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Big Moccasin Creek
Virginia · River
55°F: in the optimum range for rainbow trout
Fisheries research puts the optimum for rainbow trout at this temperature. It says how they would grow and feed if they live here, not how many you'll catch.
- Water 55°F at N F HOLSTON RIVER NEAR GATE CITY, VA, 1.3 mi away, as of Wednesday, Oct 28, 6:15 AM EDT.
- Virginia DWR stocked rainbow trout here on Oct 1, 2026 (4 weeks ago).
- Season: fall.
- Waning Gibbous, 84% lit; solunar major 3:10 AM–5:10 AM and 3:42 PM–5:42 PM (folklore, see below).
Provisional reading from the USGS stream gauge: N F HOLSTON RIVER NEAR GATE CITY, VA (1.3 mi away), taken Wednesday, Oct 28, 6:15 AM EDT.
Where 55°F sits for common freshwater fish
Temperature ranges from fisheries research. They describe how the fish feed and grow, not a catch forecast, and they don't apply to salt water. Virginia DWR last stocked trout in Big Moccasin Creek on Oct 1, 2026 (4 weeks ago); for the other species, check your state's fishing guide.
- TroutBest range
In the 54–64°F optimum for rainbow trout.
Based on rainbow trout. USFWS Habitat Suitability Index: Rainbow Trout (1984)
- BassSlow
Below 59°F largemouth bass grow very little.
Based on largemouth bass. USFWS Habitat Suitability Index: Largemouth Bass (1982)
- PanfishSlow
Cooler than the 64°F where bluegill start to spawn; they feed best far warmer.
Based on bluegill. Wisconsin DNR bluegill review (2015)
- CatfishSlow
Growth is slow below 65°F.
Based on channel catfish. Mississippi State University Extension: catfish biology
Moon and solunar times
Thursday, Oct 29 · Waning Gibbous, 84% lit · times in EDT
| Window | When | Centered on |
|---|---|---|
| Major | 3:10 AM–5:10 AM | Moon overhead |
| Minor | 11:31 AM–12:31 PM | Moonset |
| Major | 3:42 PM–5:42 PM | Moon underfoot |
| Minor | 8:53 PM–9:53 PM | Moonrise |
Anglers swear by solunar tables: the idea, popularized by John Alden Knight, is that fish feed most when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major windows, about two hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor, about one hour). The moon times are real astronomy; the evidence that fish keep to them is thin. Treat them as a fun tiebreaker, not a forecast.
Last stocked Oct 1, 2026, 4 weeks ago (Rainbow Trout). See every recent stocking →
Caught one? Make it a card.Snap your catch in Reelio and collect every species. Free on iPhone.Sources: water temperature from USGS; species ranges from the sources linked on each card; stocking from Virginia DWR. Moon times are computed from standard astronomical formulas and agree with the US Naval Observatory to within a few minutes. A fishing license is required; check local regulations before you go.