Fishing in Patrick County, Virginia
Government seat in Stuart; 17,608 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 1lake pages
- 0DWR launches
- 5river pages
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Philpott Lake: DJ Patterson, CC BY-SA 2.0
How Patrick County stacks up for a rod and reel
The 2020 Census counted 17,608 people across Patrick County, with Stuart as the seat. DWR layer points inside it carry the number for DWR Region 2.
Biggest among 1 local lake pages: Fairy Stone Lake. Boatless fishing comes from 1 fishing pier in DWR data. The DWR trout schedule holds 152 stocking dates naming 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 Plotting water access across Patrick 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 and reservoirs filed under Patrick County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairy Stone Lake | 168 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass |
Few lake pages fall inside Patrick County, so the nearest ones beyond it are measured from Stuart.
| Lake | From Stuart | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philpott Lake | 17 miles northeast | 2,880 acres | reservoir | 0 | alewife, black crappie, channel catfish |
| Lovill’s Creek Lake | 21 miles west | 55 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, chain pickerel |
| Martinsville Reservoir | 23 miles east | 175 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Franklin County Park Pond | 30 miles northeast | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | pond | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Claytor Lake | 34 miles northwest | 4,363 acres | reservoir | 3 | alewife, black crappie, bluegill |
| Byllesby Lake | 38 miles west | 163 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 1 |
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.
A tally of DWR-listed fish around Patrick County
Bars show how many lake pages within 50 miles of Stuart name each fish; crappie 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.
Patrick County ponds and lakes kept to a list
Inside Patrick County, 1 further named waters get a table row instead of a page.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talbott Reservoir | reservoir | 140 acres (NHD outline area) | Stuart |
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.
Current to cast in Patrick County
- Dan River4 stocked trout reaches, 3 USGS gauges
- Ararat River1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 5.0 km
- Clarks Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class VII, 4.0 km
- Poorhouse Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Round Meadow Creek3 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class III, 9.8 km
Unpaged Virginia streams in Patrick County, as rows (66)
- Smith River, 05SRE-03Twild trout survey class III, 66.4 km
- Rock Castle Creek3 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class III
- Dan River, 05DAN-01wild trout survey class VI, 23.3 km
- Dan River, 05DAN-04wild trout survey class II, 22.0 km
- South Mayo River2 stocked trout reaches
- Smith River, 05SRE-04wild trout survey class V, 15.8 km
- Rock Castle Creek, 05RCC-02wild trout survey class III, 13.9 km
- Smith River, 05SRE-03wild trout survey class III, 13.1 km
- Widgeon Creek, 05WID-01wild trout survey class II, 11.9 km
- Hookers Creek, 05HOO-01wild trout survey class III, 11.8 km
- Big Ivy Creekwild trout survey class II, 10.8 km
- Johnson Creekwild trout survey class VI, 10.8 km
- Poorhouse Creek, 05POO-01wild trout survey class II, 10.8 km
- Little Dan River, 05LDR-01Twild trout survey class III, 10.3 km
- Browns Dan Riverwild trout survey class VI, 10.1 km
- Dan River above Powerhouse1 stocked trout reach
- Dan River above Townes1 stocked trout reach
- South Mayo River1 stocked trout reach, 1 USGS gauge
- Widgeon Creek, 05WID-01Twild trout survey class II, 8.8 km
- Dan River, 05DAN-03wild trout survey class II, 8.7 km
- South Mayo River, 05SMR-01wild trout survey class III, 8.4 km
- Dan River, 05DAN-02wild trout survey class III, 7.2 km
- Rye Cove Creekwild trout survey class II, 6.9 km
- Little Dan River, 05LDR-01wild trout survey class III, 6.8 km
- Polebridge Creek, 05PBA-01wild trout survey class III, 6.8 km
- Smith River, 05SRE-02wild trout survey class II, 6.7 km
- Smith River, 05SRE-05wild trout survey class II, 6.6 km
- Rock Castle Creek, 05RCC-01wild trout survey class I, 6.5 km
- Smith River, NFwild trout survey class II, 5.9 km
- Dan River, 05DAN-04Twild trout survey class II, 5.4 km
- Rhody Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.3 km
- Smith River, 05SRE-02Twild trout survey class II, 5.3 km
- Tuggle Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.3 km
- Mayberry Creekwild trout survey class III, 5.2 km
- South Mayo River, 05SMR-02wild trout survey class II, 5.1 km
- Spencer Creekwild trout survey class VI, 5.0 km
- Ditch Creekwild trout survey class VI, 4.8 km
- Little Creek, 05LTT-01wild trout survey class VI, 4.7 km
- Sun Runwild trout survey class III, 4.7 km
- Elk Creek, 05ELK-01wild trout survey class VI, 4.6 km
- Little Peters Creekwild trout survey class VI, 4.6 km
- Maple Swamp Branchwild trout survey class II, 4.6 km
- Rich Creekwild trout survey class III, 4.5 km
- Brushy Forkwild trout survey class III, 4.2 km
- Harris Creekwild trout survey class VI, 4.2 km, 1 USGS gauge
- Poorhouse Creek, 05POO-01Twild trout survey class II, 4.2 km
- Back Creek, 05BAD-01wild trout survey class VI, 3.9 km
- Thompsons Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.8 km
- Big Cherry Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.6 km
- Hookers Creek, 05HOO-01Twild trout survey class III, 3.5 km
- Haunted Branchwild trout survey class II, 3.4 km
- Roaring Creek, 05RAR-01wild trout survey class II, 3.4 km
- Patrick Springs Branchwild trout survey class VI, 3.3 km
- Smith River, NPwild trout survey class II, 3.1 km
- South Mayo River, 05SMR-01Twild trout survey class III, 3.0 km
- Squall Creekwild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Johnson Creek, EFwild trout survey class III, 2.9 km
- Little Ivy Creekwild trout survey class III, 2.9 km
- Polebridge Creek, 05PBA-01Twild trout survey class III, 2.9 km
- Little Rock Castle Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.7 km
- Lily Cove Branchwild trout survey class III, 2.6 km
- Roaring Creek, 05RAR-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.3 km
- Camp Branchwild trout survey class III, 2.2 km
- Little Spencer Creekwild trout survey class VI, 2.1 km
- Barnard Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.0 km
- Sawpit Branchwild trout survey class II, 0.9 km
Patrick County USGS stations
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| South Mayo River Near Nettleridge, Va | 37 cfs, 3.20 ft gage height | Nov 12 5:45 pm |
| Smith River At Smith Riv Church Nr Woolwine, Va | 23 cfs, 2.30 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.
Trailer-ready DWR sites around Patrick County
Fishing piers of Patrick County
- Goose Point Park on Philpott LakePhilpott Lake, 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 plan and stocking rows for Patrick County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 25, 2026 | Ararat River | B | Rainbow Trout |
| October 25, 2026 | Clarks Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| October 19, 2026 | South Mayo River (North Fork) | C | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| October 19, 2026 | South Mayo River (South Fork) | C | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| October 13, 2026 | Rockcastle Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| October 2, 2026 | Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 27, 2026 | Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 14, 2026 | Ararat River | B | Brook Trout |
| May 14, 2026 | Clarks Creek | B | Brook Trout |
| May 13, 2026 | Rockcastle Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 7, 2026 | Dan River (Above Talbott) | B | Brook Trout |
| April 21, 2026 | Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 16, 2026 | Rockcastle Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Ararat River | B | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Clarks Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Dan River (Above Talbott) | B | Brook Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Round Meadow Creek | C | Brook Trout |
| April 10, 2026 | Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 10, 2026 | South Mayo River (North Fork) | C | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 10, 2026 | South Mayo River (South Fork) | C | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
The 2026 stocking plan for Patrick County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ararat River | Patrick County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Clarks Creek | Patrick County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Dan River (Above Talbott) | Patrick County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | Patrick County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Poorhouse Creek | Patrick County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| Rockcastle Creek | Patrick County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Round Meadow Creek | Patrick County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| South Mayo River (North Fork) | Patrick County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| South Mayo River (South Fork) | Patrick County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 |
Special regulation trout water in Patrick County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan River | Patrick | 16 inch / 2 per day | |
| Dan River | Patrick | Catch and Release |
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).
Tackle shops just past Patrick County
- Greasy Creek Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Willis, 19 miles
- Angler's Choicefly shop, Martinsville, 26 miles
- Backwoods Outdoor Supplybait and tackle shop, Hillsville, 31 miles
- Franklin Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Rocky Mount, 34 miles
- Rock House Marinamarina, Pulaski, 37 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Stuart.
Keeper counts in force across Patrick County
Freshwater in Patrick 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 |
Patrick County lakes the digest singles out (1)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Dan River and tributaries downstream from the Union Street Dam, Danville | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 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.
Heaviest Virginia catches by Patrick County
Patrick County holds no state record water, so the closest ones follow.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coho Salmon | 8 lbs. 12 oz. | Philpott Lake | 1971 |
| Lake Trout | 5 lbs. 6 oz. | Philpott Lake | 1966 |
| Brown Trout | 18 lbs. 11 oz. | Smith River | 1979 |
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 15 lbs. 13 oz. | Claytor Lake | 2016 |
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.
Onward from Patrick County
Communities within Patrick County
- Stuartpop. 1,431
The counties and cities ringing Patrick County
- Henry County17 miles east
- Floyd County19 miles north
- City of Martinsville23 miles east
- Carroll County25 miles west
Piscifun tackle that suits Patrick County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Patrick County, in pictures
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Chris Lawrence, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Matt Walter, CC BY-SA 2.0
Replies for Patrick County anglers
At which launches can a trailer back down within Patrick County?
Recorded launches begin over the line.
What is the largest lake page inside Patrick County?
Fairy Stone Lake, at 168 acres.
Which fish live in the lakes around Patrick County, per DWR?
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.
What tackle sellers do the listings show in Patrick County?
No listed store falls inside it; the nearest are in the band above.
Where is Patrick County government business done?
Courthouse business happens in Stuart.
What does DWR charge to fish in Patrick County?
Budget $23 for the resident freshwater license, or $47 as a nonresident.
Which localities border Patrick County?
Henry County, Floyd County and City of Martinsville sit closest on the map.
Which region does DWR data give Patrick County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 2.
Where can children fish from a deck in Patrick County?
Start with Goose Point Park on Philpott Lake; DWR lists 1 fishing pier.
Does the digest name lakes of Patrick County separately?
The digest lists 1 water exception here, starting with Dan River and tributaries downstream from the Union Street Dam, Danville; the table above shows each.
When did DWR last stock trout in Patrick County?
The DWR schedule carries 152 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 25, 2026; category B) at Ararat River.
Spend a sunrise on the water in Patrick County
Each launch name opens a directions link.