# Any decent fishing in Stumpy Lake?



## kinggargantuan

We're moving to that area this weekend and since it's so close, I may as well fish it. 



what kind of fish are over there?


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## chest2head&glassy

From the number of people fishing that overflow area (Elbow Rd), there has to be fish. I think I saw one guy bring up a sunfish once as I drove by. Plus there are a dozen or more herons that hang out in the wetlands on the other side of the road so there's plenty of fish (for them) and makes a beautiful picture (if you don't capture the trash lying on the shore).

If you lived by there and are wanting to wet a line, spend the extra 15 mins to go to Sandbridge. If freshwater your after, try the Oak Grove lake (off the 168 bypass). I've pulled up several small bass and bluegill there and have seen larger ones (2-3#) cruising the shoreline at dusk.


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## Sea2aeS

I can give you some insight to stumpy lake. Stumpy, though illegal to fish the actual lake is a very populous lake full of a variety of fish. those include Largemouth Bass, White Perch, Black Crappie, Carp, Bullheads, Flatheads cats, Channel cats, Gar, Bowfin, Pickerel, Bluegill, Bream, Shad, Crawfish....ive yet to verify, but ive heard word of Walleyes and northern pike.

As for Oak Grove lake, my personal best largemouth was just shy of 5lbs this spring. Oak grove has.. largemouth, carp, bluegill, and sunfish that I know of. Ive been told of catfish, bowfin, and white perch but have yet to see those. 

The bass are very finicky in this lake due to the immense amount of angling pressure over the last 2 years, not to mention wakeboarding tournaments this summer.... 

I swam Oakgrove the summer it was dug over 5 years ago on the downlow with some fins and a snorkle.  Ive basically got a map in my mind of it now. I know where to fish what time of year in here. This lake was thought out for fish because its loaded with structure. This lake is extremely deep in a few areas as well. There is a sunken island, many deep shore points, a deep hole with brush & stumps, long slopeing flats, deep rocky riprap dropoffs, tons of vegetation, deep coves with close by shallow flats, and numerous other areas. Not to mention VDGIF sunk X-mas trees in clusters and marked them with bouys. Watch out for the snakes as this lake has plenty along its densely brushed shorelines. I expect this lake to produce many top sized bass in the near future due to the immense amount of structure and the sheer size of it underwater. There are a few spots in there that are easily 45-50 feet.  

Good baits seem to be deep diving crankbaits, soft plastics, and topwaters. My fave is a crankbait with all the deep structure this lake has.  hope this helps. If you want more insight on any freshwater places round here gimme a shot, im a bass hound from march - may round here. 
Share something with me of value that i dont know and maybe ill show you where the next state record largemouth swims I do, Ive seen her 2 years in a row now. Shes every bit of 16-18lbs with eggs.


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## kinggargantuan

thanks for the info, guys.

I'm definately going to hit up sandbridge whenever I can.

I'll check out that other lake as well.


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## RACN35

i am not going to get into a pissing contest with the people that tell you to fish stumpy lake, but dont bother- i know for a fact it not all that- how do i know ? my last address was 1941 elbow rd, i live there for 14 years.....i use the spillway to catch BAIT


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## kinggargantuan

RACN35 said:


> i am not going to get into a pissing contest with the people that tell you to fish stumpy lake, but dont bother- i know for a fact it not all that- how do i know ? my last address was 1941 elbow rd, i live there for 14 years.....i use the spillway to catch BAIT



the spillway that you see off elbow road? I passed that this morning.

How would I go about catching bait there?


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## Sea2aeS

Correct me if im wrong, but doesnt the city of Norfolk own stumpy lake?


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## RACN35

yes its a norfolk water suppy lake- i made a trap like the round minnow traps but its square and they can get in from 4 sides- it works better for crawdads than minnows tho ! i used to have my wife dro[ me pff at nite with the canoe and she would come get me and my buddy a few hours later. you can throw a cast net for buegills after a good rain too-


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## kinggargantuan

RACN35 said:


> yes its a norfolk water suppy lake- i made a trap like the round minnow traps but its square and they can get in from 4 sides- it works better for crawdads than minnows tho ! i used to have my wife dro[ me pff at nite with the canoe and she would come get me and my buddy a few hours later. you can throw a cast net for buegills after a good rain too-


interesting...

and this is the little spillway that's right off the road there?


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## johnnyleo11

Yeah, the spot where there is barely enough room for one truck. It's a pretty cool sight when you do see all of those herons just hanging out on the other side of the road like someone said. Oh how I wish I could be able to take an early morning picture with the fog in that swamp and all of the birds just hanging out.


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## RedskinFan228

I used to golf there alot and asked the guys that work there about the fish in the lake. They said that they all fish it (of course it is illegal for us but they work there ) They said they have caught some big bass in it. Problem is the lake is very very shallow and in the summer gets very hot. Couple of years ago there was a massive fish kill there due to the hot weather depleting the qxygen content. I know there are allot of carp there I have seen them when they are spawning they roll on the surface. Lake looks like a great bass lake would be nice if we could launch our yaks there 

Ken


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## RACN35

there used to be signs that said :: PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE GRASS CARP,THEY ARE STOCKED TO RETARD VEGITATION GROWTH


King ? no better comments ? you seem to know something we dont ?


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## kinggargantuan

RACN35 said:


> there used to be signs that said :: PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE GRASS CARP,THEY ARE STOCKED TO RETARD VEGITATION GROWTH
> 
> 
> King ? no better comments ? you seem to know something we dont ?


I know absolutely nothing! lol

Really, I'm just moving into the area and passed it on the way to drop my son off at school. I've been trying to get an idea of where to park or see the lake by using google's satellite photos but havent had any real luck.

Since it's so close to our house, I was hoping it'd be a decent place to drop a rowboat or canoe in and fart around.


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## 6nBait

I have heard rumors that there is a state record bowfin in there  but look out for the cottom mouth things , I havnt been back there due to them. And this time of month they wil chase ya since its breeding time for them.


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## RACN35

king when you pass by there next time where elbow runs into indian river- theres a little pull off and a triangle of fence in th ewater where the filters are- i personally used to go south past the spillway a 1/4 mile or so and theres a trail that leads to the bank and we used to drop out litle boat there after dark !!


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## kinggargantuan

RACN35 said:


> king when you pass by there next time where elbow runs into indian river- theres a little pull off and a triangle of fence in th ewater where the filters are- i personally used to go south past the spillway a 1/4 mile or so and theres a trail that leads to the bank and we used to drop out litle boat there after dark !!


nice! I'll check it out


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## Steve O

RACEN 35 if I'm not mistaken legally you have to have a licences to cast net for anything but bait fish.


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## RedskinFan228

6nBait said:


> I have heard rumors that there is a state record bowfin in there  but look out for the cottom mouth things , I havnt been back there due to them. And this time of month they wil chase ya since its breeding time for them.


Yea watch for them snakes I have seen tons of them while playing golf there. Remember one time I hit my ball in this little drainage creek that had maybe a foot of water in it. When I went to get my ball there was a bunch, at least 50, baby snakes. Not sure if they were cotton mouths did noit stick around long enough to find out

LOL Ken


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## HawgHvn

City of Virginia Beach purchased Stumpy Lake from the City of Norfolk in 2001. Check the signage - it was changed/erected within the last year or two. The city performed special surveys for use issues and environmental reports. The lake was determined to NOT be a viable fishery source - in part due to previous comments regarding fish-kills in the lake, plus the lake is very shallow with limited support to make it a viable fishery. The Master Land Use and Management Plan seeks to balance limited development and access with the principles of preservation, education, and environmental stewardship to ensure the property continues to provide vital wildlife habitat and environmental benefits. From the city web site "Specific recreational use recommendations for the site have been chosen and designed to maintain a careful balance between the need to protect the natural resources on the site and the desire to provide recreational uses for all to enjoy now and in the future. Proposed recreational uses for the property include hiking, birding, and environmental education." Notice that fishing is not even in the top ten! LOL! The reports are still available on the city web site 

Having fished the spillway and the swamp on the other side of the road as well as several other accessible spots I have to say that I agree with the city's assessment. I also have to agree with some of the comments regarding the snakes having had a minor tug-o-war with one. Was fishing and had hooked a very small crappie and was reeling it in when a large snake decided it liked the idea of an easy dinner. They thrash well when hooked. Needless to say, that snake swam off with the fish AND several feet of line.

Try some of the flood control ponds nearby, though. Some of them are quite deep, they are interconnected by large drainage pipes, and I have personally seen a 5 pound bass come out of the one across the road from Stumpy and down by Lynnhaven - the guy that caught it told me that a friend of his had caught a 6.5 pounder there just a couple of days earlier. I believe it. One of the ponds a little further up the road back in the development has a fairly large bass that I have personally seen sunning itself - though it refused to take any bait I ever threw at it.

Lest you wonder about the Williamsburg location to the left . . . I used to live in and work for the City of Virginia Beach, owned two houses within walking distance of Stumpy Lake, and I am getting homesick even now . . .


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## RACN35

Steve O said:


> RACEN 35 if I'm not mistaken legally you have to have a licences to cast net for anything but bait fish.


BLUEGILL= BAIT


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## RACN35

MR A>J - hi buddy......you bout ready freddy ?


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## kinggargantuan

HawgHvn said:


> City of Virginia Beach purchased Stumpy Lake from the City of Norfolk in 2001. Check the signage - it was changed/erected within the last year or two. The city performed special surveys for use issues and environmental reports. The lake was determined to NOT be a viable fishery source - in part due to previous comments regarding fish-kills in the lake, plus the lake is very shallow with limited support to make it a viable fishery. The Master Land Use and Management Plan seeks to balance limited development and access with the principles of preservation, education, and environmental stewardship to ensure the property continues to provide vital wildlife habitat and environmental benefits. From the city web site "Specific recreational use recommendations for the site have been chosen and designed to maintain a careful balance between the need to protect the natural resources on the site and the desire to provide recreational uses for all to enjoy now and in the future. Proposed recreational uses for the property include hiking, birding, and environmental education." Notice that fishing is not even in the top ten! LOL! The reports are still available on the city web site
> 
> Having fished the spillway and the swamp on the other side of the road as well as several other accessible spots I have to say that I agree with the city's assessment. I also have to agree with some of the comments regarding the snakes having had a minor tug-o-war with one. Was fishing and had hooked a very small crappie and was reeling it in when a large snake decided it liked the idea of an easy dinner. They thrash well when hooked. Needless to say, that snake swam off with the fish AND several feet of line.
> 
> Try some of the flood control ponds nearby, though. Some of them are quite deep, they are interconnected by large drainage pipes, and I have personally seen a 5 pound bass come out of the one across the road from Stumpy and down by Lynnhaven - the guy that caught it told me that a friend of his had caught a 6.5 pounder there just a couple of days earlier. I believe it. One of the ponds a little further up the road back in the development has a fairly large bass that I have personally seen sunning itself - though it refused to take any bait I ever threw at it.
> 
> Lest you wonder about the Williamsburg location to the left . . . I used to live in and work for the City of Virginia Beach, owned two houses within walking distance of Stumpy Lake, and I am getting homesick even now . . .



thanks for the info. Any tips on where to find these ponds would be greatly appreciated!

they're close enough I can take my kid of there and toss some lines in.


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## Jb Ambulo

sorry to bring back an old thread, but just moved to the area, are there still any fish in Oak grove or stumpy? been skunked everytime i got to oak grove and stumpy is nothing but small cats.


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## torrnt

I've heard of a few bass being caught in stumpy, and of course carp.


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## George Gravier

Hey RACN you ever see any of those ghosts that supposedly haunt elbow road??


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