Virginia fishing rules from mountain trout water to the Atlantic
Virginia does not have one fishing-limit chart that works everywhere. A keeper can depend on the exact river reach, reservoir, trout program, fall line, Chesapeake zone, calendar date or whether your boat has crossed into federal water.
What major Virginia fisheries look like today
This dashboard answers the first trip-planning question quickly. Marine regulations can still change through later VMRC action, so date-sensitive fisheries should be rechecked before departure.
Cobia
June 15–September 20
43″ TL minimum • 1/person • maximum 2/vessel/day.
Black sea bass
May 11–December 31
13″ minimum • 15/person.
Speckled trout
14″ minimum • 5/day.
Only one fish may be 24″ or longer.
Tautog
16″ minimum • 4/person.
Annual May 16–June 30 closure has passed.
Summer flounder
August minimum: 17.5″
4/person in Virginia tidal waters outside Potomac-specific rules.
Chesapeake striped bass
Spring/summer season ended June 15.
Fall season begins October 4.
Potomac-area striped bass
First period ended July 6.
Second period begins August 21.
Atlantic tarpon
No recreational possession.
Any caught tarpon must remain in the water.
Follow the water from Virginia freshwater to the federal ocean
Inland freshwater
DWR frameworkLakes, reservoirs, non-tidal rivers, stocked trout streams and most inland game-fish regulations.
LINE
Tidal Virginia
VMRC becomes criticalStriped bass, shad, marine species and tidal fisheries can move into Marine Resources Commission rules.
WATER
EDGE
Federal ocean water
Federal rules can differSummer flounder is a perfect 2026 example: federal minimum, season and bag limit are different from Virginia tidal-water rules.
Six checks before the fish enters your cooler or livewell
A similar-looking fish can have a completely different rule.
“James River” is not precise enough for several regulations.
DWR, VMRC, Potomac-specific or federal?
Trout privileges and marine harvest seasons can change by date.
Minimum, maximum and protected slots are different concepts.
Creel, vessel limit, bait and gear can still make a fish illegal.
Why the annual freshwater PDF is not always the final answer
Virginia’s DWR creel-and-length PDF is one of the best ways to understand statewide limits and named-water exceptions. But a later 2026 change can supersede wording printed in that digest.
Blue catfish
The annual table contains older size/river language for some tidal blue-catfish fisheries.
Tidal York, Rappahannock & James
DWR’s 2026 update allows unlimited harvest regardless of size in the specified York and Rappahannock systems below the fall line and applies the same change to the specified tidal James River.
Virginia statewide freshwater creel & length limits
Think of this table as the default layer. The exact lake or river can override it.
| Species | Daily creel | Size / important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth + smallmouth bass | 5 aggregate | No statewide minimum; extensive named-water exceptions. |
| Alabama + spotted bass | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit. |
| Landlocked striped + hybrid striped bass | 4 aggregate | 20″ statewide minimum unless a reservoir rule overrides it. |
| Walleye + saugeye | 5 aggregate | 18″ statewide minimum. |
| Sauger | 2 | No statewide minimum. |
| White bass | 5 | South Holston and other listed waters use different rules. |
| Chain pickerel + northern pike | 5 | No statewide minimum. |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 40″ statewide minimum; New River seasonal rule differs. |
| Covered sunfish | 50 aggregate | Includes common sunfish covered by the DWR aggregate. |
| Black + white crappie | 25 aggregate | No statewide minimum; several reservoir exceptions. |
| Rock bass + Roanoke bass | 25 aggregate statewide baseline | Drainage-specific restrictions exist. |
| Yellow + white perch | No statewide daily limit | Special reservoir/tidal-water provisions can apply. |
| Trout | 6 | 7″ general minimum; trout-program exceptions are extensive. |
| Channel + white + flathead catfish | 20 statewide baseline | Rivers below the fall line can use different rules. |
| Blue catfish | 20 statewide baseline | Important tidal and reservoir exceptions apply. |
| American shad | NO POSSESSION | Immediately release. |
| Longnose gar |
Jul 1–Apr 14: 5 Apr 15–Jun 30: 1 |
Seasonal creel changes around the spawning period. |
| Bowfin |
Jul 1–Apr 14: 5 Apr 15–Jun 30: 1 |
Same seasonal creel pattern. |
| Northern snakehead | No statewide daily limit | A possessed Virginia snakehead must be immediately killed and DWR notified. |
A 14–22 inch fish can be the bass you must release
Defined reaches of the James and New River systems use a protected 14–22 inch bass range with an oversized-fish sublimit.
Slot-limit mistake
A protected slot is not a minimum-size regulation.
- Measure before putting the fish in possession.
- A fish inside the protected middle range goes back.
- An oversized sublimit may apply.
- “Bigger” does not automatically mean “legal.”
Virginia bass waters where the statewide five-fish rule is not enough
| Water | Special rule | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Briery Creek Lake | No largemouth/smallmouth 16–24″; only 1/day over 24″. | Protected slot plus trophy sublimit. |
| Buggs Island / Kerr Reservoir | Only 2 of the 5 largemouth/smallmouth may be under 14″. | Short bass can be legal, but only two. |
| Lake Gaston | Only 2 of the 5 largemouth/smallmouth may be under 14″. | Count short fish separately. |
| Leesville Reservoir | Only 2 of the 5 bass may be under 14″. | Same short-fish sublimit concept. |
| Smith Mountain Lake | Only 2 of the 5 bass may be under 14″. | Check listed tributary boundaries too. |
| Claytor Lake | Smallmouth: 14″ minimum. | Species identification changes the measurement rule. |
| Flannagan Reservoir | Largemouth 12″ minimum; smallmouth 15″ minimum. | Do not measure both bass species against one number. |
| Lake Moomaw | Largemouth/smallmouth: 12″ minimum. | Straight minimum-size exception. |
| South Holston Reservoir | Smallmouth: 15″ minimum. | Supplemental reservoir licensing may also apply. |
| Clinch River — designated reach | No bass under 20″; only 1/day over 20″. | Trophy-style restriction. |
| Levisa Fork — designated Buchanan reach | No bass under 20″; only 1/day over 20″. | Save exact boundaries before fishing. |
| North Fork Holston — designated reach | No bass under 20″; only 1/day over 20″. | Reach-specific trophy management. |
| James River — specified reach | No largemouth/smallmouth 14–22″; only 1/day over 22″. | Protected slot. |
| New River — specified reach | No largemouth/smallmouth 14–22″; only 1/day over 22″. | Protected slot plus trophy sublimit. |
| Dan River below Union Street Dam | Only 2 of 5 bass may be under 14″. | Count short fish separately. |
| Staunton/Roanoke — specified reaches | Special short-fish or trophy smallmouth rules apply depending on reach. | Do not rely on “Roanoke River” alone; confirm the exact section. |
| Shenandoah system | No largemouth/smallmouth 11–14″. | Protected slot. |
| Virginia tidal Potomac tributaries above Route 301 | Bass under 15″ prohibited March 1–June 15. | Calendar and geography both matter. |
Two statewide numbers with easy-to-miss reservoir exceptions
Crappie
Statewide: 25/day aggregate, no statewide minimum.
- Kerr/Buggs Island and listed river reaches: 9″ minimum.
- Briery Creek and Sandy River Reservoir: 9″ minimum.
- Flannagan Reservoir: 10″ minimum.
- South Holston: 15/day, 10″ minimum.
- Lake Gaston and listed New River water: special no-daily-limit provisions apply.
White bass
Statewide: 5/day.
- South Holston Reservoir: no harvest/possession.
- Lake Gaston/Kerr and specified river reaches: 10/day with 14″ minimum.
Reservoir rockfish rules change with the month
Landlocked striped + hybrid aggregate; 20″ general minimum.
Oct 1–May 31: 2/day with special length framework.
Jun 1–Sep 30: 4/day, no length limit.
Sep 16–Jun 30: 2/day, 20″ minimum.
Jul 1–Sep 15: 4/day, no length limit.
2/day.
Nov 1–May 31: striped bass 30–40″ prohibited.
Jun 1–Oct 31: no length restriction under the listed seasonal rule.
Claytor and the New River make statewide walleye/musky numbers misleading
Claytor / Upper New walleye
Special management uses a 2-walleye daily limit.
Walleye from 19 through 28 inches fall inside a protected range.
New River musky below Claytor Dam
- June 1–last day of February: fish 40–48″ protected.
- March 1–May 31: 48″ minimum.
- Daily creel: 1.
Unlimited in some tidal rivers does not mean unlimited everywhere
York + Rappahannock
Unlimited blue-catfish harvest regardless of size in the specified rivers and tributaries below the fall line.
Tidal James
DWR’s current 2026 update applies the unlimited-any-size management change to the specified tidal James River.
Do another check
Kerr/Buggs Island, Lake Gaston, South Holston and other waters retain their own blue-catfish/catfish frameworks.
Freshwater rules that can make an otherwise legal fish trip illegal
- Keep regulated fish identifiable while fishing. Do not remove the head or tail, or otherwise alter a regulated game fish so its species, original length or count cannot be determined. Immediate preparation for food is treated separately.
- No SCUBA fishing. Virginia prohibits using SCUBA equipment to take or attempt to take fish.
- Remove unused set gear. Trotlines, juglines and set poles must be removed from public water when no longer being used.
- Private property still requires permission. Public water does not automatically create access across private land.
- Personal research tagging needs approval. Anglers may not simply launch their own fish-tagging program without the required DWR permission.
- Threatened and endangered species are protected. A legal fishing method does not create a harvest right for a protected species.
- Recreational game fish are not ordinary merchandise. Commercial sale/harvest requires the applicable commercial or special legal authority.
Four structure-specific rules worth knowing before fishing a tailrace
Boshers Dam Fishway
March 1–June 15: fishing and bait collection are prohibited within 300 feet of the fishway on the north bank of the James River.
Walkers Dam
Within 500 yards below the dam, only rod/reel and hand lines are permitted.
Snagging is prohibited.
Buggs Island Dam
Mechanical lure launchers may not be used within 600 yards below the dam.
Leesville Dam
Fishing/bait collection while wading, operating or anchoring a vessel is prohibited from the dam downstream 840 feet to the permanent overhead cable.
DWR currently lists the Tailrace Bank Fishing Area closed; the downstream canoe launch remains available.
“This pond needs fish” is not legal authorization to stock them
Inland water stocking
Stocking fish into Virginia inland waters generally requires written DWR authorization unless an applicable exception applies.
Private ponds still have prohibited species
DWR specifically prohibits stocking certain species even into privately owned ponds/lakes, including blue catfish and hybrids, spotted bass, Alabama bass and northern snakehead .
“Trout season is year-round” does not tell you how the water actually fishes
The general Virginia trout baseline is 6 fish per day with a 7-inch minimum. But Virginia manages several very different trout programs.
Year-round baseline unless another named regulation controls.
Trout-license period: October 1–June 15.
Fishing hours and gear limits apply.
October 1–May 31: artificial lures only, no bait in possession, no trout possession.
Depending on the water: trophy minimums, protected slots, fly-fishing, single-point hooks, permits or catch-and-release.
One rod, defined hours and no upgrading your cooler
Fishing ends one hour after sunset.
One rod, one line and one baited hook.
- Once the daily trout creel is obtained, you may not continue fishing in that designated stocked trout water.
- Once a trout goes into a basket, bucket, stringer, cooler or other possession, it counts toward the daily creel. You cannot later release it simply to upgrade your catch.
- Feeding, baiting or snagging trout in designated stocked waters is prohibited.
- Seines and nets are prohibited except for a hand landing net used to land a legally hooked fish.
Fishing can be open while trout possession is closed
October 1–May 31
- No trout possession.
- Artificial lures only.
- No bait in possession while fishing.
- Applicable trout license required.
June 1–September 30
The Delayed Harvest restrictions shift back toward the ordinary designated-stocked framework.
Remember: the additional trout-license requirement continues through June 15.
Three examples show why trout-water names matter
Jackson River Tailwater
Gathright Dam downstream to Westvaco Dam: special rainbow and brown trout length protections apply.
Four trout combined per day; only one may be a brown trout over the specified trophy threshold. Bait is allowed.
Lake Moomaw
2 / 16″Two trout per day; 16-inch minimum. Bait allowed.
Smith River
Philpott Dam to the listed Route 636 bridge: special protected brown-trout size range and trophy sublimit.
Rainbow/brook retain the listed 7-inch minimum; bait and artificial lures are allowed.
South Holston Reservoir
7 trout/day, only two may be lake trout.
No trout length minimum under this special reservoir rule.
Mossy Creek
20-inch minimum • 1/day • fly-fishing only.
Free written landowner permit required.
Dan River special water
Certain special-regulation sections require a permit from Northbrook Virginia Hydro LLC.
Current access information that belongs inside the guide
Mossy Creek
Approximately 1,100 feet near Iron Works Road is no longer available for fishing access at the landowner’s request.
The former SR 747/SR 809 parking location is also closed.
DWR directs anglers to the existing Kyles Mill Road parking area near Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church.
Lake Thompson
DWR says trout stocking is discontinued indefinitely because of inconsistent water levels.
Pandapas Pond
DWR’s 2026 trout update changed Pandapas Pond from Category A to Category B in the Catchable Trout Stocking Plan.
An $8 permit creates another trout-rule layer
During their fee seasons, anglers over age 12 generally need the applicable $8 daily permit in addition to the freshwater license requirement that applies to them.
Clinch Mountain
First Saturday in April–September 30
Trout stocked four times per week during the fee period.
Fishing generally starts 5:00 a.m.; opening day starts 9:00 a.m.; ends one hour after sunset.
Crooked Creek
First Saturday in April–September 30
Trout stocked four times per week during the fee period.
Douthat
First Saturday in April–June 15
and
September 15–October 31
June 16–September 14: no daily fee or trout license required under the Douthat fee-area schedule.
“50 baitfish” does not mean 50 of every species
Covered minnows/chubs/madtoms/crayfish/hellgrammites are combined, not multiplied by species.
Within the aggregate.
Within the aggregate.
Do not treat them as ordinary legal fish bait.
Purchased bait
Legally purchased bait may be possessed in the amount purchased, but keep the receipt identifying the species and quantity.
Under DWR’s bait table when legally possessed.
Herring, crayfish and trout bait cannot be treated as statewide commodities
River herring
Virginia uses major geographic possession restrictions in Chesapeake coastal rivers and specified Chowan/Back Bay waters.
Do not carry herring from one drainage to another assuming the same possession rule follows you.
Artificially raised rainbow trout
Properly purchased artificially raised rainbow trout can be used as bait in the James and New rivers and many impoundments, but important exceptions include designated stocked trout impoundments, Lake Moomaw and Philpott Reservoir.
Keep the required purchase documentation.
Game fish used as bait
A legally possessed game fish still counts against its applicable creel and size limits when used as bait.
DWR also limits which game fish can be cut and restricts use on trotlines/juglines/limblines.
Legal bait gear has dimensions
Maximum dimensions under the recreational bait rule.
Maximum throat opening.
Maximum diameter; handle maximum 8 feet.
Maximum size under the bait rule.
No paid saltwater license can still mean paperwork
Bought the annual Virginia saltwater license?
The purchase supplies the registration information; a separate annual FIP registration generally is not needed.
Legally fishing without buying the license?
Many legally exempt anglers age 16+ still need the free annual Fisherman Identification Program registration.
Under age 16?
VMRC says no paid recreational saltwater license and no FIP registration are required.
Four calendars — one species
Chesapeake spring/summer
May 16–June 15
19–24″ TL.
1/person.
Chesapeake fall
October 4–December 31
19–24″ TL.
1/person.
Potomac tributaries
May 16–July 6
and
August 21–December 31
19–24″ • 1/person.
Coastal area
Jan 1–Mar 31
and
May 16–Dec 31
28–31″ • 1/person.
Rockfish rules beyond the calendar
- When recreationally fishing with bait for striped bass, use a non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless-steel circle hook .
- Where a vessel’s fish are held in a common container, the captain/operator has responsibility for vessel possession and size compliance.
- Do not add together personal limits simply because several striped-bass management areas or seasons are simultaneously open.
- A striped bass legal in one area cannot automatically be possessed while actively fishing in an area whose legal size range is different.
- Recreational striped bass may not be transferred to another person while on the water or while fishing from a pier or shore.
A legal Virginia flounder can become undersized offshore
State rule
Season: year-round outside the Potomac-specific framework.
Jan 1–May 31: 16″ minimum.
Jun 1–Dec 31: 17.5″ minimum.
Limit: 4/person.
RULE
CHANGE
Federal-water rule
Open: May 8–September 30.
Minimum: 18.5″ TL.
Limit: 3/person/trip.
Four numbers to save before a Virginia cobia trip
1/person; maximum 2 per recreational vessel/day.
Atlantic tarpon is now a keep-it-in-the-water fish
Virginia created a specific Atlantic tarpon regulation in 2026. This is more restrictive than a simple “zero bag limit.”
Recreational possession prohibited at all times.
A caught tarpon may not be removed from the water.
Non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless-steel circle hook required.
Rule effective June 1, 2026. This is one of the strongest reasons not to rely on an older Virginia saltwater chart.
The emergency closure ended — the normal limits did not
After cold-stun mortality, Virginia temporarily closed recreational speckled-trout possession April 1 through June 30, 2026.
High-interest tidal & saltwater species
| Species | Size | Recreational possession | Important 2026 note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobia | 43″ TL minimum |
1/person; max 2/vessel/day |
Jun 15–Sep 20; recreational gaffing prohibited. |
| Black sea bass | 13″ minimum | 15/person | Effective regular 2026 season May 11–Dec 31. |
| Speckled trout | 14″ minimum |
5/day; max 1 fish 24″+ |
Special Apr 1–Jun 30 closure applied in 2026. |
| Summer flounder — VA tidal |
16″ Jan–May; 17.5″ Jun–Dec |
4/person | Potomac tributaries follow their separate framework. |
| Summer flounder — federal 2026 | 18.5″ TL | 3/person/trip | May 8–Sep 30. |
| Red drum | 18–26″ TL | 3/person | Both minimum and maximum matter. |
| Black drum | 16″ minimum | 1/person/day | Recreational hook-and-line framework. |
| Grey trout / weakfish | 12″ minimum | 1/person | Separate from speckled trout. |
| Sheepshead | Check current species chapter | 4/person | Current VMRC chapter establishes the recreational creel. |
| Spadefish | Check current chapter | 4/person | Vessel common-container rules can matter. |
| Bluefish | — | 5/person | Current 2026 recreational possession limit. |
| Spanish mackerel | 14″ TL | 15/person | Federal/interstate management can matter offshore. |
| King mackerel | 27″ TL | 3/person | Check current federal notices when fishing offshore. |
| Tautog | 16″ TL | 4/person | Closed May 16–Jun 30. |
| Atlantic tarpon | — | ZERO | Fish must remain in water; new rule effective Jun 1, 2026. |
Tilefish and grouper need a separate pre-trip check
Virginia tidal-water recreational limit under the current chapter.
Private/rental-vessel and qualifying for-hire limits differ.
Virginia’s recreational blueline season closes Jan 1–May 14 and Nov 16–Dec 31 under the current framework.
Check current federal and Virginia permit/season requirements before an offshore trip.
Unlimited harvest does not mean live transport
Base license, trout privilege and site permit are separate questions
| License / permit | Current listed price | Important use |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual freshwater | $23 | Standard resident freshwater privilege. |
| Nonresident annual freshwater | $47 | Standard nonresident freshwater privilege. |
| Resident fresh/salt combo | $39.50 | Useful for anglers crossing inland/tidal systems. |
| Nonresident fresh/salt combo | $71 | Annual visitor combination. |
| Resident saltwater | $17.50 | Annual individual saltwater privilege. |
| Nonresident saltwater | $25 | Annual individual visitor saltwater privilege. |
| Resident 5-day freshwater | $14 | Short resident trip. |
| Nonresident 1-day freshwater | $8 | Not valid for designated stocked trout waters. |
| Nonresident 5-day freshwater | $21 | Short visitor freshwater trip. |
| 10-day saltwater | $10 | Listed temporary resident/nonresident saltwater option. |
| Resident trout | $23 | Additional trout privilege when required. |
| Nonresident trout | $23 | Reduced to resident price for 2026. |
| Resident age 65+ annual freshwater | $9 | Reduced annual freshwater option. |
| South Holston Reservoir supplemental license | $21 | Valid resident fishing license also required. |
| Fee Fishing Area permit | $8/day | Applies during fee periods at listed trout Fee Fishing Areas. |
| National Forest Permit | $4 | Required in applicable National Forest fishing situations unless an exemption applies. |
| State Forest Use Permit | $16 | Applies to eligible anglers using applicable State Forest lands. |
| DWR Access Permit | $4 daily / $23 annual | Required for certain visitors age 17+ using applicable DWR properties unless another qualifying license/registration or exemption satisfies the requirement. |
You can need access authorization even before the first cast
Already hold a qualifying Virginia license?
A valid hunting, freshwater fishing or trapping license can satisfy the DWR Access Permit requirement in applicable situations.
Current Virginia boat registration?
DWR lists current Virginia boat registration among the qualifying access credentials for covered sites.
Visiting without a qualifying credential?
Visitors age 17+ using covered DWR Wildlife Management Areas and public fishing/access properties may need the daily or annual Access Permit.
The license was waived — the fish limits were not
Applicable recreational freshwater/saltwater fishing.
Continue only if your next task is buying or choosing the license
Harvest legality and fish-consumption advice answer different questions
Season, size, creel, waterbody and gear.
Consumption advisories can apply to a precise lake or river reach.
Health guidance can differ by species from the same water.
Virginia pre-trip regulation checklist
- Save the exact waterbody and river reach, not merely the river name.
- Decide whether you are under DWR, VMRC, Potomac or federal jurisdiction.
- Save today’s season status for any date-sensitive marine species.
- Save the minimum, maximum or protected slot.
- Check individual and vessel possession limits if fishing from a boat.
- Carry a measuring board long enough for cobia, striped bass and trophy freshwater fish.
- Verify whether your base license also needs a trout privilege, FIP registration, Fee Fishing permit, forest permit, access permit or reservoir supplement .
- If using natural/live bait, check both the bait-possession rule and collection rule.
- Check DWR access notices for special trout water, dams and fishing areas.
- Recheck VMRC on the morning of a saltwater trip; marine regulations can change after annual guides are published.
Fifteen Virginia regulation errors this guide is designed to prevent
Current recreational minimum is 43″.
Current season runs through September 20.
The new 2026 rule says the fish must remain in the water.
2026 federal EEZ uses a different minimum, season and bag.
Fall Chesapeake season begins October 4.
Second season period begins August 21.
The middle range is protected.
The 2026 unlimited rule is geographically specific.
The covered organisms are an aggregate.
Same-water-use restriction applies.
One rod, one line, one baited hook.
It already counts toward the creel.
Virginia maintains no-possession treatment.
Possessed fish must be immediately killed and DWR notified.
Many legally unlicensed saltwater anglers still need free FIP registration.
Ask the agency a question specific enough to answer
“I’m fishing [exact water/reach] on [date], targeting [species] using [method]. Can you confirm which jurisdiction applies and the current season, legal size, daily/vessel possession limit, gear rule and license/registration requirement?”
The useful rule is already above — open these when you need the live source
These official pages are intentionally placed after the practical explanation so the article does not become a directory of links.
Quick answers to the rules anglers commonly misread
What is Virginia’s statewide bass limit?
The statewide largemouth and smallmouth bass baseline is five fish per day in aggregate with no statewide minimum length. Many Virginia lakes and river reaches have minimums, protected slots, short-fish sublimits or trophy rules that override this baseline.
What is Virginia’s statewide crappie limit?
Virginia’s statewide black and white crappie limit is 25 fish per day in aggregate with no statewide minimum length. Several major reservoirs and river systems have special rules.
Is Virginia trout season open year-round?
The general trout season is open year-round with a six-fish daily limit and seven-inch minimum. Designated Stocked, Delayed Harvest, Special Regulation, Fee Fishing and other trout programs have additional rules.
How many rods can I use on a Virginia Designated Stocked Trout Water?
DWR limits anglers on Designated Stocked Trout Waters to one rod, one line and one baited hook. A treble hook counts as one hook, and combinations of artificial lures are allowed under the rule.
Can I release a trout after putting it in my cooler?
No under the Designated Stocked Trout Water rule. Once a trout is placed in a creel, basket, bucket, stringer, cooler or otherwise taken into possession, it counts toward the daily creel and cannot later be released for culling.
What changed for Virginia blue catfish in 2026?
DWR’s 2026 change allows unlimited blue-catfish harvest regardless of size in specified York and Rappahannock rivers and tributaries below the fall line and applies the same management change to the specified tidal James River. Other waters can have different rules.
What is Virginia’s recreational cobia rule in 2026?
The current Virginia recreational cobia season is June 15 through September 20. The minimum size is 43 inches total length. The limit is one per person with a maximum of two cobia per recreational vessel per day. Recreational gaffing is prohibited.
Can I keep an Atlantic tarpon in Virginia in 2026?
No. A new rule effective June 1, 2026 prohibits recreational possession of Atlantic tarpon. A caught tarpon must remain in the water and may not be removed from the water. Recreational gaffing and spearing are prohibited, and prescribed circle hooks are required when fishing with bait.
What is Virginia’s summer flounder limit in August 2026?
In Virginia tidal waters outside the separate Potomac framework, the June 1 through December 31 minimum is 17.5 inches and the recreational possession limit is four per person. In federal waters during the 2026 federal season, the rule is 18.5 inches and three fish per person per trip.
Can I keep striped bass in Chesapeake Bay on August 15?
Not under Virginia’s Chesapeake recreational seasons described here. The spring/summer season ended June 15 and the fall season begins October 4. Coastal and Potomac tributary striped-bass areas use different calendars.
What hook must I use for Virginia striped bass when fishing with bait?
Virginia’s striped-bass rule requires a non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless-steel circle hook when fishing recreationally with bait.
How many crayfish can I possess as bait in Virginia?
The covered DWR fish-bait aggregate is 50 individuals total, with no more than 20 crayfish inside that aggregate. Crayfish collected for bait may only be used in the water where they were captured, and additional collection restrictions apply in specified waters.
Do Virginia residents age 65 or older need a saltwater license?
Virginia residents age 65 or older generally do not need the ordinary paid recreational saltwater license, but they generally still need free annual Fisherman Identification Program registration unless another qualifying registration route applies.
Can I keep American shad in Virginia?
Virginia does not allow recreational possession of American shad under the statewide freshwater framework. A caught fish must be released.
Can I keep a northern snakehead alive in Virginia?
If a northern snakehead caught from Virginia waters is possessed, DWR requires the fish to be immediately killed and the Department notified. Virginia does not impose a statewide daily or length limit on snakehead harvest.
Know the water before you memorize the number
Five bass, six trout or four flounder can all be valid starting numbers and still be wrong for the exact water, date or jurisdiction where you are fishing.
Before keeping a fish, confirm the exact location, species, current season, measurement rule, personal/vessel creel, special-water exception, bait/gear rule and any separate license, FIP or site permit.
Full regulation review completed . Marine rules, emergency closures, access notices and fees can change after publication.