Fishing in Rockingham County, Virginia
Government seat in Harrisonburg; 83,757 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 6lake pages
- 5DWR launches
- 6river pages
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Harrisonburg: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
The angling picture for Rockingham County
Rockingham County keeps its government seat in Harrisonburg and had 83,757 residents in the 2020 Census. DWR points here are numbered DWR Region 4.
6 lakes here carry a page, and Skidmore Reservoir covers the most surface. Count 5 boating access sites here on the DWR boating access layer. The DWR pier layer adds 1 fishing pier for fishing off a deck. The trout schedule shows 210 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 Rockingham 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 Rockingham County worth backing a trailer into
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skidmore Reservoir | 118 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, brook trout, bullhead |
| Lake Shenandoah | 36 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, common carp |
| Silver Lake | 23 acres | lake | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Slate Lick Lake | 10 acres | reservoir | 0 | brook trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Briery Branch Lake | 9 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Hone Quarry | 6 acres | lake | 0 | channel catfish, crappie, walleye |
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 Rockingham County
Tally the lake pages up to 50 miles from Harrisonburg 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 Rockingham County
2 more named lakes and ponds of Rockingham County appear only in this list for now.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hog Pen Lake | lake | 5 acres (DWR outline area) | Dayton |
| Dry Run | lake | 0 acres (DWR outline area) | Elkton |
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.
Rockingham County river and creek listings
- North Fork Shenandoah River3 stocked trout reaches, 6 DWR launches, 3 USGS gauges
- South River5 stocked trout reaches, 3 DWR launches, 3 USGS gauges
- Dry River3 stocked trout reaches
- Hone Quarry Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class III, 10.1 km
- Slate Lick Run1 stocked trout reach
- South Fork Shenandoah River15 DWR launches, 3 USGS gauges
Creeks in Rockingham County that stay on this list (83)
- Naked Creek, SB3 stocked trout reaches
- German Riverwild trout survey class IV, 23.6 km
- Dry River, 07DUR-01wild trout survey class IV, 23.5 km
- German River, 07GER-01Twild trout survey class IV, 20.9 km
- Madison Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 6.3 km
- Skidmore Fork, 07SKD-01wild trout survey class IV, 14.0 km
- Hawksbill Creekwild trout survey class VI, 13.9 km
- Big Ugly Run1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class II, 1.8 km
- Briery Branch, 07BRY-02wild trout survey class III, 11.6 km
- Bible Runwild trout survey class III, 10.5 km
- Black Run, 07BLK-01wild trout survey class II, 10.3 km
- Big Run1 stocked trout reach
- Black Run1 stocked trout reach
- German River1 stocked trout reach
- German River1 stocked trout reach
- Shenandoah River1 stocked trout reach
- Dry River, 07DUR-01Twild trout survey class IV, 9.9 km
- Long Runwild trout survey class IV, 9.4 km
- Smith Creek, 07SMI-01wild trout survey class V, 8.5 km
- Slate Lick Branchwild trout survey class IV, 8.0 km
- Skidmore Fork, 07SKD-01Twild trout survey class IV, 7.4 km
- Big Run, 07BGR-01wild trout survey class II, 7.2 km
- West Swift Runwild trout survey class III, 7.1 km
- Kephart Runwild trout survey class IV, 7.0 km
- Laurel Run, 07LAU-01wild trout survey class II, 7.0 km
- Mountain Runwild trout survey class III/VI, 6.9 km
- Stony Run, 07SYR-01wild trout survey class III, 6.8 km
- Dry Run, 07DNN-01wild trout survey class IV, 6.7 km
- Rocky Run, 07RCK-01wild trout survey class IV, 6.7 km
- Little Laurel Runwild trout survey class II, 6.6 km
- Naked Creek, SB, 07NKS-01Twild trout survey class II, 6.1 km
- Beaver Creek, 07BVR-01wild trout survey class V, 6.0 km
- Onemile Runwild trout survey class I, 6.0 km
- Gum Run, 07GUM-01wild trout survey class IV, 5.8 km
- Dunkle Hollow, 07DNK-01wild trout survey class IV, 5.6 km
- Marshall Runwild trout survey class IV, 5.5 km
- Twomile Runwild trout survey class I, 5.5 km
- Wolf Runwild trout survey class IV, 5.4 km
- Black Run, 07BLK-01Twild trout survey class II, 5.0 km
- Boone Run, 07BON-01wild trout survey class II, 5.0 km
- Carr Runwild trout survey class IV, 5.0 km
- Maple Spring Runwild trout survey class IV, 5.0 km
- Whiteoak Runwild trout survey class II, 4.9 km
- Clay Lick Hollowwild trout survey class IV, 4.8 km
- Camp Rader Runwild trout survey class II, 4.7 km
- Rocky Run, 07RCK-01Twild trout survey class IV, 4.6 km
- Gate Runwild trout survey class VIII, 4.4 km
- Spruce Lick Run, 07SLR-01Twild trout survey class III, 4.4 km
- Low Place Runwild trout survey class II, 4.2 km
- Mines Runwild trout survey class IV, 4.2 km
- Miller Spring Runwild trout survey class IV, 4.1 km
- Sand Runwild trout survey class III, 3.8 km
- Spruce Lick Run, 07SLR-01wild trout survey class III, 3.7 km
- Hopkins Hollowwild trout survey class IV, 3.6 km
- Raccoon Runwild trout survey class VIII, 3.6 km
- Eppert Hollowwild trout survey class II, 3.5 km
- Upper Lewis Runwild trout survey class III, 3.5 km
- Dunkle Hollow, 07DNK-01Twild trout survey class IV, 3.4 km
- Lee Runwild trout survey class IV, 3.4 km
- Lower Lewis Runwild trout survey class II, 3.3 km
- Seventy Buck Lick Runwild trout survey class IV, 3.3 km
- Spring Creek, 07SCR-01wild trout survey class V, 3.3 km
- Peach Runwild trout survey class IV, 3.1 km
- Spruce Run, 07SPC-01wild trout survey class IV, 3.1 km
- Dry Run, 07DRU-01wild trout survey class IV, 2.9 km
- Laurel Run, 07LAU-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.9 km
- Rocky Mountain Runwild trout survey class II, 2.9 km
- Spring Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.9 km
- Beech Lick Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.8 km
- Union Springs Runwild trout survey class II, 2.8 km
- Gum Run, 07GUM-01Twild trout survey class IV, 2.7 km
- Sumac Branchwild trout survey class IV, 2.7 km
- Root Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.6 km
- Sirks Run, 07SRK-01Twild trout survey class IV, 2.6 km
- Bearwallow Run, 07BRW-01wild trout survey class I, 2.5 km
- Boone Run, 07BON-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.5 km
- Briery Branchwild trout survey class V, 2.4 km
- Rattlesnake Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.4 km
- Rocky Runwild trout survey class III, 2.3 km
- Paint Lick Runwild trout survey class IV, 2.1 km
Live discharge inside Rockingham County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Muddy Creek At Mount Clinton, Va | 2 cfs, 2.55 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
| North River Near Burketown, Va | 107 cfs, 1.97 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
| S F Shenandoah River Near Lynnwood, Va | 171 cfs, 2.20 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
| N F Shenandoah River At Cootes Store, Va | 18 cfs, 2.41 ft gage height | Nov 13 8:15 pm |
| Linville Creek At Broadway, Va | 8 cfs, 1.17 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 pm |
| War Branch Below Trib Near Tenth Legion, Va | 2 cfs, 1.38 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:25 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 8:32 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 Rockingham County
- Elkton boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, dock and ramp, freshwater
- Grottoes Park on South RiverSouth River, concrete ramp (no dock), freshwater
- Island Ford boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, gravel access, freshwater
- Lake Shenandoah boat rampLake Shenandoah, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- Port Republic boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah RiverSouth Fork Shenandoah River, dock and ramp, freshwater
Pier listings in Rockingham County
- Grottoes Town ParkTown Park Pond, 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 stocking dates logged in Rockingham County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2026 | Hone Quarry Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 21, 2026 | Briery Branch Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 15, 2026 | South River (Grottoes) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 28, 2026 | Silver Lake | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 15, 2026 | South River (Grottoes) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| May 7, 2026 | Dry River | B | Brook Trout, Tiger Trout |
| May 1, 2026 | Slate Lick Lake | B | Brook Trout |
| May 1, 2026 | Slate Lick Run | B | Brook Trout |
| April 28, 2026 | North Fork Shenandoah River | B | Brown Trout |
| April 23, 2026 | Briery Branch Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 23, 2026 | Hone Quarry Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 15, 2026 | Slate Lick Lake (Double stocking) | B | Brook Trout |
| April 15, 2026 | Slate Lick Run | B | Brook Trout |
| April 15, 2026 | German River | C | Brook Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Briery Branch Lake (Double stocking) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Hone Quarry Lake (Double stocking) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 14, 2026 | Hone Quarry Run | C | Brook Trout |
| April 10, 2026 | South River (Grottoes) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 8, 2026 | Silver Lake | B | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 7, 2026 | Dry River | B | Brook Trout |
Planned 2026 trout water in Rockingham County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briery Branch Lake | Rockingham County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Dry River | Rockingham County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| German River | Rockingham County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| Hone Quarry Lake | Rockingham County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Hone Quarry Run | Rockingham County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| North Fork Shenandoah River | Rockingham County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Silver Lake | Rockingham County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Slate Lick Lake | Rockingham County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Slate Lick Run | Rockingham County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| South River (Grottoes) | Rockingham County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
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).
The 2026 digest table for Rockingham County
For Rockingham 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 Rockingham 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 Rockingham County
The state record list skips water in Rockingham County; these record waters lie within 70 miles.
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 5 lbs. 15 oz. | Cub Run | 2019 |
| White Bass | 6 lbs. 13 oz. | Lake Orange | 1989 |
| Chain Pickerel | 7 lbs. 12 oz. | Douthat Lake | 1974 |
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.
Tackle shops and guides for Rockingham County
Rockingham County tackle counters
- Bridgewater Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Bridgewater
- Heartland Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Dayton
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Past the edges of Rockingham County
Lodging towns spread across Rockingham County
- Bridgewaterpop. 6,596
- Massanetta Springspop. 6,384
- Broadwaypop. 4,170
- Timbervillepop. 2,963
- Elktonpop. 2,941
- Grottoespop. 2,899
- Daytonpop. 1,688
Close localities to Rockingham County
- City of Harrisonburg5 miles south
- Page County23 miles east
- City of Staunton26 miles south
- Greene County27 miles southeast
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Rockingham County
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Rockingham County, in pictures
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: crudmucosa, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bill McChesney, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Mike Oswald, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing Rockingham County: common questions
How many DWR launches does Rockingham County have?
DWR access data has 5 boating access sites, such as Elkton boat ramp on South Fork Shenandoah River.
Which Rockingham County lake stretches widest?
Skidmore Reservoir, at 118 acres.
Which species top the DWR lists near Rockingham 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 Rockingham County?
It has 2 listed, Bridgewater Rod & Reel among them.
Which Virginia town hosts the courts of Rockingham County?
Its offices are in Harrisonburg.
What license covers fishing in Rockingham County?
DWR sells the annual freshwater license for $23 to residents and $47 to anglers who live elsewhere.
Which counties and cities ring Rockingham County?
The nearest locality pages are City of Harrisonburg, Page County and City of Staunton.
Is Rockingham County in a numbered DWR region?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Which Rockingham County spots suit boatless anglers?
DWR shows 1 fishing pier, including Grottoes Town Park.
Do any waters of Rockingham 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 Rockingham County?
The DWR schedule carries 210 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 21, 2026; category A) at Hone Quarry Lake.
Hook up the boat and head for Rockingham County
Open a lake for its launches and special rules.