Fishing in Page County, Virginia
Government seat in Luray; 23,709 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 2lake pages
- 8DWR launches
- 3river pages
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The angling picture for Page County
Page County keeps its government seat in Luray and had 23,709 residents in the 2020 Census. DWR points here are numbered DWR Region 4.
2 lakes here carry a page, and Arrowhead Lake covers the most surface. Count 8 boating access sites here on the DWR boating access layer. The trout schedule shows 63 stocking dates tied to 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.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The fishing map of Page 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.
Reservoirs in Page County worth backing a trailer into
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Lake | 39 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| Bealers Ferry Pond | 8 acres | pond | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
Beyond the Page County line, these lake pages are the shortest drives from Luray.
| Lake | From Luray | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Laura | 20 miles northwest | 44 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| Woodstock Pond | 21 miles northwest | 8 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, crappie |
| Tomahawk Pond | 22 miles west | 2 acres | pond | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Mountain Run | 24 miles southeast | 75 acres | lake | 1 | bluegill, bullhead, channel catfish |
| Lake Culpeper | 27 miles southeast | 255 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Slate Lick Lake | 28 miles west | 10 acres | reservoir | 0 | brook trout, channel catfish, largemouth 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.
Fish named most on lakes near Page County
Tally the lake pages up to 50 miles from Luray by species and channel catfish leads.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Smaller named water in Page County
1 more named lakes and ponds of Page County appear only in this list for now.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Gem Pond | pond | 0 acres (DWR outline area) | Shenandoah |
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.
Page County river and creek listings
- Cub Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 10.8 km, 1 USGS gauge
- Hawksbill Creek1 stocked trout reach
- South Fork Shenandoah River15 DWR launches, 3 USGS gauges
Creeks in Page County that stay on this list (22)
- Naked Creek, SB3 stocked trout reaches
- Jeremys Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 11.7 km
- Passage Creekwild trout survey class VI, 13.6 km
- Upper Passage Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Stony Runwild trout survey class II, 8.4 km
- Naked Creek, EBwild trout survey class I, 8.2 km
- Pitt Spring Runwild trout survey class II, 8.2 km
- Pass Run, 07PSS-01wild trout survey class II, 8.0 km
- Overall Runwild trout survey class II, 7.6 km
- Rocky Branch, 07PSS-01Twild trout survey class II, 6.8 km
- Pass Run, 07PSS-02wild trout survey class II, 6.7 km
- Naked Creek, WBwild trout survey class II, 6.4 km
- Naked Creek, SB, 07NKS-01wild trout survey class II, 5.3 km
- Dry Run, SFwild trout survey class II, 4.8 km
- Big Creekwild trout survey class II, 4.5 km
- Fultz Runwild trout survey class II, 4.4 km
- Browns Runwild trout survey class III, 4.1 km
- Roaring Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.4 km
- E Hawksbill Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.2 km
- Little Hawksbill Creekwild trout survey class I, 3.1 km
- Dry Run, NFwild trout survey class II, 2.8 km
- Morgan Runwild trout survey class II, 2.3 km
Live discharge inside Page County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| S F Shenandoah River Near Luray, Va | 301 cfs, 1.83 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.
Commonwealth ramps and landings inside Page County
- Alma boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, dock and ramp, freshwater
- Fosters boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, concrete ramp (no ramp), 1 ramp, freshwater
- Grove Hill boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, gravel access, freshwater
- Inskeep boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, concrete ramp, freshwater
- Massanutten boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater
- Newport boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, dock and ramp, freshwater
- Shenandoah Riverside boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, hand launch (boat slide), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- White House boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, 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.
Trout stocking dates logged in Page County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 19, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Brown Trout |
| April 30, 2026 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| April 13, 2026 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| April 13, 2026 | Upper Passage Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 10, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 7, 2026 | Upper Passage Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 3, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| March 31, 2026 | Upper Passage Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| March 25, 2026 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| March 17, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 17, 2026 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| February 26, 2026 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| February 26, 2026 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| December 31, 2025 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| November 18, 2025 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 1, 2025 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 16, 2025 | Hawksbill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 7, 2025 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
| April 30, 2025 | Cub Run | B | Brook Trout |
Planned 2026 trout water in Page County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cub Run | Page County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Hawksbill Creek | Page County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Upper Passage Creek | Page County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | 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. Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
Tackle a few miles outside Page County
- Murrays Fly Shopfly shop, Edinburg, 12 miles
- Mossy Creek Fly Fishingfly shop, Harrisonburg, 27 miles
- Dubby's Fishing & Huntingbait and tackle shop, Harrisonburg, 27 miles
- Heartland Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Dayton, 32 miles
- Bridgewater Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Bridgewater, 34 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Luray.
The 2026 digest table for Page County
For Page County, the statewide rows come first and water exceptions override them. DWR sells the annual freshwater license for $23 to residents and $47 to anglers who live elsewhere.
| 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 |
Water-by-water digest changes in Page County (1)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork, South Fork and Mainstem Shenandoah River | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 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.
Record-class fish near Page County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 5 lbs. 15 oz. | Cub Run | 2019 |
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.
Past the edges of Page County
Lodging towns spread across Page County
- Luraypop. 4,831
- Shenandoahpop. 2,486
- Stanleypop. 1,703
Close localities to Page County
- Shenandoah County17 miles north
- Rappahannock County18 miles east
- Madison County19 miles southeast
- Greene County23 miles south
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Page County
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Sorting out the Page County species by sight
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Fishing Page County: common questions
How many DWR launches does Page County have?
DWR access data has 8 boating access sites, such as Alma boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River.
Which Page County lake stretches widest?
Arrowhead Lake, at 39 acres.
Which species top the DWR lists near Page County?
Channel catfish leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Where do I find bait inside Page County?
No shop is listed here; stores nearby appear above.
Which Virginia town hosts the courts of Page County?
Its offices are in Luray.
What license covers fishing in Page County?
DWR sells the annual freshwater license for $23 to residents and $47 to anglers who live elsewhere.
Which counties and cities ring Page County?
The nearest locality pages are Shenandoah County, Rappahannock County and Madison County.
Is Page County in a numbered DWR region?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Do any waters of Page County carry digest exceptions?
The digest lists 1 water exception here, starting with North Fork, South Fork and Mainstem Shenandoah River; the table above shows each.
Does DWR stock trout in Page County?
The DWR schedule carries 63 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 1, 2026; category A) at Hawksbill Creek.
Did a Virginia record fish come from Page County?
Brook Trout, 5 lbs. 15 oz., 2019, from Cub Run.
Hook up the boat and head for Page County
Open a lake for its launches and special rules.