Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Greg is right...Burke lake gets more pressure per acre than any other body of water in VA.  I've fished it a ton in the past 12 years, mostly for bass, but here's my advice:

For cats:  they can be caught, but big ones will test your patience.  You are more likely to pull up some idiot's tangled mess of 80-lb braid with a 4 oz sinker attached.  If you do go, please don't do like everyone else there and toss a saltwater rig with 6lbs of lead attached.  It's a lake, and you only need about a half oz of lead to get your bait down.

Muskies:  how much resolve do you possess?  Hooking into them repeatedly is more luck than anything else.  I know lots of talented guys that have only caught them on accident while bass fishing.  I know NOBODY who targets them intentionally much of the time.  I love a challenge, but Burke muskies aren't really worth it to me.  You may be up to it, but they don't call them the fish of 10,000 casts for nothing!

There are definitely some catfish to be caught in there. There is a really deep channel to your right towards the dyke if youre launching from the public boat rental. I have never caught a muskie there, and bass fishing has been pretty poor for me besides from when I have caught them on their beds.

Sure, it's heavily fished but .....

You'll never know until you get a line wet.

BillyBigMouth wrote:

I think I am going to head there tonight for a try at some catfish with live bait

Good luck....as George said, "You'll never know until you get a line wet.

captmikestarrett wrote:

I have great evenings of cat fishing there. There is a point directly across from boat rental area that is really good. Google map these cord. 38.764800, -77.299901.

Park in the camping area and walk the long walk. Best bait was shrimp uncooked. Rig is 1oz egg sinker and a 16 inch leader with a 2/0 hook.

Need some bug spray and keep the lights off as much as possible.

The Muskie are an early dawn only thing down by the dam. Best bait is rapala stick bait. I have got three out of there before they drained it. Spent many hours rowing that lake in younger days.

Now THAT....is some good info for BBM!

BillyBigMouth wrote:

Rowing that lake???  As in, the sport of rowing?  I happen to be a coach and am on the USA National Rowing Team

Where and what type scull?

I am a coxswain on the team (8 and 4 man boats).  I do own a single, though, that I like to get exercise in every once in a while.

I am the Head Coach for Langley High School.  I also worked to help start the high school programs who row out at Beaverdam.  Was one of the main coaches for their first summer program out there this past summer.

There's no current in Burke Lake, therefore I don't see a need for a 1 oz sinker, especially when casting distance isn't a priority.  I'm saying this because I'm getting tired of snagging heavy ocean-appropriate sinkers with 80-lb braid attached that have broken off out there at Burke.  People (usually amateurs) use WAY too heavy of tackle for catfishing in these small lakes.  a medium-heavy spinning outfit with 30 lb braid and a 1/2 oz sinker will suffice at Burke Lake, which is mostly less than 20 ft deep.  My Loomis LBR 844S gets the job done just fine with a Shimano Spheros 4000.  My buddy landed a 25 pounder on a bass flippin' stick.  It isn't the James river, where current and 80 pound cats necessitate heavy gear.