Lakeview (sometimes called Swift Creek Lake) is a beautiful 42-acre reservoir in the heart of Colonial Heights that was originally constructed to supply water to the tri-cities of Colonial Heights, Petersburg, and Hopewell. The lake is currently owned by City of Colonial Heights and is used for recreation and hydroelectric power generation. The lake contains fisheries for largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, redear sunfish, carp, and chain pickerel.
A boat ramp is provided, and only electric motors are allowed. Lakeview Reservoir is a nice destination for kayak anglers to explore.
There is limited bank fishing and a small fishing pier.
Maps & Directions
From the north side of Colonial Heights, take Route 1 south to Lake Avenue; turn right and go 0.25-mile to Lakeview Park and the ramp.
Map
Fishing
Bass
best bet
Catfish
present
Trout
no
Panfish
present
The April 27th, 2018 electrofishing survey of Lakeview Reservoir revealed the presence of 14 fish species. The survey consisted of two, twenty minute runs to cover a large percentage of the shoreline within the lower and middle basins of the reservoir. The highest concentration of collected fish came in the way of bluegill with a total of 406 bluegill collected (catch rate = 609 fish/hr). The second most abundant species was the largemouth bass with 59 bass collected (catch rate = 88.5 fish/hr). The majority of the remaining species: common carp, grass carp, black crappie, American eel, yellow perch, gizzard shad, golden shiner, blue spotted sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, northern snakehead, and warmouth sunfish were collected in limited abundance. These species provide added diversity and may surprise an angler from time to time.
The bluegill population is dominated by the presence of 3 – 4 inch fish. The largest bluegill measured in at 6.38 inches. Anglers should not expect to catch a large number of trophy bluegill from Lakeview Reservoir. The abundant gizzard shad population that has historically been present places a lot of pressure of the stunted bluegill population. Both species compete for limited food resources in this high flow through system.
The largemouth bass population has shown some surprises over the years with a few bass in the 6 to 7 pound range collected during the electrofishing surveys. The 2018 survey revealed a high proportion of the bass population to be comprised of 13 – 16 inch bass. The survey run along the northern shoreline provided 38 bass while the southern shoreline provided only 21 bass. The northern shoreline has a higher density of aquatic vegetation coverage from the water willow and the lily pads.
Additional fishing opportunities are presented from the common carp that average in the 5 to 8 pound range. Although the 2018 survey did not reveal an abundance of black crappie, a decent population exists within the reservoir. The majority of the black crappie are in the 8 – 9 inch range with a few trophy-sized fish in the 13 – 15 inch range present to keep anglers interested. The redear sunfish average in the 5 – 6 inch range. The largest redear sunfish collected was 12.1 inches in length with a weight of 1.33 pounds.
Biologist Reports
Regulations
Largemouth Bass
- Harvest limit of 5 bass per day.
Sunfish
- Harvest limit of 50 sunfish (combined) per day.
Crappie
- Harvest limit of 25 crappie per day.
Catfish
- Catfish – harvest limit of 20 catfish per day.
General
- Gasoline-powered outboards are not permitted on Lakeview Reservoir.
- Electric motors are permitted.
News
The 2018 electrofishing survey revealed the presence of Northern Snakehead within Lakeview Reservoir for the first time. This was the first confirmed presence of snakehead within the Swift Creek drainage. This young snakehead measured 12.52 inches in length with a weight of 0.62 pound. One larger snakehead was observed, but managed to get away from the electric field. A return trip to the reservoir yielded the collection of 3 additional snakeheads in the 12 to 14 inch range. These smaller-sized snakehead are most likely offspring from a pair of adult snakehead that were illegally stocked into the reservoir. A third electrofishing survey resulted in no additional snakehead observed or collected. A limited population of bowfin are present within Lakeview Reservoir. Anglers should know the difference between the native fish species of bowfin and the illegally introduced Northern Snakehead. Any angler that catches a snakehead is encouraged to call the Region 1 DWR office at (804) 829-6580 ext. 126.
Facilities, Amenities, and Nearby Attractions
Nearby Attractions
Facilities
- Fee ✘
- Parking ✔
- Handicap-Accessible ✘
- Food Concession ✘
- Picnic Tables ✔
- Grills ✘
- Restrooms ✔
Amenities
- Hiking Trails ✘
- Bike Trails ✘
- Viewing Blinds ✘
- Observation Platforms ✔
- Fishing Pier/Platform ✔
- Boat Ramps ✔
- Motorboat Access ✘
- Horsepower Limit ✔
- Electric Motor Only ✔
- Paddle Access ✔
- Camping ✘
- Primitive Camping Only ✘
Facilities include:
- A boat ramp
- A picnic shelter
- Picnic tables
- A playground
- Tennis courts
The lake is open from dawn to dusk.
More Information
For more information contact:
DWR Office Region 1
(804) 829-6580 ext. 126