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Walleye
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0 
Sauger
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain 
White Bass
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain 
Black Crappie
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Virginia counties and cities
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Fishing in Augusta County, Virginia
Government seat in Staunton; 77,487 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 9lake pages
- 0DWR launches
- 7river pages
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Fishing times todaySolunar periods, sunrise and moonrise for Augusta County, today and the next 7 days.Best fishing times today
Augusta County, Virginia
How Augusta County stacks up for a rod and reel
The 2020 Census counted 77,487 people across Augusta County, with Staunton as the seat. DWR layer points inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Biggest among 9 local lake pages: Mill Creek Reservoir. Boatless fishing comes from 2 fishing piers in DWR data. The DWR trout schedule holds 291 stocking dates naming it.
9lake pages
0DWR launches
7river pages
291trout stocking dates
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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Plotting water access across Augusta County
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.
Lakes
Lakes and reservoirs filed under Augusta County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Creek Reservoir | 189 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, common carp |
| Elkhorn Lake | 54 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Sherando Lakes | 20 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Staunton Run | 15 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, muskellunge |
| Hearthstone Lake | 7 acres | reservoir | 0 | brook trout, rainbow trout |
| Todd Lake | 5 acres | reservoir | 0 | largemouth bass |
| Braley Pond | 4 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Woodrow Wilson Pond | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | pond | 0 | |
| Lake Tams | 1 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
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.
Species
A tally of DWR-listed fish around Augusta County
Bars show how many lake pages within 50 miles of Staunton name each fish; largemouth bass is first.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
More water
Augusta County ponds and lakes kept to a list
Inside Augusta County, 4 further named waters get a table row instead of a page.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Creek & Coles Run Reservoirs | reservoir | 14 acres | |
| Coles Run Reservoir | reservoir | 11 acres (DWR outline area) | Stuarts Draft |
| Lower Sherando Lake | lake | Stuarts Draft | |
| Upper Sherando Lake | lake | Stuarts Draft |
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.
Rivers
Current to cast in Augusta County
- North River8 stocked trout reaches, tidal reach folded in, 5 USGS gauges
- South River5 stocked trout reaches, 3 DWR launches, 3 USGS gauges
- Back Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Falls Hollow1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class IV, 3.5 km
- Mills Creek2 stocked trout reaches
- Mossy Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class V, 10.9 km
- St. Marys River3 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class II
Unpaged Virginia streams in Augusta County, as rows (75)
- Ramseys Draft1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class IV, 14.6 km
- Paine Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 8.6 km
- Meadow Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 8.1 km
- North River, 07NTH-01wild trout survey class IV, 17.5 km
- Ramseys Draft, L. Prong1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class IV, 3.1 km
- Ramseys Draft, R. Prong1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class IV, 2.9 km
- North River, 07NTH-03wild trout survey class VI, 10.1 km
- Ramsey's Draft1 stocked trout reach
- Mills Creek, 07MLS-02wild trout survey class II, 8.1 km
- Jerkemtight Branchwild trout survey class IV, 7.4 km
- Sawmill Run, 07SAW-01wild trout survey class IV, 7.4 km
- St. Marys River, 10SMR-02wild trout survey class I, 7.4 km
- Big Runwild trout survey class IV, 7.1 km
- Clayton Mill Creekwild trout survey class II, 7.0 km
- Folly Mills Creekwild trout survey class VI, 6.7 km
- Little Calfpasture Riverwild trout survey class IV, 6.6 km
- Spy Runwild trout survey class II, 6.4 km
- Back Creek, NF, 07BKN-02wild trout survey class II, 6.2 km
- Kennedy Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.4 km
- Orebank Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.4 km
- Hodges Draftwild trout survey class IV, 5.3 km
- Buffalo Branch, 07BFP-01wild trout survey class IV, 5.1 km
- St. Marys River, 10SMR-01wild trout survey class II, 4.9 km
- Back Creek, NF, 07BKN-01wild trout survey class VI, 4.8 km
- Little River, NFwild trout survey class IV, 4.8 km
- Coles Runwild trout survey class II, 4.7 km
- Still Runwild trout survey class IV, 4.7 km
- Barterbrook Branchwild trout survey class V, 4.5 km
- Little River, SFwild trout survey class IV, 4.4 km
- Jennings Branchwild trout survey class IV, 4.3 km
- Johns Runwild trout survey class II, 4.2 km
- Loves Runwild trout survey class III, 4.0 km
- Toms Branch, 07TMS-01Twild trout survey class III, 4.0 km
- Inch Branchwild trout survey class IV, 3.9 km
- North River, 07NTH-01Twild trout survey class IV, 3.9 km
- Cellar Hollow Brookwild trout survey class IV, 3.5 km
- Little River, 07LTT-01wild trout survey class IV, 3.5 km
- Red Oak Springwild trout survey class II, 3.5 km
- Trout Branchwild trout survey class IV, 3.5 km
- Dorsey Hanger Hollowwild trout survey class II, 3.3 km
- Naked Creekwild trout survey class V, 3.3 km
- Chestnut Lick Hollowwild trout survey class IV, 3.2 km
- White Oak Draftwild trout survey class IV, 3.2 km
- Black Run, 10BKN-01wild trout survey class IV, 3.1 km
- Stony Run, 07STO-01wild trout survey class II, 3.1 km
- Spy Run, NFwild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Back Creek, EFwild trout survey class II, 2.9 km
- Bear Branchwild trout survey class II, 2.9 km
- Mitchell Branchwild trout survey class IV, 2.9 km
- Sugartree Branchwild trout survey class II, 2.9 km
- Mills Creek, 07MLS-01wild trout survey class VI, 2.7 km
- Chimney Branchwild trout survey class II, 2.6 km
- Hite Hollow Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.6 km
- Hogback Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.6 km
- Little River, 07LTT-02wild trout survey class IV, 2.6 km
- North River, 07NTH-02wild trout survey class VI, 2.5 km
- Ferrol Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.4 km
- Mine Bank Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.4 km
- Robinson Hollow, 07RON-01wild trout survey class IV, 2.4 km
- Reubens Draftwild trout survey class IV, 2.3 km
- Back Creek, SFwild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Cold Spring Branchwild trout survey class III, 2.2 km
- Jerrys Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.2 km
- Mills Creek, 07MLS-02Twild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- East Dry Branchwild trout survey class IV, 2.1 km
- Toms Branch, 07TMS-01wild trout survey class III, 1.8 km
- Little River, 07LTT-02Twild trout survey class IV, 1.6 km
- Cabin Mill Runwild trout survey class II, 1.4 km
- Als Runwild trout survey class IV, 1.3 km
- Chaplin Draftwild trout survey class IV, 1.2 km
- Left Hand Hollowwild trout survey class II, 1.2 km
- Smith Creek, 10SMI-01wild trout survey class IV, 1.2 km
- Cold Spring Hollowwild trout survey class II, 1.0 km
- Poague Runwild trout survey class V, 0.8 km
- Robinson Hollow, 07RON-01Twild trout survey class IV, 0.6 km
Augusta County USGS stations
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| North River Near Stokesville, Va | 2 cfs, 1.91 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:00 pm |
| Middle River Near Grottoes, Va | 62 cfs, 3.09 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:15 pm |
| South River At Harriston, Va | 55 cfs, 2.05 ft gage height | Nov 12 5:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 6:33 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.
Access
Trailer-ready DWR sites around Augusta County
Fishing piers of Augusta County
- Elkhorn Lake Recreation AreaElkhorn Lake, fishing pier
- Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center fishing pierWoodrow Wilson Pond, fishing pier
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Fishing Piers layer (name and water only), read November 6, 2026.
Trout
Trout plan and stocking rows for Augusta County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | North River (Tail) | DH | Brown Trout |
| October 26, 2026 | Braley Pond | A | Brown Trout |
| October 15, 2026 | South River (Ridgeview Park) | A | Brown Trout |
| October 14, 2026 | Lower Sherando Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 13, 2026 | Elkhorn Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 7, 2026 | South River (Catch and Release section) | CR | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 28, 2026 | North River (Natural Chimneys) | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 15, 2026 | South River (Basic Park) | Rainbow Trout | |
| May 15, 2026 | South River (Ridgeview Park) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 13, 2026 | Braley Pond | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 6, 2026 | North River (Gorge) | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 4, 2026 | Elkhorn Lake (Double Stocking) | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 4, 2026 | North River (Upper) | B | Brook Trout |
| May 1, 2026 | South River (Catch and Release section) | CR | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 28, 2026 | Braley Pond (Double stocking) | A | Brown Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | North River (Tail) | DH | Brown Trout |
| April 23, 2026 | Hearthstone Lake (Double stocking) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 20, 2026 | Elkhorn Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 16, 2026 | South River (Basic Park) | Rainbow Trout | |
| April 16, 2026 | Lower Sherando Lake | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
The 2026 stocking plan for Augusta County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Creek | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Braley Pond | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Elkhorn Lake | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Falls Hollow | Augusta County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| Hearthstone Lake | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Lower Sherando Lake | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Mills Creek | Augusta County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| North River (Natural Chimneys) | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| North River (Gorge) | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| North River (Upper) | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| North River (Tail) | Augusta County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | yes |
| South River (Ridgeview Park) | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| South River | Augusta County | CR | catch and release, stocked 3 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Upper Sherando Lake | Augusta County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
Special regulation trout water in Augusta County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mossy Creek | Augusta | 20 inch / 1 per day FFO | |
| North River | Augusta | Delayed Harvest | yes |
| Ramsey Draft | Augusta | 9 inch min | |
| South River City of Waynesboro | Augusta | Catch and Release | yes |
| South River | Augusta | 20 inch / 1 per day FFO | |
| St. Mary’s River | Augusta | 9 inch min |
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).
Bait nearby
Tackle shops just past Augusta County
- Tycoon Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Waynesboro, 11 miles
- South River Fly Shopfly shop, Waynesboro, 11 miles
- Bridgewater Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Bridgewater, 16 miles
- Heartland Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Dayton, 19 miles
- Dubby's Fishing & Huntingbait and tackle shop, Harrisonburg, 23 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Staunton.
Regulations
Keeper counts in force across Augusta County
Freshwater in Augusta County follows the statewide rows below unless the digest names a water as an exception. Budget $23 for the resident freshwater license, or $47 as a nonresident.
| 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 |
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. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Records
Heaviest Virginia catches by Augusta County
Augusta County holds no state record water, so the closest ones follow.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 5 lbs. 15 oz. | Cub Run | 2019 |
| Chain Pickerel | 7 lbs. 12 oz. | Douthat Lake | 1974 |
| Fallfish | 3 lbs. 13 oz. | Jackson River | 2025 |
| White Bass | 6 lbs. 13 oz. | Lake Orange | 1989 |
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.
Nearby
Onward from Augusta County
Communities within Augusta County
- Stuarts Draftpop. 12,142
- Fishersvillepop. 9,629
- Veronapop. 4,398
- Weyers Cavepop. 2,700
The counties and cities ringing Augusta County
- City of Staunton4 miles east
- City of Waynesboro15 miles southeast
- City of Harrisonburg23 miles northeast
- Highland County27 miles northwest
Piscifun
Piscifun tackle that suits Augusta County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish photos
Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Augusta County
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Answers
Replies for Augusta County anglers
At which launches can a trailer back down within Augusta County?
Recorded launches begin over the line.
What is the largest lake page inside Augusta County?
Mill Creek Reservoir, at 189 acres.
Which fish live in the lakes around Augusta County, per DWR?
Largemouth bass leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then channel catfish, bluegill and crappie; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
What tackle sellers do the listings show in Augusta County?
No listed store falls inside it; the nearest are in the band above.
Where is Augusta County government business done?
Courthouse business happens in Staunton.
What does DWR charge to fish in Augusta County?
Budget $23 for the resident freshwater license, or $47 as a nonresident.
Which localities border Augusta County?
City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro and City of Harrisonburg sit closest on the map.
Which region does DWR data give Augusta County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Where can children fish from a deck in Augusta County?
Start with Elkhorn Lake Recreation Area; DWR lists 2 fishing piers.
When did DWR last stock trout in Augusta County?
The DWR schedule carries 291 stocking dates; the newest lists Brown Trout (October 26, 2026; category DH) at North River (Tail).
Spend a sunrise on the water in Augusta County
Each launch name opens a directions link.