Western Branch Reservoir in Suffolk, Virginia

Western Branch Reservoir in Suffolk, Virginia

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Western Branch Reservoir is a spectacular 1,265-acre water supply reservoir owned by the City of Norfolk and located in Suffolk, Virginia, featuring a maximum depth of 35 feet making it the deepest of Norfolk's six water supply lakes, 40 miles of horseshoe-shaped irregular shoreline, and crystal-clear water impounded in 1962 by damming the western branch of the Nansemond River. This legendary fishery is ranked among Virginia's top 25 trophy fish waters, consistently producing exceptional catches of 13 species eligible for Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources citation certificates including Largemouth Bass outnumbering smallmouth five to one with most ranging 12 to 15 inches and trophy fish exceeding five pounds common, Redear Sunfish (shellcrackers) stocked in the 1970s with over 100 certificates issued annually and banner years of 1994 and 1995 producing 824 and 302 certificates respectively, White Perch ranking second statewide for trophy catches, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie with healthy populations, plus Striped Bass stocked annually since 1975 creating the best striper population in the district with the largest recorded at 41.5 pounds caught in January 1995 and fish concentrated around aerators during summer months. The lake also supports Muskellunge stocked as trophy fish with a 37.5-pound giant caught in 1998, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Chain Pickerel, Bluegill, and various other species thriving in diverse habitat including "sunken islands" that are hot spots for redear sunfish during April and May spawning. With two public boat launches at Route 605 (Girl Scout Road) below Lake Prince Dam and Route 602 at Everets below Burnt Mills, plus boat permits required and motors limited to 9.9 horsepower, the lake is perfect for fishing year-round from sunrise to sunset, kayaking, canoeing, small boat recreation, and trophy hunting for citation fish in one of Virginia's premier water supply reservoirs

Located in the city of Suffolk approximately 30 miles southwest of Norfolk and Portsmouth in the heart of Hampton Roads, Western Branch Reservoir connects upstream via horseshoe arms to Lake Prince on one side and Burnt Mills Reservoir on the other, creating a unique multi-lake system owned by Norfolk to supply municipal water for the region. Suffolk, Virginia's largest city by land area and birthplace of the iconic Mr. Peanut, celebrates its agricultural heritage every October with the famous Suffolk Peanut Fest attracting thousands of visitors with live entertainment, carnival rides, peanut-inspired cuisine, and family activities. The surrounding area offers exceptional attractions including the 112,000-acre Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge featuring Lake Drummond nestled within ancient cypress forests perfect for kayaking, canoeing, hiking the Washington Ditch Trail and Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, birdwatching, and exploring one of America's most unique ecosystems where thousands of escaped slaves once sought freedom. Visitors can explore Historic Downtown Suffolk on Main Street with beautifully restored brick sidewalks, locally owned shops, chef-owned restaurants, and the impressive 1837 Riddick's Folly House Museum with 21 elaborately furnished rooms and 16 fireplaces, the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum housed in an 1885 train depot, and the Nansemond River and Bennett's Creek for boating and waterfront recreation. The area provides easy access to Virginia Beach (45 miles) with 26 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, Colonial Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle preserving America's colonial heritage, Norfolk featuring the Chrysler Museum of Art and Battleship Wisconsin at Nauticus, Newport News with The Mariners' Museum showcasing America's maritime history, and the entire Hampton Roads region with 1.8 million residents offering world-class dining, shopping, entertainment, and year-round coastal recreation where history meets modern Southern hospitality

This magnificent handcrafted laser-cut wooden topographical map of Western Branch Reservoir would create a stunning focal point in your Hampton Roads home, Suffolk lake cottage, or office, celebrating your connection to Norfolk's largest and deepest water supply reservoir created over 60 years ago. The artistic design features a natural wood top layer that beautifully showcases the lake's distinctive horseshoe shape with 1,265 acres and 40 miles of irregular shoreline, the two upstream arms connecting to Lake Prince and Burnt Mills Reservoir, the two public boat launches at Route 605 and Route 602, and the dam impounding the western branch of the Nansemond River, while the water depths are represented through a gradient flowing from light blue in shallower areas to deeper blue at the impressive 35-foot maximum depth making it the deepest of Norfolk's six water supply lakes. Every sunken island hot spot perfect for trophy redear sunfish and shellcrackers, striper concentration zones around aerators, prime largemouth bass structure, the spillways where stripers congregate during spring, and the distinctive features of this ranked top-25 Virginia trophy water are precisely laser-etched into the multi-layered wood construction. This stunning three-dimensional masterpiece beautifully captures the exceptional fishing heritage where over 100 redear certificates are issued yearly, the vital water supply mission serving Norfolk since 1962, and the unique horseshoe configuration connecting three reservoirs in Suffolk's historic landscape just minutes from Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and the vibrant Hampton Roads metropolitan area

Dimensions:

Small: 8"x12"

Medium: 12"x18"

Large: 16"x24"

Extra Large: 20"x30"

XX Large: 24"x36"

Gigantic 30"x45"

Cribbage Boards - 10"x14" - Your choice of Maple or Cherry wood, 2 or 3 runs, and your choice of peg colors.