Jackson River (Hidden Valley)
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Brown trout, rainbow trout, and 2 other species water; 26 stockings on the 2026 record, spread January to October, heaviest in March. The most-stocked water on the Bath County record for 2026. The Virginia state record fallfish, 3 lbs. 13 oz., came from this water in 2025. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live, water temperature included.
Bath County · Virginia · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Tiger trout
Brook trout
State record fish caught here
Certified by Virginia DWR; weights shown exactly as the agency publishes them. Record book read October 2026.
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Jan 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Jan 22 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 3 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 3 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 4 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 4 | Brook trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 24 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 24 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 26 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 26 | Brook trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 26 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 17 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 17 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 22 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 22 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 27 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 6 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 6 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 18 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 21 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 2 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 2 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 8 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 8 | Brown trout | catchable | completed |
When to fish Jackson River (Hidden Valley)
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:56-11:56 am and 10:19 pm-12:19 am | 4:13-5:13 am and 4:30-5:30 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:42 am-12:42 pm | 5:19-6:19 am and 4:56-5:56 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 15 days ago (Oct 8)
- Water 55 °F, prime coldwater range
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Virginia fishing forecast
Gear for this water
Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells. The gauge reads 55 degrees, prime coldwater temperature; fish confidently through the day.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 12 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson Creek (Lower) | 2.4 mi | Mar 9 |
| Clifton Forge Reservoir | 5.8 mi | Apr 30 |
| Pads Creek | 6.1 mi | May 4 |
| Douthat Lake (Only) | 8.5 mi | Apr 9 |
| Potts Creek | 12 mi | May 22 |
Follow Bath County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule