Lafayette River Fishing
A tidal river in City of Norfolk, on the Chesapeake Bay side.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Eastern Shore of Virginia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
Lafayette River, the short version
USGS records Lafayette River as a tidal river on the Chesapeake Bay side within City of Norfolk. Portsmouth sits some 3 miles from the named point.
DWR records 2 saltwater launches opening onto it. 7 artificial reefs from the VMRC reef charts lie within 25 miles. NOAA keeps 4 water-level stations within 25 miles. Its tidal water follows the VMRC saltwater limits.
USGS GNIS named feature 1491087; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Getting a boat onto Lafayette River
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth River boat ramp on Southern Branch Elizabeth River | dock and ramp, 4 ramps, barrier-free, saltwater | Chesapeake | City of Chesapeake, Rt 337 |
| Peterson Yatch Basin boat ramp on Hampton Roads | 2 ramps, barrier-free, saltwater | City of Newport News | I-64 to Terminal Ave. exit,L on Jefferson Ave to 16th St;R 16th St(1) to Anderson Park |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Marine creel limits on Lafayette River
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black drum | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-320-40 |
| Bluefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 5 | not stated | 4VAC20-450-20 |
| Cobia | Virginia tidal waters | 43 in minimum | 1 | June 15 through September 20 | 4VAC20-510-20 |
| Grey trout (weakfish) | Virginia tidal waters | 12 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-380-60 |
| Spanish mackerel | Virginia tidal waters | 14 in minimum | 15 | not stated | 4VAC20-540-30 |
| Summer flounder | Tidal waters except Potomac River tributaries | 16 in minimum | 4 | Open year-round (January 1 through May 31 size) | 4VAC20-620-50 |
| Summer flounder | Tidal waters except Potomac River tributaries | 17.5 in minimum | 4 | Open year-round (June 1 through December 31 size) | 4VAC20-620-50 |
| Summer flounder | Potomac River tributaries | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4VAC20-620-60 |
The Marine Resources Commission rules shown for Lafayette River date from November 6, 2026.
Virginia Administrative Code, Title 4 Agency 20 (Marine Resources Commission) on law.lis.virginia.gov, as of November 6, 2026 (VMRC rules change by emergency order; check the VMRC regulations page before keeping fish).
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026. Virginia Marine Resources Commission license fees, read November 6, 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Tide prediction points near Lafayette River
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sewells Point | 8638610 | 3 miles |
| Money Point | 8639348 | 8 miles |
| CBBT, Chesapeake Channel | 8638901 | 16 miles |
| Yorktown USCG Training Center | 8637689 | 24 miles |
Prediction stations for Lafayette River
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Craney Island Light | under a mile |
| Lafayette River | 3 miles |
| HAMPTON ROADS (Sewells Point) | 3 miles |
| Norfolk | 3 miles |
| Portsmouth, Naval Shipyard | 5 miles |
| Pig Point | 6 miles |
Readings for Lafayette River stay on NOAA pages.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
Artificial reefs off Lafayette River
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Ground Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 5 miles | 12 |
| East Oceanview Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 7 miles | |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 13 miles | 15 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 17 miles | 15 |
| Poquoson Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 22 miles | 12 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 24 miles | 15 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 24 miles |
VMRC guide charts supply the reefs listed for Lafayette River.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Angler guide landings on Lafayette River
- 45th Street Ramp (Lafayette River)VMRC angler guide listing
- Haven Creek Ramp (Lafayette River)VMRC angler guide listing
- Lafayette Park RampVMRC angler guide listing
Fishing villages around Lafayette River
- NorfolkNorfolk (city), 4 miles
- HamptonHampton (city), 9 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Just off Lafayette River, by road
Coast water within reach of Lafayette River
- Elizabeth Rivertidal river, 2 miles
- Western Branch Elizabeth Rivertidal river, 3 miles
- Southern Branch Elizabeth Rivertidal river, 4 miles
- Eastern Branch Elizabeth Rivertidal river, 4 miles
- Willoughby Baybay, 5 miles
Beyond the mouth of Lafayette River
- Chesapeake BayVirginia side
Fresh water inland from Lafayette River
- Tidal James River26 miles
- Lake Whitehurst7 miles
- Lake Biggins11 miles
- Trashmore Lake12 miles
Filling the bait bucket close to Lafayette River
- Shipwright Marinamarina, Portsmouth, 3 miles
- Virginia Boat & Yacht Servicemarina, Portsmouth, 3 miles
- Nautical Boatsmarina, Portsmouth, 3 miles
- Scott's Creek Marina Incmarina, Portsmouth, 3 miles
- Marina Owensmarina, Norfolk, 3 miles
- Portsmouth Boating Centermarina, Portsmouth, 4 miles
Virginia captains and guides who work Lafayette River
- C.R. Ryan Marine Charters LLCcharter, Norfolk, (804) 317-2423
- Fishing Charter FINAO Sportsfishingcharter, Norfolk, (757) 652-8260
- Harrison Charterscharter, Norfolk, (757) 587-9630
- KeyDreams Charter Boat Servicecharter, Norfolk, (757) 406-0943
- Ocean View Fishing Piercharter, Norfolk, (757) 583-6000
- Sally T Fishingcharter, Norfolk, (757) 515-3051
Places to stay near Lafayette River
- Portsmouth3 miles, City of Portsmouth
- Norfolk5 miles, City of Norfolk
- Hampton11 miles, City of Hampton
- Carrollton11 miles, Isle of Wight County
The Virginia counties and cities along Lafayette River
- City of Norfolkindependent city
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Lafayette River
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Lafayette River, in pictures
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nannette Turner, CC BY 2.0
Lafayette River, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
How does a Virginia chart or map label Lafayette River?
It is in City of Norfolk, on the Chesapeake Bay side, about 3 miles from Portsmouth.
Does DWR list a tidal launch close to Lafayette River?
Start at Elizabeth River boat ramp on Southern Branch Elizabeth River, one of 2 saltwater launches.
Does Lafayette River call for the Virginia saltwater license?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. Youth under 16 fish free.
Can I keep a big red drum from Lafayette River?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
Which speckled trout rule covers Lafayette River?
Speckled trout: 5 a day, 14-inch minimum (4VAC20-280-30); the code closes the season April 1 through June 30, 2026, as of November 6, 2026.
Which flounder rule covers Lafayette River?
Summer flounder: 4 a day, 16-inch minimum (4VAC20-620-50); the minimum rises June 1 per the code section, as of November 6, 2026.
Which tide table fits Lafayette River?
The tide table for Craney Island Light, under a mile off, fits best.
What tackle store is handiest for Lafayette River trips?
Shipwright Marina (about 3 miles away) heads the list.
Do VMRC reef sites lie within reach of Lafayette River?
Middle Ground Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 5 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Catch the tide on Lafayette River
Licenses and code limits are on the regulations page.