Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 15 - DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES › Chapter 320 - FISH: FISHING GENERALLY › Section 4VAC15-320-25 - Creel and length limits

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The creel limits (including live possession) and the length
				  limits for the various species of fish shall be as follows, unless otherwise
				  excepted by posted rules at department-owned or department-controlled waters
				  (see 4VAC15-320-100 D).
Type of fish
Subtype or
							 location
Creel and length
							 limits
Geographic
							 exceptions
Creel or length limits for
							 exceptions
largemouth bass, smallmouth bass
5 per day in the aggregate (combined)
No statewide length limits
Lakes
Briery Creek Lake
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 16 to 24 inches;
							 only 1 largemouth or smallmouth bass per day in the aggregate longer than 24
							 inches
Buggs Island (Kerr)
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the
							 aggregate less than 14 inches
Claytor Lake
No smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
Flannagan Reservoir
No smallmouth bass less than 15 inches
No largemouth bass less than 12 inches
Lake Gaston
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the
							 aggregate less than 14 inches
Leesville Reservoir
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the
							 aggregate less than 14 inches
Lake Moomaw
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 12
							 inches
Philpott Reservoir
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 12
							 inches
Quantico Marine Base waters
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 12 to 15
							 inches
Smith Mountain Lake and its tributaries below Niagara
							 Dam
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the
							 aggregate less than 14 inches
Rivers
Clinch River - within the boundaries of Scott, Wise,
							 Russell, or Tazewell Counties
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches;
							 only 1 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 20
							 inches
Levisa Fork River - within the boundaries Buchanan
							 County
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches;
							 only 1 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 20
							 inches
Dan River and tributaries downstream from the Union
							 Street Dam, Danville
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than
							 14 inches
James River - Confluence of the Jackson and
							 Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt County) downstream to the 14th Street Bridge in
							 Richmond
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches;
							 only 1 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 22
							 inches
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 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 22
							 inches
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 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 20
							 inches
Potomac River - Virginia tidal tributaries above Rt.
							 301 bridge
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches
							 from March 1 through June 15
Roanoke (Staunton) River - and its tributaries below
							 Difficult Creek, Charlotte County
Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the
							 aggregate less than 14 inches
Shenandoah River, South Fork Shenandoah River, North
							 Fork Shenandoah River
No largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14
							 inches
Staunton River -
Leesville Dam (Campbell County) downstream to the
							 mouth of Difficult Creek, Charlotte County
No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches;
							 only 1 largemouth or smallmouth bass in the aggregate per day longer than 20
							 inches
Alabama bass, spotted bass
No statewide daily limit
No statewide length limit
striped bass
landlocked striped bass and landlocked striped bass -
							 white bass hybrids
4 per day in the aggregate
No fish less than 20 inches
Buggs Island (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)
Buggs Island (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)
June 1 - September 30: 4 per day in the aggregate; no
							 length limit
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
July 1 - September 15: 4 per day in the aggregate; no
							 length limit
Smith Mountain Lake and its tributaries, including
							 the Roanoke River upstream to Niagara Dam
2 per day in the aggregate
November 1 - May 31: No striped bass 30 to 40
							 inches
June 1 - October 31: No length limit
Lake Gaston
4 per day in the aggregate
October 1 - May 31: No striped bass or hybrid striped
							 bass less than 20 inches
June 1 - September 30: No length limit
anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line
							 in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay
Creel and length limits shall be set by the Virginia
							 Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters
anadromous (coastal) in the Meherrin, Nottoway,
							 Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest Rivers and their
							 tributaries plus Back Bay
2 per day
No striped bass less than 18 inches
white bass
5 per day
No statewide length limits
Buggs Island (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
Lake Gaston
10 per day; no white bass less than 14 inches
walleye, saugeye
5 per day in the aggregate
No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches
Claytor Lake and the New River upstream of Claytor
							 Lake Dam to Fries Dam in Grayson County
2 walleye per day; no walleye 19 to 28 inches
sauger
2 per day
No statewide length limits
yellow perch
No statewide daily limit
No statewide length limits
Lake Moomaw
10 per day
Below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the
							 Chesapeake Bay
No yellow perch less than 9 inches; no daily
							 limit
chain pickerel
5 per day
No statewide length limits
Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) Reservoirs
No daily limit
northern pike
2 per day
No pike less than 20 inches
muskellunge
2 per day
No muskellunge less than 30 inches
New River - Fields Dam (Grayson County) downstream to
							 Claytor Dam, including Claytor Lake
1 per day; no muskellunge less than 42 inches
New River - Claytor Dam downstream to the 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
50 per day in the aggregate
No statewide length limits
Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) Reservoirs, 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)
25 per day in the aggregate
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 (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
Briery Creek and Sandy River Reservoirs
No crappie less than 9 inches
Flannagan and South Holston Reservoirs
No crappie less than 10 inches
rock bass (redeye)
25 per day; in the aggregate with Roanoke bass
No statewide length limits
Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) Reservoirs 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),
							 Falling, and Smith Rivers and their tributaries
5 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass;
no rock bass less than 8 inches
Roanoke bass
25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass
No statewide length limits
Nottoway, Meherrin, Blackwater (Franklin County),
							 Falling, and Smith Rivers and their tributaries
5 per day in the aggregate with rock bass;
no Roanoke bass less than 8 inches
trout
See 4VAC15-330. Fish: Trout Fishing.
catfish
channel, white, and flathead catfish
20 per day;
No length limits
All rivers below the fall line
No daily limit
blue catfish
20 per day;
No statewide length limits
Lake Gaston
No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day
							 longer than 32 inches
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
All rivers below the fall line other than the James
							 River and its tributaries, Rappahannock River and its tributaries, and the York
							 River and its tributaries
No daily limit
yellow, brown, and black bullheads
No daily limit;No length limits
hickory shad
Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers
							 of the Chesapeake Bay
Creel and length limits shall be the same as those
							 set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission in tidal rivers
Meherrin River below Emporia Dam Nottoway River,
							 Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest Rivers, and
							 their tributaries plus Back Bay
10 per day
No length limits
American shad
No possession
anadromous (coastal) alewife and blueback
							 herring
Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers
							 of the Chesapeake Bay
Creel and length limits shall be the same as those
							 set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for these species in tidal
							 rivers
Meherrin River, Nottoway River, Blackwater River
							 (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest Rivers, and their tributaries
							 plus Back Bay
No possession
red drum
Back Bay and tributaries including Lake Tecumseh and
							 the North Landing River and its tributaries
1 per day
No drum less than 18 inches or greater than 27
							 inches
spotted sea trout (speckled trout)
Back Bay and tributaries including Lake Tecumseh and
							 the North Landing River and its tributaries
4 per day
No sea trout less than 14 inches
grey trout (weakfish)
Back Bay and tributaries including Lake Tecumseh and
							 North Landing River and its tributaries
1 per day
No grey trout less than 12 inches
southern flounder
Back Bay and tributaries including Lake Tecumseh and
							 the North Landing River and its tributaries
6 per day
No flounder less than 15 inches
northern snakehead
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 telephoning
							 (804) 367-2925
No statewide daily limit
No statewide length limits
longnose gar
July 1 to April 14: 5 per day
April 15 to June 30: 1 per day
No statewide length limits
bowfin
July 1 to April 14: 5 per day
April 15 to June 30: 1 per day
No statewide length limits
Americaneel
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
other native or naturalized nongame fish
See
							 4VAC15-360-10. Fish: Aquatic
							 Invertebrates, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Nongame Fish. Taking aquatic
							 invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and nongame fish for private use.
endangered or threatened fish
See
							 4VAC15-20-130. Definitions and
							 Miscellaneous: In General. Endangered and threatened species; adoption of
							 federal list; additional species enumerated.
nonnative (exotic) fish
See
							 4VAC15-30-40. Definitions and
							 Miscellaneous: Importation, Possession, Sale, Etc., of Animals. Importation
							 requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals.
Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and
					 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.