Sandy River Reservoir is a 740-acre water supply impoundment located slightly east of the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County. Sandy River Reservoir is one of the newest lakes in Virginia with construction completed in 1994 and fishing opened in 1996. The reservoir was built and is owned by the county of Prince Edward with fisheries management responsibilities belonging to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Sandy River Reservoir is a beautiful resource located in the rolling hills of the piedmont in southside Virginia. Two large areas of standing timber were left in the lake at construction to provide fish habitat structure. These areas are located at the upper end of Sandy River and the upper end of Marrowbone Creek.
This reservoir boasts some of the best sportfishing opportunities in the region. The lake supports excellent fisheries for largemouth bass, black crappie, redear sunfish, and channel catfish. Other species to note include bluegill and chain pickerel.
Maps & Directions
The lake and facilities can be reached from U.S. 460 east of Farmville: take Route 640 (Monroe Church Rd.) south for 0.8 miles and turn left on Route 792, the reservoir access road.
Map
Fishing
Bass
best bet
Catfish
best bet
Trout
no
Panfish
best bet
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass fishery at Sandy River Reservoir is excellent with fish of all sizes well represented. Sandy River provides anglers a unique combination of high catch rates of bass and strong numbers of quality size fish. It’s safe to say Sandy River offers one of the best bass fisheries in the region. The largemouth bass fishery is managed with a 14-20 inch slot to improve quality fish catch rates and still allow for some harvest. As with most fish species, the best action for largemouth bass fishing is in the spring, but good action can be found in the summer during morning and evening hours or by targeting deeper water. Take note of shad and sunfish activity as hungry bass often aren’t far when these preferred forage species are present.
Sunfish
Sandy River boasts a strong sunfish fishery with good numbers of bluegill and redear sunfish present. Bluegill catch rates are average for the region with a majority of fish in the 5 inch range. Redear sunfish catch rates are also average with fish in the 6-8 inch range representing a bulk of the fishery. For best success with sunfish target fallen trees and beaver lodges. During the late spring and through the majority of the summer sandy flats and points can also be productive as sunfish congregate to spawn
Crappie
Crappie catch rates are also typical of those throughout the region. The fishery is managed with a 9 inch minimum length limit with a majority of the population falling in the 8-9 inch range.
Channel catfish
The channel catfish population is maintained by annual stockings with fair numbers of harvestable size fish (>15 inches) present.
Chain pickerel
Chain pickerel are fairly abundant in Sandy River Reservoir, with fish over 20 inches present. Target the backs of creeks around aquatic vegetation for best success.
Biologist Reports
Regulations
Largemouth Bass
- 14-20 inch protected slot limit
- 5 fish per day creel limit
- No Bass may be retained between 14 and 20 inches
- Only two bass longer than 20 inches may be retained
Crappie
- 9 inch minimum length limit
- 25 fish per day creel limit
All Other Species
- Statewide regulations apply
Outboard motor use restricted to 10 hp or less. The following are prohibited on this property: swimming, open air fires, trotlines, littering, sailboats, and jet skis.
Bass fishing tournament regulations and permit applications can be found on the Prince Edward County website.
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 ✘
Sandy River offers a number of accessible amenities including: a double lane concrete boat ramp with a courtesy pier, a 150 foot fishing pier, a large paved parking lot, and restrooms.
All facilities are open for use 24 hours a day.
More Information
For more information on Sandy River Reservoir, please contact:
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
107 Foxwood Drive
Farmville, VA 23901
(434) 392-9645
For information on the town of Farmville, please contact:
Farmville Chamber of Commerce
116 North Main Street
Farmville, VA 23901
(434) 392-3939