Fishing in Roanoke County, Virginia
Government seat in Salem; 96,929 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 0fishing piers
- 1DWR launches
- 3river pages
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Roanoke County for fishing, in summary
At the 2020 count Roanoke County had 96,929 residents and ran its business from Salem. Within its lines, DWR data lists DWR Region 2.
DWR Boating Access Locations places 1 boating access site inside its lines. DWR trout stocking data lists 148 stocking dates for its streams and lakes.
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.
Impoundments that fall in Roanoke County
Past the Roanoke County line come these lake pages, each with its distance from Salem.
| Lake | From Salem | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pandapas Pond | 23 miles west | 8 acres (DWR outline area) | pond | 0 | brook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout |
| Smith Mountain Lake | 25 miles southeast | 20,600 acres | reservoir | 6 | channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish |
| Franklin County Park Pond | 27 miles southeast | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | pond | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Abbott Lake | 27 miles northeast | 24 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, bullhead, smallmouth bass |
| Liberty Lake | 29 miles east | 2 acres | lake | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Philpott Lake | 32 miles south | 2,880 acres | reservoir | 0 | alewife, black crappie, 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.
Roanoke County area lakes sorted by fish
Each bar counts lake pages within 50 miles of Salem where DWR names the fish; largemouth bass comes up most often.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Roanoke County creeks and rivers
- Roanoke River1 stocked trout reach, 3 USGS gauges
- Tinker Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class VII, 15.6 km, 1 DWR launch, 2 USGS gauges
- Glade Creek1 stocked trout reach, 1 USGS gauge
Further named Virginia creeks in Roanoke County (10)
- Bottom Creek, 05BOT-01wild trout survey class III, 11.4 km
- Big Laurel Creek, 05BLC-01wild trout survey class II, 8.4 km
- Trout Creek, 10TCC-01wild trout survey class III, 7.2 km
- Glade Creek, 05GLA-02wild trout survey class III, 6.9 km
- Mill Creek, 05MCE-01wild trout survey class VI, 6.5 km
- Glade Creek, 05GLA-01wild trout survey class V, 3.5 km
- Trout Creek, 10TCC-01Twild trout survey class III, 3.5 km
- Big Laurel Creek, 05BLC-01Twild trout survey class II, 3.2 km
- Bottom Creek, 05BOT-01Twild trout survey class III, 2.4 km
- Pickles Branchwild trout survey class II, 2.4 km
Roanoke County stream gauges, live
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Roanoke River At Glenvar, Va | 61 cfs, 2.10 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:15 pm |
| Tinker Creek Above Glade Creek At Roanoke, Va | 24 cfs, 2.45 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 pm |
| Roanoke River At Niagara, Va | 150 cfs, 1.78 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 pm |
| Back Creek Near Dundee, Va | 13 cfs, 2.52 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 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.
Roanoke County boating access on the DWR layer
- Tinker Creek LandingTinker Creek, hand launch (concrete access), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Hatchery trout deliveries to Roanoke County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 5, 2026 | Roanoke River (City) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| October 27, 2026 | Roanoke River (Salem) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| October 23, 2026 | Tinker Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| October 23, 2026 | Glade Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| October 22, 2026 | Roanoke River (Green Hill Park) | DH | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| October 22, 2026 | Roanoke River (Salem) | DH | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 18, 2026 | Roanoke River (Salem) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 12, 2026 | Tinker Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 12, 2026 | Glade Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| May 1, 2026 | Roanoke River (City) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | Roanoke River (Salem) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 20, 2026 | Glade Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 20, 2026 | Roanoke River (City) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 13, 2026 | Tinker Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 13, 2026 | Glade Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 7, 2026 | Roanoke River (City) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 6, 2026 | Roanoke River (Salem) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 3, 2026 | Tinker Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 24, 2026 | Tinker Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 24, 2026 | Glade Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
Trout plan listings for Roanoke County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glade Creek | Roanoke County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Roanoke River (City) | Roanoke County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Roanoke River (Green Hill Park) | Roanoke County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | |
| Roanoke River (Salem) | Roanoke County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Roanoke River (Salem) | Roanoke County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | |
| Tinker Creek | Roanoke County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
Roanoke County trout streams with their own rules
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke River | Roanoke | Delayed Harvest | 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. 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 across the boundary from Roanoke County
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 3550 Ferncliff Ave NWsporting goods store, Roanoke, 4 miles
- Franklin Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Rocky Mount, 21 miles
- Indian Pointe Marinamarina, Hardy, 21 miles
- SML Tackle Shackbait and tackle shop, Moneta, 22 miles
- Halesford Harbour Boat Rentalsbait and tackle shop, Moneta, 24 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Salem.
Creel and length rows that cover Roanoke County
Statewide creel and length rows cover Roanoke County except where the digest singles out a water. Residents buy the yearly freshwater license at $23; out-of-state anglers spend $47.
| 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.
Record weights from water of Roanoke County
No water of Roanoke County appears on the record list, but these nearby ones do.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coho Salmon | 8 lbs. 12 oz. | Philpott Lake | 1971 |
| Lake Trout | 5 lbs. 6 oz. | Philpott Lake | 1966 |
| Fallfish | 3 lbs. 13 oz. | Jackson River | 2025 |
| Striped Bass | 53 lbs. 7 oz. | Leesville Reservoir | 2000 |
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.
Neighbouring pages for Roanoke County
Town listings for Roanoke County
- Cave Springpop. 26,755
- Hollinspop. 15,574
- Vintonpop. 8,059
Neighbours of Roanoke County
- City of Salem8 miles southeast
- Craig County10 miles north
- City of Roanoke13 miles east
- Montgomery County15 miles southwest
A Piscifun spread to take to Roanoke County
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Roanoke County, in pictures
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Matt Walter, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Chris Lawrence, CC BY-SA 2.0
Roanoke County fishing, asked and answered
Can the public launch a boat inside Roanoke County?
DWR lists 1 boating access site; Tinker Creek Landing comes first.
Which Roanoke County lake has the most surface?
None inside the boundary; the nearest is Pandapas Pond, 23 miles off.
What species does DWR name on lakes around Roanoke County?
Largemouth bass leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then crappie, bluegill and channel catfish; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Where does a Roanoke County angler buy bait?
Bait here comes from stores over the line.
In which town are the Roanoke County offices?
The seat is Salem.
What does a visitor pay to fish in Roanoke County?
Residents buy the yearly freshwater license at $23; out-of-state anglers spend $47.
Which Virginia counties and cities are close to Roanoke County?
Look at City of Salem, Craig County and City of Roanoke next.
Does DWR number a region for Roanoke County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 2.
Is trout water in Roanoke County stocked?
The DWR schedule carries 148 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout (November 5, 2026; category A) at Roanoke River (City).
Fish Roanoke County over a long weekend
River pages carry USGS gauges that update on their own.