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Virginia

Fishing

Fishing

Record Freshwater Fish

State Record Freshwater Fish as of 8-3-2023

Species

Weight

Location

Date

Name

Black Crappie**

4 lbs. 14 oz.

Lake Conner

4-8-1967

E. L. Blackstock

Black Crappie

4 lbs. 10 oz.

Private Pond

4-24-1994

Justin Elliot

Blue Catfish

143 lbs.

Buggs Island Lake

6-18-2011

Richard Anderson

Bluegill Sunfish**

4 lbs. 8 oz.

Private Pond

2-7-1970

Thomas E. Jones

Bluegill Sunfish

NO ENTRY TO DATE; MINIMUM WEIGHT TO QUALIFY IS 2 LBS.

Bowfin**

17 lbs. 8 oz.

Chickahominy Lake

11-14-1964

E. C. Cutright

Bowfin

16 lbs. 8 oz.

Lake Cahoon

10-17-2004

John W. Plyler, Jr.

Brook Trout

5 lbs. 15 oz.

Cub Run

3-12-2019

Thomas Garth

Brown Trout**

18 lbs. 11 oz.

Smith River

6-22-1979

William W. Nease

Brown Trout

14 lbs. 12 oz.

South Fork, Holston

5-24-1990

Mike S. Perkins

Common Carp

49 lbs. 4 oz.

Lake Prince

6-25-1986

Jeffrey Graham

Chain Pickerel**

7 lbs. 12 oz.

Douthat Lake

1-26-1974

Glenn C. Williams

Chain Pickerel

7 lbs. 10 oz.

Lake Shawnee

12-31-1996

R. L. White

Channel Catfish**

32 lbs.

Lake Chesdin

4-28-1980

Hugh Wyatt

Channel Catfish

31 lbs. 8 oz.

Rappahannock River

10-2-1992

Sue Stanley

Coho Salmon**

8 lbs. 12 oz.

Philpott Reservoir

12-27-1971

Melvin Chilton

Fallfish

3 lbs. 9 oz.

Cowpasture River

5-6-2022

Josh D. Dolin

Flathead Catfish

68 lbs. 12 oz.

Lake Smith

5-25-2018

Jeffrey E. Dill

Freshwater Drum

29 lbs. 6 oz.

Buggs Island Lake

3-26-2018

Del Pool

Gar

25 lbs. 2 oz.

Lake Prince

5-28-1987

Roger Beaver

Hybrid Striped Bass

15 lbs. 13 oz.

Claytor Lake

3-16-2016

Don Jessie

Lake Trout**

5 lbs. 6 oz.

Philpott Reservoir

7-6-1966

Arthur A. Conner

Largemouth Bass

16 lbs. 4 oz.

Conner Lake

5-20-1985

Richard Tate

Musky (includes Tiger)

45 lbs. 8 oz.

New River

6-1-2007

Shannon Hill

Northern Pike

31 lbs. 4 oz.

Motts Run Reservoir

7-24-1994

George Wood

Rainbow Trout

14 lbs. 7 oz.

Greers Pond

6-28-1993

Michael Lowe

Redear Sunfish

4 lbs. 12 oz.

Private Pond

4-28-1986

Michael Mills

Roanoke Bass

2 lbs. 9 oz.

Western Branch Reservor

5-28-2005

Harry G. Swauger

Rock Bass

2 lbs. 2 oz.

Laurel Bed Lake

5-17-1986

Larry Ball

Sauger**

5 lbs. 8 oz.

South Holston Lake

7-2-1972

R. Stallard

Sauger

3 lbs.

Clinch River

4-24-2010

Ronald C. Davis

Saugeye

6 lbs. 8 oz.

Lake Gaston

5-29-2023

Brittany Watkins

Smallmouth Bass

8 lbs. 1 oz.

New River

3-12-2003

Donald S. Eaton, Jr.

Spotted Bass**

6 lbs. 10 oz.

Flannagan Reservoir

3-31-1976

Joe Jett Friend

Spotted Bass

4 lbs. 12 oz.

Claytor Lake

1-1-2020

Cliffton J. Hamilton

Striped Bass

53 lbs. 7 oz.

Leesville Reservoir

3-16-2000

James B. Davis

Sunfish (all other)

NO ENTRY TO DATE; MINIMUM WEIGHT TO QUALIFY IS 1 LB.

Walleye**

22 lbs. 8 oz.

New River

8-20-1973

Roy G. Barrett

Walleye

15 lbs. 15 oz.

New River

12-15-2000

Anthony P. Duncan

White Bass

6 lbs. 13 oz.

Lake Orange

7-31-1989

Ron Sprouse

White Catfish

7 lbs. 6 oz.

Western Branch Reservoir

3-24-1992

Thomas F. Elkins

White Crappie

NO ENTRY TO DATE; MINIMUM WEIGHT TO QUALIFY IS 3 LBS.

White Perch

3 lbs. 2 oz.

Private Pond

6-13-2012

Beau McLaughlin

Yellow Perch

3 lbs.

Flannagan Reservoir

3-8-2010

George Mullins

Archery State Record Freshwater Fish as of 11-2-2022

Species

Weight

Location

Date

Name

Blue Catfish

68 lbs. 14 oz.

Rappahannock River

10-20-2022

Josh Bailey

Bowfin

10 lbs. 12 oz.

Chickahominy River

7-31-2016

Patrick Pendergrass

Carp **

60 lbs.

Private Pond

7-5-1970

Ben Topham

Common Carp

45 lbs. 7 oz.

Claytor Lake

10-15-2016

Hae Kim

Flathead Catfish

48 lbs. 0 oz.

Belmont Bay

10-16-2022

Richard V. Hayden Jr.

Gar

23 lbs

Pamunkey River

8-13-2021

Shawn Kennedy

Goldfish

3 lbs 9 oz.

Hunting Creek

5-22-2021

Jeremy Fortner

The rules for certifying a state record:

  1. The fish must be caught in Virginia waters with rod, reel, line, and hook held in hand, or with archery tackle (see Nongame Fish, Reptile, Amphibian & Invertebrates) where legally permitted. The angler must identify the specific waters from which the fish was caught.
  2. Although more than one angler may participate in catching a potential state record fish, only one applicant will be considered as the official record holder. Anglers should be aware, however, that world records are only granted for fish that are hooked and fought by one individual without assistance.
  3. A Department employee must witness the official weighing. Only the weight observed by the Department employee will be certified. The fish must be unfrozen, in whole condition and made available to the Department employee for a thorough examination. The fish may also be made available to the Department for further examination if deemed necessary by the Department representative.
  4. The species of the fish must be confirmed by a Department fish biologist who must inspect the fish in whole condition. (This can be accomplished subsequent to the weighing if the Department witness is not a fish biologist.)
  5. Application must be submitted within 60 days of the catch. A clear, side view photograph of the fish should accompany the application. Application is available online at www.virginiawildlife.gov/fishing/trophy-fish.
  6. Weighing scales must be appropriate to the size of the fish and be certified for legal commercial trade or those owned by the DWR that have been tested for accuracy by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Weights and Measures or by certified DWR weights. Fish under 25 pounds must be weighed on a scale capable of weighing to the ounce. Fish over 25 pounds should be weighed on scales having no greater graduations than one-half pound. When­ever scales of 8-ounce graduations are used, the fish weight will always be rounded down to the nearest one-half pound.
  7. Any potential state record fish found to contain artificial food or nonfood items in the stomach will not be recognized as a new record.
  8. No fish caught within the boundaries of, or directly influenced by, a public or private aquaculture facility or private fee fishing area will be recognized as a state record.
  9. If there is reasonable doubt regarding any aspect of the application, it may be rejected.
  10. One appeal of the Committee’s decision may be made within 60 days of notification. The appeal must be in writing to the Chairman, State Record Fish Committee, P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228.