Share your catch

Bluestone Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

New River water impounded: Bluestone Lake holds smallmouth, muskie and catfish in southern West Virginia.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
75 cfs
Air / High
87 / 93 F
Wind
N 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 03179000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Bluestone Lake lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 75 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings cloud cover, wind N around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 93. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 88 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Bluestone River near Pipestem (inflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 03179000.

22851279575 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp87 F
High / Low93 / 72 F
WindN 11-16 mph
Pressure1014.1 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain82% cloud, 15%
Sunrise / Sunset06:56 / 19:48
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 93/72 F, wind 12 mph, rain 15%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Bluestone Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Bluestone Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Bluestone Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 94 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 93 F, wind to 6 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 90 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

West Virginia requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

West Virginia license. Smallmouth, muskellunge and catfish limits per current WVDNR regulations.

Access

Bluestone State Park and Corps ramps, camping and cabins near Hinton; tailwater access below the dam.

About this water

A 2,000-acre Corps reservoir at the confluence of the Bluestone and New rivers, Summers County, West Virginia.

Fishing Bluestone Lake: the full guide

A lake on the New River

Bluestone Lake covers about 2,000 acres at summer pool where the Bluestone River joins the New River near Hinton, West Virginia, the state’s third-largest body of water. Being an impoundment of the New, it holds that river’s species: smallmouth bass in numbers, muskellunge, walleye, channel and flathead catfish, plus crappie and bluegill in the coves.

Smallmouth and muskie

Smallmouth work the rocky shorelines, points and the current-influenced upper end where the New comes in: tubes, crankbaits and topwater produce, with the river-like upper lake fishing best. Muskellunge hold the deeper pools and weed edges, taking large baits, and West Virginia manages them for size. Fall is the best window for both.

Catfish and the tailwater

Channel and flathead catfish grow large in the fertile water, taking cut and live bait on the flats and channel edges. Below Bluestone Dam, the New River tailwater concentrates fish in the current and is a productive shore fishery. Above the lake, the New River through the Bluestone National Scenic River corridor offers wading and float fishing.

Summers County logistics

Bluestone State Park and Corps areas provide ramps, camping and cabins, with Hinton minutes away. Water levels fluctuate substantially with flood-control operations, particularly in spring: check current elevation. The New River Gorge is just downstream, making a multi-day trip in the area straightforward.

Common questions

Where do the smallmouth hold?

The rocky shorelines and especially the current-influenced upper end where the New River comes in.

Is the tailwater worth fishing?

Yes: the New River below Bluestone Dam concentrates fish in the current and offers productive shore access.

Does the level change?

Substantially with flood control, particularly in spring: check current elevation before towing.

Is fishing good at Bluestone Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Greenbrier River15 miNew River Gorge21 miNew River40 miSummersville Lake41 miClaytor Lake42 miCranberry River51 mi
Share your catch