Fishing in Henry County, Virginia
Government seat in Martinsville; 50,948 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 1lake pages
- 0DWR launches
- 1river pages
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What fishing in Henry County looks like
Henry County numbered 50,948 people in 2020; the seat sits at Martinsville. The DWR layers number local access points as DWR Region 2.
By acreage, Martinsville Reservoir leads the 1 lake pages here. Count 50 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.
Henry County lakes with a page of their own
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martinsville Reservoir | 175 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
Henry County has few paged lakes of its own; here are the next ones out from Martinsville.
| Lake | From Martinsville | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philpott Lake | 14 miles northwest | 2,880 acres | reservoir | 0 | alewife, black crappie, channel catfish |
| Fairy Stone Lake | 16 miles northwest | 168 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Franklin County Park Pond | 17 miles north | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | pond | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Lake Burton | 22 miles northeast | 76 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
| Smith Mountain Lake | 32 miles north | 20,600 acres | reservoir | 6 | channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish |
| Leesville Reservoir | 33 miles northeast | 3,400 acres | reservoir | 2 | black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill |
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 Henry County
Lake pages out to 50 miles from Martinsville were tallied by fish, with crappie 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.
Moving water through Henry County
- Smith River4 stocked trout reaches, 5 USGS gauges
Remaining named streams in Henry County (1)
- Smith River, 05SRE-01wild trout survey class II, 30.7 km
USGS gauges reading in Henry County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| North Mayo River Near Spencer, Va | 44 cfs, 1.34 ft gage height | Nov 13 6:45 pm |
| Smith River Near Philpott, Va | 83 cfs, 2.55 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:10 pm |
| Smith River At Bassett, Va | 76 cfs, 1.55 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:10 pm |
| Smith River At Martinsville, Va | 105 cfs, 1.57 ft gage height | Nov 13 6:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 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.
Pool elevation notes tied to Henry County
| Lake | Pool | Operator | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martinsville Reservoir | 695.26 ft | City of Martinsville | 2026-11-06 20:15:00 UTC |
The pool above was read once and is printed with its time.
City of Martinsville pool as reported through the NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge MTVV2, read November 6, 2026 (one dated reading, not live; feet as published, datum not printed).
Henry County on the DWR trout schedule
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 19, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 29, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 9, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| March 11, 2026 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| March 11, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| February 18, 2026 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| February 18, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| January 20, 2026 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| January 5, 2026 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| December 17, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| November 18, 2025 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| October 1, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 14, 2025 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 14, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 23, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 17, 2025 | Smith River (Dam) | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 7, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| March 26, 2025 | Smith River (Lower) | A | Rainbow Trout |
2026 planned trout releases in Henry County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith River (Dam) | Henry County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Smith River (Lower) | Henry County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
Trout water rules printed for Henry County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith River (Tailwater) | Henry | Special slot |
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).
Digest limits for anglers in Henry County
A Henry 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 Henry County carrying separate digest lines (2)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Nottoway, Meherrin, Blackwater (Franklin County), Blackwater (Chowan), Falling and Smith rivers and their tributaries | Rock Bass (redeye) | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) with Roanoke bass No rock bass less than 8 inches |
| Nottoway, Meherrin, and Blackwater (Franklin County), Blackwater (Chowan), Falling and Smith rivers and their tributaries | Roanoke Bass | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) with rock bass No Roanoke bass less than 8 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 Henry County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Trout | 18 lbs. 11 oz. | Smith River | 1979 |
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.
Where anglers in Henry County buy their bait
Buying bait in Henry County
- Angler's Choicefly shop, Martinsville
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Leaving Henry County
Towns inside Henry County
- Collinsvillepop. 7,380
Counties and cities around Henry County
- City of Martinsville8 miles northeast
- Patrick County17 miles west
- Franklin County26 miles north
- Floyd County30 miles northwest
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Henry County
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Shorelines around Henry County through a camera
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Matt Walter, CC BY-SA 2.0
What anglers ask about Henry County
What launch count does DWR give Henry County?
The DWR layer records none inside it; the map above points to the nearest.
On which Henry County impoundment can a boat run the farthest?
Martinsville Reservoir, at 175 acres.
Which species does DWR list most often on lakes by Henry County?
Crappie leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then largemouth bass, channel catfish and black crappie; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Do Yellow Pages listings show tackle sellers inside Henry County?
1 listed shops, beginning with Angler's Choice.
What town serves Henry County as its seat?
It is Martinsville.
Do waters of Henry County require a fishing license?
The freshwater license runs $23 a year at resident rates and $47 at nonresident rates.
Which localities touch Henry County?
The next locality pages over are City of Martinsville, Patrick County and Franklin County.
Which DWR region do access points in Henry County fall in?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 2.
Which lakes in Henry County have special regulations?
The digest lists 2 water exceptions here, starting with Nottoway, Meherrin, Blackwater (Franklin County), Blackwater (Chowan), Falling and Smith r; the table above shows each.
What does the trout schedule show for Henry County?
The DWR schedule carries 50 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 13, 2026; category A) at Smith River (Lower).
Has a lake in Henry County produced a Virginia record?
Brown Trout, 18 lbs. 11 oz., 1979, from Smith River.
Choose a reservoir or trout creek in Henry County
Every lake page lists the fish DWR names there.