Fishing in Dickenson County, Virginia
Government seat in Clintwood; 14,124 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 1lake pages
- 0DWR launches
- 3river pages
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Old Dominion water in Dickenson County, in a few lines
Clintwood serves as the seat of Dickenson County, home to 14,124 people at the last Census. Its own DWR lakes, ramps and piers are filed under DWR Region 3.
Of 1 lake pages reaching it, Flannagan Reservoir spreads widest. Pier fishing here includes 2 fishing piers recorded by DWR. 107 stocking dates on the DWR trout schedule list it.
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.
Lake pages inside Dickenson County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flannagan Reservoir | 1,143 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
Measured from Clintwood, these lake pages are the closest outside Dickenson County.
| Lake | From Clintwood | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Pound Reservoir | 11 miles west | 154 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| Bark Camp Lake | 20 miles south | 61 acres | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
| Hidden Valley Lake | 30 miles southeast | 61 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Lake Keokee | 30 miles southwest | 92 acres | reservoir | 1 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Laurel Bed Lake | 38 miles east | 330 acres | lake | 1 | bluegill, brook trout, rainbow trout |
| South Holston Reservoir | 46 miles southeast | 7,580 acres | reservoir | 2 | black crappie, bluegill, 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.
Counting species on lake pages by Dickenson County
Out to 50 miles from Clintwood, bluegill appears on the most lake pages DWR describes.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
More lakes on the Dickenson County roster
Dickenson County holds 2 more DWR or NHD lakes with too few published facts for a page.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Lake | lake | 12 acres (DWR outline area) | Clintwood |
| Breaks Interstate Park Laurel Lake | lake |
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 and trout streams of Dickenson County
- Pound River2 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class VI, 3.5 km, 1 USGS gauge
- Cranesnest River1 stocked trout reach
- Frying Pan Creek1 stocked trout reach
Additional flowing water through Dickenson County (4)
- Fryingpan Creekwild trout survey class VI, 18.4 km
- Russell Fork River1 stocked trout reach, 1 USGS gauge
- Russell Fork River1 stocked trout reach
- Russell Fork River1 stocked trout reach, 1 USGS gauge
Live USGS flow across Dickenson County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Russell Fork At Haysi, Va | 444 cfs, 2.24 ft gage height | Oct 1 12:45 am Not updated since Oct 1, 2024. |
| Cranes Nest River Near Clintwood, Va | 29 cfs, 2.31 ft gage height | Nov 13 9:30 pm |
| Pound River Below Flannagan Dam, Near Haysi, Va | 547 cfs, 2.81 ft gage height | Oct 1 12:45 am Not updated since Oct 1, 2024. |
| Russell Fork At Bartlick, Va | 133 cfs, 7.84 ft gage height | Oct 1 12:45 am Not updated since Oct 1, 2022. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 10:33 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.
Reservoir pool snapshots for Dickenson County
| Lake | Pool | Operator | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flannagan Reservoir | 1388.83 ft | USACE Huntington District | 2026-11-06 19:30:00 UTC |
These pools are single timed readings, not a running feed.
USACE Huntington District pool as reported through the NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge FLAV2, read November 6, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
DWR launches across Dickenson County
Dickenson County pier sites on the DWR layer
- Cranesnest Launch Ramp on Flannagan ReservoirFlannagan Reservoir, fishing pier
- Spillway Launch Ramp on Flannagan ReservoirFlannagan Reservoir, 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.
Stocked trout water in Dickenson County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 9, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Haysi) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| October 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 5, 2026 | Cranesnest River | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 5, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Haysi) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 13, 2026 | Frying Pan Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 9, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Brook Trout |
| April 9, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Haysi) | B | Brook Trout |
| April 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Brook Trout |
| April 2, 2026 | Cranesnest River | B | Rainbow Trout |
| March 24, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Brown Trout |
| March 24, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Brown Trout |
| March 11, 2026 | Frying Pan Creek | C | Rainbow Trout |
| March 9, 2026 | Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| March 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| March 2, 2026 | Cranesnest River | B | Rainbow Trout |
Dickenson County waters in the 2026 trout plan
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranesnest River | Dickenson County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Frying Pan Creek | Dickenson County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | Dickenson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Russell Fork River (Haysi) | Dickenson County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | Dickenson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
Delayed harvest and fly water of Dickenson County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pound River | Dickenson | 16 inch / 2 per day |
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 counters a short drive from Dickenson County
- Eastern Fishing and Rental Toolsbait and tackle shop, Norton, 16 miles
- Colgard Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Norton, 17 miles
- Bottom Dwellers Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Cedar Bluff, 36 miles
- Wally's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Gate City, 38 miles
- Just Fish'nbait and tackle shop, Bristol, 40 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Clintwood.
Statewide creel rows applied to Dickenson County
Start with the statewide table for Dickenson County, then check any water the digest lists by name. A year of Virginia freshwater fishing costs residents $23 and nonresidents $47; anglers under 16 need none.
| 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 |
Named-water rules across Dickenson County (2)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Flannagan Reservoir | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No largemouth bass less than 12 inches; no smallmouth bass less than 15 inches |
| Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs | Crappie (black or white) | No crappie less than 10 inches; South Holston Res. — 15 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
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.
State record catches tied to Dickenson County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Bass | 6 lbs. 10 oz. | Flannagan Reservoir | 1976 |
| Yellow Perch | 3 lbs. | Flannagan Reservoir | 2010 |
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.
Around Dickenson County
Paged Virginia towns located in Dickenson County
- Clintwoodpop. 1,377
Localities next to Dickenson County
- Wise County19 miles southwest
- Buchanan County19 miles northeast
- Russell County20 miles southeast
- City of Norton21 miles southwest
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Dickenson County
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Shorelines around Dickenson County through a camera
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LookoutBelle, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
The lakes and streams of Dickenson County, answered
Which Dickenson County launches sit on the DWR access layer?
The DWR layer shows no launch here.
What is the biggest reservoir with a page in Dickenson County?
Flannagan Reservoir, at 1,143 acres.
Which fish does DWR list for lakes near Dickenson County?
Bluegill leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Where can I restock hooks and line in Dickenson County?
None inside; the shops band lists the closest.
Which Virginia town houses the Dickenson County offices?
Clintwood is the seat.
Which Virginia license covers a Dickenson County trip?
A year of Virginia freshwater fishing costs residents $23 and nonresidents $47; anglers under 16 need none.
What locality pages sit beside Dickenson County?
Going by distance, Wise County, Buchanan County and Russell County come first.
Which DWR region number covers Dickenson County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 3.
What DWR piers does the layer show in Dickenson County?
The DWR layer lists 2 fishing piers, such as Cranesnest Launch Ramp on Flannagan Reservoir.
Which waters of Dickenson County have limits of their own?
The digest lists 2 water exceptions here, starting with Flannagan Reservoir; the table above shows each.
Which waters of Dickenson County show up on the trout schedule?
The DWR schedule carries 107 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 9, 2026; category A) at Russell Fork River (Bartlick).
Is a state record held by water in Dickenson County?
Spotted Bass, 6 lbs. 10 oz., 1976, from Flannagan Reservoir.
Work the ponds and streams across Dickenson County
Check the digest exceptions before keeping fish.