Fishing in Rockbridge County, Virginia
Government seat in Lexington; 22,650 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 2lake pages
- 3DWR launches
- 4river pages
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Rockbridge County fishing at a glance
Seat: Lexington. Residents: 22,650, by the 2020 Census tally for Rockbridge County. Local DWR records show DWR Region 4.
The 2 paged lakes here are headed, by size, by Lake Robertson. A trailer can go in at 3 boating access sites here, per DWR records. Without a boat, 1 fishing pier are on the DWR list. Its water appears in 111 stocking dates of the DWR trout schedule.
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.
Reservoirs and ponds within Rockbridge County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Robertson | 31 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| Cave Mountain Lake | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
From Lexington, the lakes below lie outside Rockbridge County.
| Lake | From Lexington | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Lake | 16 miles south | 7 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass |
| Thrasher Lake | 18 miles southeast | 36 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, crappie |
| Stonehouse Lake | 19 miles east | 41 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, crappie |
| Douthat Lake | 21 miles northwest | 50 acres | lake | 0 | black crappie, brook trout, chain pickerel |
| Clifton Forge Reservoir | 22 miles west | 9 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Abbott Lake | 25 miles south | 24 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, bullhead, smallmouth 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.
Lake-page species counts for Rockbridge County
Within 50 miles of Lexington, DWR lists largemouth bass on more lake pages than any other fish.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Ponds rounding out the Rockbridge County count
2 smaller named waters round out the Rockbridge County list.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Merriweather | lake | 382 acres (NHD outline area) | Lexington |
| Lexington Reservoir | reservoir | 25 acres (DWR outline area) | Clifton Forge |
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.
Streams that cross Rockbridge County
- Maury River1 stocked trout reach, 2 DWR launches, 2 USGS gauges
- Buffalo Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class V, 4.8 km, 1 USGS gauge
- Irish Creek1 stocked trout reach
- James River (Upper and Middle)24 DWR launches, 8 USGS gauges
Named Rockbridge County creeks that have no page yet (52)
- Otts Creek, 10OTS-01Twild trout survey class III, 21.4 km
- South River2 stocked trout reaches
- South Buffalo Creek, 10SBF-01wild trout survey class II, 19.3 km
- Cedar Creek, 10CEC-01wild trout survey class II, 10.7 km
- Big Marys Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Guys Run1 stocked trout reach
- South Buffalo Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Irish Creek, 10ISH-01wild trout survey class III, 9.2 km
- Guys Run, 10GUY-01wild trout survey class II, 9.0 km
- Irish Creek, 10ISH-01Twild trout survey class III, 8.9 km
- Big Marys Creek, 10BMC-01wild trout survey class II, 8.7 km
- Elk Creek, EF, 10EKE-01wild trout survey class II, 8.7 km
- Brattons Run, 10BRT-01wild trout survey class II, 7.1 km
- South Buffalo Creek, 10SBF-01Twild trout survey class II, 7.1 km
- Gochenour Branchwild trout survey class II, 7.0 km
- Otts Creek, 10OTS-01wild trout survey class III, 6.9 km
- Belle Cove Branch, 10BLV-01wild trout survey class IV, 6.4 km
- Nettle Creekwild trout survey class II, 6.2 km
- Little Marys Creekwild trout survey class II, 5.3 km
- Lowry Runwild trout survey class III, 5.1 km
- Alum Creek, 10ALU-02wild trout survey class II, 5.0 km
- North Buffalo Creekwild trout survey class VI, 5.0 km
- Back Runwild trout survey class VI, 4.8 km
- Elk Creek, EF, 10EKE-01Twild trout survey class II, 4.8 km
- Davidson Runwild trout survey class II, 4.5 km
- Laurel Run, 10LAR-01wild trout survey class I, 4.3 km
- Poplar Cove Runwild trout survey class III, 4.3 km
- Pedlar Gap Runwild trout survey class III, 4.1 km
- Piney Branch, 10PVB-01wild trout survey class II, 3.8 km
- Reservoir Hollow, 10RES-01wild trout survey class II, 3.8 km
- White Rock Runwild trout survey class IV, 3.8 km
- Bennetts Runwild trout survey class II, 3.7 km
- Big Bend Creekwild trout survey class IV, 3.3 km
- Bennetts Run, SFwild trout survey class IV, 3.2 km
- Bennetts Run, NFwild trout survey class IV, 3.0 km
- Kelso Spring Branchwild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Nettle Spring Branchwild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Rock Branchwild trout survey class IV, 2.7 km
- Alum Creek, 10ALU-01wild trout survey class VI, 2.6 km
- Indian Gap Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.6 km
- Belfast Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.4 km
- Wigwam Creekwild trout survey class II, 2.3 km
- Brattons Run, 10BRT-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Laurel Run, 10LAR-01Twild trout survey class I, 2.2 km
- Marlbrook Creekwild trout survey class V, 2.1 km
- Belle Cove Branch, 10BLV-01Twild trout survey class IV, 2.0 km
- Reservoir Hollow, 10RES-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.9 km
- Guys Run, 10GUY-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.8 km
- Big Marys Creek, 10BMC-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.7 km
- Elk Creek, 10ELK-02wild trout survey class VI, 1.6 km
- Dark Hollow, 10DKH-01wild trout survey class IV, 1.1 km
- Elk Creek, 10ELK-01wild trout survey class VI, 0.9 km
Gauge readings flowing in from Rockbridge County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Calfpasture River Above Mill Creek At Goshen, Va | 10 cfs, 1.42 ft gage height | Nov 13 9:45 pm |
| Maury River At Rockbridge Baths, Va | 30 cfs, 0.96 ft gage height | Nov 13 10:00 pm |
| Kerrs Creek Near Lexington, Va | 7 cfs, 2.64 ft gage height | Nov 13 9:45 pm |
| Maury River Near Buena Vista, Va | 70 cfs, 1.19 ft gage height | Nov 13 10:10 pm |
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.
Recorded launches in Rockbridge County
- Glasgow boat ramp on James River (Upper and Middle)James River (Upper and Middle), hand launch (boat slide), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- Locher boat ramp on Maury RiverMaury River, concrete ramp (no dock), freshwater
- VMI/Rte. 60 boat ramp on Maury RiverMaury River, gravel access, freshwater
Decks for Rockbridge County anglers without a boat
- Lake Robertson fishing pierLake Robertson, 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.
Catchable trout releases across Rockbridge County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 30, 2026 | Maury River | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 22, 2026 | Maury River | A | Brown Trout |
| May 22, 2026 | Mill Creek | A | Brown Trout |
| May 14, 2026 | Irish Creek | B | Brook Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Cave Mountain Lake (Kid's Day Event) | + | Rainbow Trout |
| April 30, 2026 | South River | B | Brown Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 15, 2026 | Cave Mountain Lake | Rainbow Trout | |
| April 8, 2026 | Irish Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| April 6, 2026 | Maury River | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 6, 2026 | Mill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 2, 2026 | Cave Mountain Lake | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout | |
| March 24, 2026 | Irish Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| March 20, 2026 | Maury River | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| March 20, 2026 | Mill Creek | A | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| March 13, 2026 | South River | B | Rainbow Trout, Tiger Trout |
| March 6, 2026 | Irish Creek | B | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| February 19, 2026 | South River | B | Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| February 18, 2026 | Maury River | A | Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| February 18, 2026 | Mill Creek | A | Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| January 23, 2026 | Maury River | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
Rockbridge County on the 2026 catchable trout plan
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Creek | Rockbridge County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Maury River | Rockbridge County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Mill Creek | Rockbridge County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| South River | Rockbridge County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 |
Restricted trout reaches in Rockbridge County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Creek | Rockbridge | 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).
What a stringer may hold in Rockbridge County
Statewide rows hold across Rockbridge County; named exceptions follow the table. Virginians 16 and older pay $23 for a year of freshwater fishing; visitors from other states pay $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 |
Water-specific digest lines in Rockbridge County (1)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to the 14th St. Bridge in Richmond | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 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.
The record list as it touches Rockbridge County
No state record on the DWR list traces to water in Rockbridge County, so record waters within 70 miles are shown.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Pickerel | 7 lbs. 12 oz. | Douthat Lake | 1974 |
| Fallfish | 3 lbs. 13 oz. | Jackson River | 2025 |
| Striped Bass | 53 lbs. 7 oz. | Leesville Reservoir | 2000 |
| 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.
Marinas, tackle and captains of Rockbridge County
Shops listed for Rockbridge County
- Journey Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Lexington
Captains and guides booking Rockbridge County water
- Blue Ridge Fishing Adventurescharter, Rockbridge Baths, (719) 205-5466
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Close by Rockbridge County
Rockbridge County town pages
- Glasgowpop. 1,052
Bordering localities of Rockbridge County
- City of Lexington2 miles south
- City of Buena Vista8 miles southeast
- Amherst County21 miles southeast
- Bath County23 miles northwest
Piscifun reels for a Virginia day on Rockbridge County
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Shorelines around Rockbridge County through a camera
Photo: Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Mackenzie Brooks, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Nannette Turner, CC BY 2.0
Questions on water across Rockbridge County
Where does a bass boat go in within Rockbridge County?
DWR counts 3 boating access sites; Glasgow boat ramp on James River (Upper and Middle) is one of them.
Which paged lake in Rockbridge County covers the most acres?
Lake Robertson, at 31 acres.
What might a visiting angler target around Rockbridge County?
Largemouth bass leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then bluegill, channel catfish and brook trout; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Does a Yellow Pages bait listing fall inside Rockbridge County?
Journey Outdoors heads a local list of 1.
Where is the government seat of Rockbridge County?
Lexington holds the courthouse.
What license does fishing in Rockbridge County call for?
Virginians 16 and older pay $23 for a year of freshwater fishing; visitors from other states pay $47.
Which localities lie just past Rockbridge County?
Measured centre to centre, City of Lexington, City of Buena Vista and Amherst County are nearest.
What region number do DWR points in Rockbridge County carry?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Is a DWR fishing pier open to the public in Rockbridge County?
1 fishing pier appear on the DWR layer, Lake Robertson fishing pier among them.
Which digest exceptions reach Rockbridge County?
The digest lists 1 water exception here, starting with James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to ; the table above shows each.
Has DWR released trout into water of Rockbridge County?
The DWR schedule carries 111 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Tiger Trout (October 30, 2026; category A) at Maury River.
Give a Saturday to the water of Rockbridge County
Lake pages carry launches, DWR notes and digest exceptions.