Pagan River Fishing
A Tidewater tidal river in Isle of Wight County.
Pick for red drumPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Hampton Roads: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Pagan River in brief
The federal names map lists Pagan River as a tidal river in Isle of Wight County, on the Chesapeake Bay side. Smithfield is the closest Tidewater town, about 4 miles away.
2 saltwater launches serve it on DWR records. There are 7 artificial reefs within 25 miles, per the VMRC guide. NOAA runs 3 water-level stations in range. VMRC rules and a saltwater license cover it.
USGS GNIS named feature 1474265; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Ramps that reach Pagan River
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jones Creek boat ramp | dock and ramp, 2 ramps, barrier-free, saltwater | Isle of Wight County | From Rt 17, West on 669 (.5), West on Rt 665 (1.5) , turn left into Jones Creek Landing |
| 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.
Saltwater limits at Pagan River
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic croaker | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1370-30 |
| Black sea bass | Virginia tidal waters | 13 in minimum | 15 | 2026: May 11 through December 31; 2027: April 1 through December 31 | 4VAC20-950-45 |
| Red drum | Virginia tidal waters | 18 in minimum, 26 in maximum | 3 | not stated | 4VAC20-1400-30 |
| Sheepshead | Within or outside Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-1110-30 |
| Spadefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-970-30 |
| Spot | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1380-30 |
| Striped bass | Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries (spring/summer) | 19 in minimum, 24 in maximum | 1 | May 16 through June 15 | 4VAC20-252-80 |
| Tautog | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 4 | Closed May 16 through June 30 | 4VAC20-960-45 |
The rows for Pagan River come from the Virginia Administrative Code as of November 6, 2026; "not stated" means the section gives no number.
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 red drum herePiscifun NautiX saltwater spinning reel14% OFFSale $94.99 Water level readings around Pagan River
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sewells Point | 8638610 | 14 miles |
| Yorktown USCG Training Center | 8637689 | 16 miles |
| Money Point | 8639348 | 22 miles |
NOAA prediction stations by Pagan River
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Smithfield, Pagan River | 4 miles |
| Menchville | 6 miles |
| Huntington Park | 6 miles |
| Burwell Bay | 6 miles |
| Newport News | 8 miles |
| Town Point | 9 miles |
The links open NOAA pages for Pagan River; no readings are copied here.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
VMRC reef sites near Pagan River
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Ground Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 11 miles | 12 |
| Poquoson Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 19 miles | 12 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | 15 |
| East Oceanview Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | 15 |
| Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 24 miles | 15 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 25 miles |
Check the current VMRC reef map before running to a site near Pagan River.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Ports and fishing towns by Pagan River
GNIS towns near Pagan River
- HamptonHampton (city), 12 miles
- PoquosonPoquoson (city), 15 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Neighbouring stops for Pagan River
Tidal water close to Pagan River
- Warwick Rivertidal river, 5 miles
- Nansemond Rivertidal river, 9 miles
- Hampton Roadsbay, 12 miles
- Elizabeth Rivertidal river, 14 miles
- Poquoson Rivertidal river, 15 miles
Where Pagan River opens out
- Chesapeake BayVirginia side
Freshwater a drive from Pagan River
- Tidal James River11 miles
- Blackwater River22 miles
- Chickahominy River23 miles
- Lake Biggins6 miles
- Sandy Bottom Park Pond9 miles
- Lone Star Lakes9 miles
Commonwealth tackle shops serving Pagan River
- Brown's Marinamarina, Carrollton, under a mile
- James River Marinamarina, Newport News, 5 miles
- G Daddy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Carrollton, 6 miles
- Mobjack Bay Marinamarina, Newport News, 6 miles
- Deep Creek Landing Marinabait and tackle shop, Newport News, 6 miles
- Leeward Municipal Marinamarina, Newport News, 6 miles
Where anglers bunk when fishing Pagan River
- Smithfield4 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Newport News5 miles, City of Newport News
- Carrollton5 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Bethel Manor10 miles, York County
Pagan River, broken out by Virginia locality
- Isle of Wight Countycounty seat Isle of Wight
Piscifun reels for a Virginia day on Pagan River
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Ridge-ringed reservoirs and creek bends near Pagan River, photographed
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
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
Straight replies on Pagan River from the Virginia rule books
Which county or city is Pagan River in?
Look in Isle of Wight County, on the Chesapeake Bay side, about 4 miles from Smithfield.
Can a skiff on a trailer reach Pagan River from a public ramp?
Try Jones Creek boat ramp; DWR lists 2 saltwater launches within 10 miles.
What license should I carry on Pagan River?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. Those under 16 are exempt.
What size red drum may go home from Pagan River?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
How many speckled trout can I keep from Pagan 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.
What summer flounder rows cover Pagan 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.
What station covers Pagan River?
NOAA predicts the water at Smithfield, Pagan River, roughly 4 miles off.
What store sells bait near Pagan River?
Brown's Marina (under a mile away) is first on our list.
Is there reef structure off Pagan River?
Middle Ground Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 11 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Time the tide for Pagan River
Buy the saltwater license online first.