Fishing in Scott County, Virginia
Government seat in Gate City; 21,576 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 1lake pages
- 5DWR launches
- 5river pages
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Scott County for fishing, in summary
At the 2020 count Scott County had 21,576 residents and ran its business from Gate City. Within its lines, DWR data lists DWR Region 3.
Bark Camp Lake is the largest of 1 local lakes with a page. DWR Boating Access Locations places 5 boating access sites inside its lines. DWR data also shows 1 fishing pier. DWR trout stocking data lists 104 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 Scott County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bark Camp Lake | 61 acres | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
Past the Scott County line come these lake pages, each with its distance from Gate City.
| Lake | From Gate City | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Keokee | 21 miles northwest | 92 acres | reservoir | 1 | bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Hidden Valley Lake | 31 miles northeast | 61 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| North Fork Pound Reservoir | 33 miles north | 154 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| South Holston Reservoir | 35 miles east | 7,580 acres | reservoir | 2 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Flannagan Reservoir | 40 miles north | 1,143 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, common carp, channel catfish |
| Laurel Bed Lake | 48 miles northeast | 330 acres | lake | 1 | bluegill, brook trout, rainbow trout |
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.
Scott County area lakes sorted by fish
Each bar counts lake pages within 50 miles of Gate City where DWR names the fish; bluegill 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.
Scott County creeks and rivers
- Big Moccasin Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Big Stony Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Little Stony Creek (Scott County)1 stocked trout reach
- Stock Creek1 stocked trout reach, wild trout survey class VI, 7.3 km
- Clinch River9 DWR launches, 2 USGS gauges
Further named Virginia creeks in Scott County (21)
- Little Stony Creek Section2 stocked trout reaches
- Stony Creek, 02SNY-01wild trout survey class VI, 13.4 km
- Little Stony Creek, 02LSR-01wild trout survey class VI, 13.2 km
- Valley Creek, 02VLE-01wild trout survey class VI, 10.7 km
- Mountain Fork1 stocked trout reach
- Cove Creek, 02COV-01wild trout survey class VI, 9.5 km
- Obeys Creekwild trout survey class VI, 8.9 km
- Culbertson Creekwild trout survey class VI, 7.9 km
- Straight Forkwild trout survey class VI, 7.8 km
- Amos Branchwild trout survey class VI, 7.5 km
- Devil Forkwild trout survey class VI, 7.1 km
- Fall Creek, 02FLC-01wild trout survey class VI, 6.9 km
- Cowan Creekwild trout survey class VI, 6.0 km
- Powers Branchwild trout survey class VI, 5.3 km
- Gillenwater Branchwild trout survey class VI, 4.9 km
- Laurel Fork, 02LUF-01wild trout survey class VIII, 4.7 km
- Lark Creekwild trout survey class VI, 4.6 km
- Jessee Branchwild trout survey class VI, 3.1 km
- Gray Branchwild trout survey class VI, 2.0 km
- Fall Creek, 02FLC-01Twild trout survey class VI, 1.7 km
- Palmer Branchwild trout survey class VI, 1.0 km
Scott County stream gauges, live
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| N F Holston River Near Gate City, Va | 164 cfs, 1.73 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:15 pm |
| Clinch River At Speers Ferry, Va | 263 cfs, 2.83 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:15 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.
Scott County boating access on the DWR layer
- Bark Camp Lake boat rampBark Camp Lake, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- Clinchport boat rampClinch River, gravel access, freshwater
- Dungannon boat ramp on Clinch RiverClinch River, gravel access, freshwater
- Rexrena (Copper Creek) boat ramp on Clinch RiverClinch River, hand launch, freshwater
- State Line boat ramp on Clinch RiverClinch River, concrete ramp (no dock), freshwater
Piers and platforms across Scott County
- Bark Camp Lake fishing pierBark Camp 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.
Hatchery trout deliveries to Scott County
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 28, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 1, 2026 | Big Moccasin Creek | DH | Rainbow Trout |
| October 1, 2026 | Stock Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 14, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Brook Trout |
| May 13, 2026 | Big Stony Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 13, 2026 | Little Stony Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 6, 2026 | Stock Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 24, 2026 | Stock Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 23, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 17, 2026 | Big Stony Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 17, 2026 | Little Stony Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| April 3, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 2, 2026 | Big Moccasin Creek | DH | Rainbow Trout |
| March 25, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| March 16, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Brown Trout |
| March 13, 2026 | Big Stony Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| March 13, 2026 | Little Stony Creek | B | Brown Trout |
| March 3, 2026 | Big Moccasin Creek | DH | Rainbow Trout |
| March 3, 2026 | Stock Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| February 20, 2026 | Bark Camp Lake | A | Rainbow Trout |
Trout plan listings for Scott County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bark Camp Lake | Scott County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Big Moccasin Creek | Scott County | DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | |
| Big Stony Creek | Scott County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Little Stony Creek | Scott County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | yes |
| Stock Creek | Scott County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 |
Scott County trout streams with their own rules
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Mocassin Creek | Scott | Delayed Harvest | yes |
| Little Stony Creek | Scott | 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).
Creel and length rows that cover Scott County
Statewide creel and length rows cover Scott 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 |
Digest exceptions for Scott County water (1)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Clinch River–within the boundaries of Scott, Wise, Russell or Tazewell counties | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 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 weights from water of Scott County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauger | 3 lbs. | Clinch River | 2010 |
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.
Virginia tackle and captain listings in Scott County
Marinas and bait counters inside Scott County
- Wally's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Gate City
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Neighbouring pages for Scott County
Town listings for Scott County
- Gate Citypop. 2,043
- Weber Citypop. 1,250
Neighbours of Scott County
- City of Norton15 miles north
- Wise County18 miles north
- City of Bristol26 miles east
- Lee County29 miles west
A Piscifun spread to take to Scott County
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Sorting out the Scott County species by sight
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Richard Hurd, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Scott County fishing, asked and answered
Can the public launch a boat inside Scott County?
DWR lists 5 boating access sites; Bark Camp Lake boat ramp comes first.
Which Scott County lake has the most surface?
Bark Camp Lake, at 61 acres.
What species does DWR name on lakes around Scott County?
Bluegill leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Where does a Scott County angler buy bait?
Start at Wally's Sporting Goods; the local list has 1.
In which town are the Scott County offices?
The seat is Gate City.
What does a visitor pay to fish in Scott County?
Residents buy the yearly freshwater license at $23; out-of-state anglers spend $47.
Which Virginia counties and cities are close to Scott County?
Look at City of Norton, Wise County and City of Bristol next.
Does DWR number a region for Scott County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 3.
Is there a fishing pier in Scott County?
DWR pier data has 1 fishing pier; Bark Camp Lake fishing pier is one.
Do any lakes in Scott County break from the statewide rows?
The digest lists 1 water exception here, starting with Clinch River–within the boundaries of Scott, Wise, Russell or Tazewell counties; the table above shows each.
Is trout water in Scott County stocked?
The DWR schedule carries 104 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 28, 2026; category A) at Bark Camp Lake.
Which record weights came from Scott County?
Sauger, 3 lbs., 2010, from Clinch River.
Fish Scott County over a long weekend
River pages carry USGS gauges that update on their own.