Fishing in Amherst County, Virginia
Government seat in Amherst; 31,307 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 4lake pages
- 4DWR launches
- 5river pages
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What fishing in Amherst County looks like
Amherst County numbered 31,307 people in 2020; the seat sits at Amherst. The DWR layers number local access points as DWR Region 2.
By acreage, Mill Creek Reservoir leads the 4 lake pages here. DWR access data puts 4 boating access sites within the boundary. Count 124 stocking dates on the DWR trout schedule here.
Census 2020 population; Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026.
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Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026. Lake points from the Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Amherst County lakes with a page of their own
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Creek Reservoir | 189 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, common carp |
| Stonehouse Lake | 41 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, crappie |
| Thrasher Lake | 36 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, crappie |
| Otter Lake | 7 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass |
Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset), not a DWR figure. Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Which species DWR names most near Amherst County
Lake pages out to 50 miles from Amherst were tallied by fish, with largemouth bass on top.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
The short list of extra lakes in Amherst County
Another 2 named lakes sit in Amherst County without a page of their own.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Reservoir | reservoir | 184 acres (DWR outline area) | Amherst |
| Lynchburg Reservoir | reservoir | 118 acres (NHD outline area) | Buena Vista |
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset), not a DWR figure.
Moving water through Amherst County
- Piney River2 stocked trout reaches, 1 USGS gauge
- Davis Mill Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 5.5 km
- Little Irish Creek3 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class III, 8.9 km
- Rocky Row Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class VI, 4.5 km
- James River (Upper and Middle)24 DWR launches, 8 USGS gauges
Remaining named streams in Amherst County (41)
- Piney River, SF3 stocked trout reaches
- Buffalo River, NF2 stocked trout reaches
- Pedlar River2 stocked trout reaches
- Pedlar River, 10POL-02wild trout survey class VI, 13.9 km
- Little Piney River, 10LIR-01wild trout survey class II, 12.2 km
- Buffalo Creek, NF, 10BNF-01wild trout survey class II, 10.5 km
- Pedlar River, 10POL-01wild trout survey class III, 10.1 km
- Little Piney River1 stocked trout reach
- Pedlar River1 stocked trout reach, 1 USGS gauge
- Piney River, SF, 10PRS-01wild trout survey class II, 9.6 km
- Browns Creekwild trout survey class II, 9.5 km
- Brown Mountain Creekwild trout survey class II, 7.4 km
- Statons Creekwild trout survey class II, 7.0 km
- Otter Creek, 10OTR-01wild trout survey class VI, 5.8 km
- Enchanted Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.1 km
- Cove Creek, 10CVE-01wild trout survey class II, 4.7 km
- Georges Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.5 km
- Crawleys Creek, 10CWL-01wild trout survey class II, 3.1 km
- Thrashers Creek, NFwild trout survey class III, 3.1 km
- Little Cove Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Dancing Creekwild trout survey class VI, 2.9 km
- Otter Creek, 10OTC-01wild trout survey class III, 2.9 km
- Lady Slipper Runwild trout survey class II, 2.8 km
- Wheelers Run, 10WHL-01wild trout survey class II, 2.8 km
- Big Branch, 10BBR-01wild trout survey class II, 2.5 km
- Roberts Creekwild trout survey class III, 2.5 km
- King Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.4 km
- Greasy Spring Branchwild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Nicholson Runwild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Bluff Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.1 km
- Piney River, SF, 10PRS-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.1 km
- Rocky Branch, 10RKY-01wild trout survey class II, 2.0 km
- Crawleys Creek, 10CWL-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.9 km
- Otter Creek, 10OTC-01Twild trout survey class III, 1.9 km
- Little Piney River, 10LIR-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.8 km
- Wiggins Branchwild trout survey class II, 1.8 km
- Buffalo Creek, NF, 10BNF-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.7 km
- Pompey Creekwild trout survey class II, 1.6 km
- Wheelers Run, 10WHL-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.4 km
- Cashaw Creekwild trout survey class VI, 0.6 km
- Terrapin Creekwild trout survey class VI, 0.6 km
USGS gauges reading in Amherst County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| James River At Bedford Dam Nr Major, Va | 5.80 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:15 pm |
| Pedlar River At Forest Road Near Buena Vista, Va | 5 cfs, 2.58 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 pm |
| Harris Creek Below Route 130 Near Monroe, Va | 3 cfs, 3.29 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:00 pm |
| Piney River At Piney River, Va | 14 cfs, 2.25 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
DWR waterbody pages, DWR Stocked Trout Reaches and Cold Water Stream Survey layers (wild trout classes and kilometres as recorded), DWR launches and USGS gauges (live readings); read November 6, 2026.
Points where trailers back down in Amherst County
- Mill Creek boat rampMill Creek Reservoir, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- Snowden boat ramp on James River (Upper and Middle)James River (Upper and Middle), concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, freshwater
- Stone House boat ramp on Stonehouse LakeStonehouse Lake, 1 ramp, freshwater
- Thrashers boat rampThrasher Lake, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Amherst County on the DWR trout schedule
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 20, 2026 | Piney River | DH | Brown Trout |
| October 5, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 18, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 6, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 1, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 30, 2026 | Pedlar River (Below Dam) | DH | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 29, 2026 | Pedlar River (Upper) | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 29, 2026 | Little Irish Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | Piney River (S. Fork & Proper) | B | Brook Trout |
| April 24, 2026 | Little Irish Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 23, 2026 | Davis Mill Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 17, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 7, 2026 | Pedlar River (Below Dam) | DH | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 3, 2026 | Pedlar River (Upper) | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 3, 2026 | Davis Mill Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 1, 2026 | Piney River (S. Fork & Proper) | B | Brook Trout |
| March 31, 2026 | Pedlar River (Upper) | B | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 30, 2026 | Piney River | DH | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 27, 2026 | Rocky Row Run | C | Rainbow Trout |
| March 25, 2026 | Pedlar River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Tiger Trout |
2026 planned trout releases in Amherst County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Mill Creek | Amherst County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| Little Irish Creek | Amherst County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| Pedlar River (Below dam)* | Amherst County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | yes |
| Pedlar River (Lower) | Amherst County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Pedlar River (Upper) | Amherst County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Piney River | Amherst County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | |
| Piney River (S. Fk. and Proper) | Amherst County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Rocky Row Run | Amherst County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
Trout water rules printed for Amherst County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Buffalo River | Amherst | 9 inch min | |
| Pedlar River | Amherst | Delayed Harvest | yes |
Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026 2026 Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (category letters as printed), read November 6, 2026. Special regulation trout waters as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
Nearest listed bait beyond Amherst County
- TNT Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Spout Spring, 18 miles
- Angler's Lanefly shop, Forest, 18 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 4026 Wards Rd Ste Dsporting goods store, Lynchburg, 18 miles
- Journey Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Lexington, 27 miles
- South River Fly Shopfly shop, Waynesboro, 35 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Amherst.
Digest limits for anglers in Amherst County
A Amherst County lake with no digest line of its own keeps to the rows below. The freshwater license runs $23 a year at resident rates and $47 at nonresident rates.
| Species | Where it applies | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Alabama, Spotted Bass | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | statewide | 4 per day in the aggregate | No fish less than 20 inches |
| Striped Bass | Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) | Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters | no length limit printed |
| Striped Bass | Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Walleye, Saugeye | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate | No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
| Sauger | statewide | 2 per day | No statewide length limits |
| White Bass | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Muskellunge | statewide | 1 per day | No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
| Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | statewide | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Crappie (black or white) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Rock Bass (redeye) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass | No statewide length limits |
| Roanoke Bass | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass | No statewide length limits |
| Perch (yellow and white) | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Trout | statewide | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
| Channel, White, and Flathead | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Blue | statewide | 20 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Hickory Shad | Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries | Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. in tidal rivers | no length limit printed |
| Hickory Shad | 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 |
| Anadromous (coastal) Alewife and Blueback Herring | Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries | Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. for these species in tidal rivers | no length limit printed |
| Other native or naturalized nongame fish | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Threatened and endangered species | statewide | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Grass Carp | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Longnose Gar | statewide | July 1 to April 14: 5 per day | April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
| Bowfin | statewide | July 1 to April 14: 5 per day | April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
| Northern Snakehead | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Spotted Sea Trout | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 4 per day, no fish less than 14 inches | no length limit printed |
| Red Drum | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 1 per day between 18 and 27 inches | no length limit printed |
| Grey Trout | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 1 per day, no fish less than 12 inches | no length limit printed |
Waters inside Amherst County carrying separate digest lines (1)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to the 14th St. Bridge in Richmond | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches |
Statewide creel and length limits as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia record fish linked to Amherst County
Listed here: the record waters nearest Amherst County, every one inside 70 miles.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | 53 lbs. 7 oz. | Leesville Reservoir | 2000 |
| Chain Pickerel | 7 lbs. 12 oz. | Douthat Lake | 1974 |
| Black Crappie | 4 lbs. 14 oz. | Lake Conner | 1967 |
| Largemouth Bass | 16 lbs. 4 oz. | Lake Conner | 1985 |
State Record Freshwater Fish as of 9-2-2025 (keeper: Virginia DWR (State Record Freshwater Fish list as of 9-2-2025); angler names left off here), read November 6, 2026.
Leaving Amherst County
Towns inside Amherst County
- Madison Heightspop. 10,893
- Amherstpop. 2,110
Counties and cities around Amherst County
- City of Buena Vista13 miles northwest
- City of Lynchburg16 miles south
- Nelson County18 miles northeast
- City of Lexington19 miles northwest
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Amherst County
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Sorting out the Amherst County species by sight
Photo: kmitschke, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
What anglers ask about Amherst County
What launch count does DWR give Amherst County?
The DWR layer shows 4 boating access sites, starting with Mill Creek boat ramp.
On which Amherst County impoundment can a boat run the farthest?
Mill Creek Reservoir, at 189 acres.
Which species does DWR list most often on lakes by Amherst County?
Largemouth bass leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then bluegill, channel catfish and crappie; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Do Yellow Pages listings show tackle sellers inside Amherst County?
The shop listings put none within it.
What town serves Amherst County as its seat?
It is Amherst.
Do waters of Amherst County require a fishing license?
The freshwater license runs $23 a year at resident rates and $47 at nonresident rates.
Which localities touch Amherst County?
The next locality pages over are City of Buena Vista, City of Lynchburg and Nelson County.
Which DWR region do access points in Amherst County fall in?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 2.
Which lakes in Amherst County have special regulations?
The digest lists 1 water exception here, starting with James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to ; the table above shows each.
What does the trout schedule show for Amherst County?
The DWR schedule carries 124 stocking dates; the newest lists Brown Trout (October 20, 2026; category DH) at Piney River.
Choose a reservoir or trout creek in Amherst County
Every lake page lists the fish DWR names there.