Creel & Length Limits
How To Use Creel & Length Limit Table
Q: I am fishing for smallmouth bass at Lake Moomaw. How many and what size may I keep?
A: The statewide creel limit for bass is 5 in the aggregate, with no length limit. However, under GEOGRAPHICAL EXCEPTIONS, Lake Moomaw is listed. The exception is that no bass may be kept less than 12 inches long. Unless otherwise posted at the site, you could keep 5 bass but none of them can be less than 12 inches long.
Q: What does the term “in the aggregate” mean?
A: Aggregate means combined. In the example above for Lake Moomaw, unless otherwise posted, you can keep 5 bass in the aggregate but none can be less than 12 inches long. Example: You could keep 3 largemouth bass and 2 smallmouth bass for a combined or aggregate total of 5 but none of the 5 can be less than 12 inches in length.
Q: I am fishing for largemouth bass at Lake Brittle in Fauquier County. How many can I keep and of what size length?
A: Lake Brittle is not listed as a GEOGRAPHICAL EXCEPTION since this is not a major lake. The DWR website at www.virginiawildlife.gov/lakes under Lake Brittle indicates there is a 12–15 inch slot limit on largemouth, where all bass between 12–15 inches must be released. You could keep 5 bass but none between 12–15 inches long. This restriction should also be posted at Lake Brittle.
The tables that follow give statewide creel (harvest) and length limits for major sport fish and exceptions for major rivers and lakes. Regulations for many smaller lakes and boat access areas are posted on site, and posted regulations are in effect (see “OTHER USES” under Department-owned Lakes, Ponds, Streams or Boat Access Sites in General Information). For smaller lakes, information can be found online at: www.virginiawildlife.gov/fishing. Creel limits are per person per day.
Creel and Length Limit |
Geographic Exceptions |
Creel or Length Limits for Exceptions |
Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass |
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5 per day in the aggregate (combined) No statewide length limits |
Lakes |
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Briery Creek Lake |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 16 to 24 inches, only 1 per day longer than 24 inches |
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Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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Claytor Lake |
No smallmouth less than 14 inches |
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Flannagan Reservoir |
No largemouth bass less than 12 inches; no smallmouth bass less than 15 inches |
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Lake Gaston |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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Leesville Reservoir |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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Lake Moomaw |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 12 inches |
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Smith Mt. Lake and its tributaries below Niagara Dam |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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South Holston Reservoir |
No smallmouth less than 15 inches |
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Rivers |
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Clinch River–within the boundaries of Scott, Wise, Russell or Tazewell counties |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
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Dan River and tributaries downstream from the Union Street Dam, Danville |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to the 14th St. Bridge in Richmond |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches |
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Levisa Fork River–within the boundaries Buchanan County |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
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New River–Fields Dam (Grayson County) downstream to the VA-WV state line and its tributaries Little River downstream from Little River Dam in Montgomery County, Big Walker Creek from the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge downstream to the New River and Wolf Creek from the Narrows Dam downstream to the New River in Giles County. (This does not include Claytor Lake which is delineated as: The upper end of the island at Allisonia downstream to the dam.) |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches |
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North Fork Holston River–Rt. 91 Bridge upstream of Saltville, Va. downstream to the VA-TN state line |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
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Potomac River – Virginia tidal tributaries above Rt. 301 bridge |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches from March 1 through June 15 |
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Staunton (Roanoke) River–and its tributaries below Difficult Creek, Charlotte County |
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
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North Fork, South Fork and Mainstem Shenandoah River |
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 inches |
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Staunton River–Leesville Dam (Campbell County) downstream to the mouth of Difficult Creek, Charlotte County |
No smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
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Alabama, Spotted Bass |
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No statewide daily limit No statewide length limit |
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Striped Bass |
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Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids |
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4 per day in the aggregate No fish less than 20 inches |
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Leesville Dam and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Union Street Dam (Danville) |
October 1–May 31: 2 per day in the aggregate (combined) No striped bass or hybrid striped bass less than 20 inches or greater than 26 inches |
June 1–September 30: 4 per day in the aggregate (combined) No length limit |
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Claytor Lake and its tributaries |
September 16–June 30: 2 per day in the aggregate, no striped bass or hybrid bass less than 20 inches |
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July 1–September 15: 4 per day in the aggregate; no length limit |
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Lake Gaston |
4 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
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October 1–May 31: No striped bass or hybrid striped bass less than 20 inches |
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June 1–September 30: No length limit |
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Smith Mountain Lake and its tributaries, including the Roanoke River upstream to Niagara Dam |
2 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
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November 1–May 31: No striped bass 30 to 40 inches |
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June 1–October 31: No length limit |
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Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) |
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Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters |
None apply |
None apply |
Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay |
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No possession |
None apply |
None apply |
Walleye, Saugeye |
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5 per day in the aggregate No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
Claytor Lake and the New River upstream to Fries Dam in Grayson County |
2 walleye per day; no walleye 19 to 28 inches |
Sauger |
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2 per day No statewide length limits |
None apply |
None apply |
White Bass |
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5 per day No statewide length limits |
South Holston Reservoir |
No harvest or possession (catch and release only) |
Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir, including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Leesville Dam and the Dan River and its tributaries to Union Street Dam (Danville) |
10 per day; no white bass less than 14 inches |
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Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike |
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5 per day No statewide length limits |
Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir |
No daily limit |
Muskellunge |
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1 per day No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
New River-Claytor Dam downstream to VA-WV state line |
1 per day June 1–last day of February: No muskellunge 40 to 48 inches March 1–May 31: No muskellunge less than 48 inches |
Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass |
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50 per day in the aggregate (combined) No statewide length limits |
Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County; and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County |
No daily limit |
Crappie (black or white) |
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25 per day in the aggregate (combined) No statewide length limits |
Lake Gaston and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County |
No daily limit |
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County; |
No crappie less than 9 inches |
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Briery Creek and Sandy River reservoirs |
No crappie less than 9 inches |
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Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs |
No crappie less than 10 inches; South Holston Res. — 15 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
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Rock Bass (redeye) |
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25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass No statewide length limits |
Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County |
No daily limit |
Nottoway, Meherrin, Blackwater (Franklin County), Blackwater (Chowan), Falling and Smith rivers and their tributaries |
5 per day in the aggregate (combined) with Roanoke bass No rock bass less than 8 inches |
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South Holston Reservoir |
20 per day |
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Roanoke Bass |
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25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass No statewide length limits |
Nottoway, Meherrin, and Blackwater (Franklin County), Blackwater (Chowan), Falling and Smith rivers and their tributaries |
5 per day in the aggregate (combined) with rock bass No Roanoke bass less than 8 inches |
Perch (yellow and white) |
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No statewide daily limit No statewide length limit |
Lake Moomaw |
10 per day |
Tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay below the fall line |
No yellow perch less than 9 inches |
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Trout |
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6 per day 7 inch minimum size |
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South Holston Reservoir |
7 fish per day—only 2 lake trout. No minimum size. |
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Channel, White, and Flathead |
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20 per day No length limits |
All rivers below the fall line |
No daily limit |
Blue |
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20 per day No statewide length limits |
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County; |
20 per day, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches |
James River and its tributaries below the fall line, Rappahannock River and its tributaries below the fall line, and York River and its tributaries (including the Pamunkey River and Mattaponi River) below the fall line |
No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches |
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Lake Gaston |
No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches |
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All rivers below the fall line other than the James River and its tributaries, the Rappahannock River and its tributaries, and the York River and its tributaries |
No daily limit |
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All Catfish |
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South Holston Reservoir |
20 per day, only 1 catfish per day longer than 34 inches |
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Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries |
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Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. in tidal rivers |
None apply |
None apply |
Meherrin River below Emporia Dam, Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers, and their tributaries plus Back Bay |
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10 per day No length limits |
None apply |
None apply |
No possession (catch and release only) |
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Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries |
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Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. for these species in tidal rivers |
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission enacted a ban on the possession of river herring, effective January 1, 2012, due to the collapse of the stock, and to comply with an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission fishery management plan directive |
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Meherrin River, Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries, plus Back Bay |
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No possession |
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20 per day No length limits |
Statewide |
See Nongame Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians & Invertebrates for exceptions. |
Threatened and endangered species |
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No possession |
None apply |
None apply |
Grass Carp |
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No statewide daily limit No statewide length limit |
Anglers may possess grass carp taken from inland public waters, except for public lakes and reservoirs. Anglers must ensure that harvested grass carp are dead. |
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Longnose Gar |
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July 1 to April 14: 5 per day April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
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Bowfin |
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July 1 to April 14: 5 per day April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
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Northern Snakehead |
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No statewide daily limit No statewide length limit |
Anglers may possess snakeheads taken from Virginia waters if they immediately kill the fish and notify the headquarters or a regional office of the department; notification may be made by calling (804) 367-2925. |
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Non-native (Exotic) Fish |
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Spotted Sea Trout |
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Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries |
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4 per day, no fish less than 14 inches |
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Red Drum |
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Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries |
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1 per day between 18 and 27 inches |
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Grey Trout |
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Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries |
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1 per day, no fish less than 12 inches |
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Southern Flounder |
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Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries |
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6 per day, no fish less than 15 inches |
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American Eel |
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25 per day; no eel less than 9 inches |
Back Bay and North Landing River |
No possession limit for those individuals possessing a permit obtained under 4VAC15-340-80 |
Saltwater Marine Species |
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See Virginia Marine Resources website: www.mrc.virginia.gov |
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