81948940837km , Carvins Cove Dam - 11.03490380961km , Prater Creek - 11.20428614417km , Spring Lake Branch - 11.68418894458km , Beaverdam Creek Dam - 12.08827279556km , Mill Race - 12.31579589585km , Jumping Run Creek - 13.30418795973km , Horners Branch - 13.41833727145km , Lemons Run - 13.65414986215km , Angell Branch - 14.07177727889km , Curby Branch - 14.31549584721km , Nat Branch - 14.90641469152km , North Fork Gills Creek - 15.04486092774km , South Fork Maggodee Creek - 15.13080520921km , North Fork Maggodee Creek - 15.13080520921km , Moorman Marina - 15.5723515104km , West Fork Beaverdam Creek - 16.30073008545km , Chandler Boat Marina - 16.43493708931km , Dividing Spring Creek - 16.43867846837km
Harbours and
Marinas
Beaches
Bays
Wharfs
Points,Reefs,etc
Latest Catches
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
uploaded by: Russell Gray
uploaded by: Russell Gray
uploaded by: John Matthews
uploaded by: MAD MUSKY WATER SPORTS RENTALS Stacy Ellard Owner
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
uploaded by: Charlie Pifer
Comments