Fishing in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Government seat in Spotsylvania Courthouse; 140,032 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 4lake pages
- 2DWR launches
- 2river pages
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Anna: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
How Spotsylvania County stacks up for a rod and reel
The 2020 Census counted 140,032 people across Spotsylvania County, with Spotsylvania Courthouse as the seat. DWR layer points inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Biggest among 4 local lake pages: Lake Anna. The boundary holds 2 boating access sites by the DWR access count. Boatless fishing comes from 1 fishing pier in DWR data.
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.
Lakes and reservoirs filed under Spotsylvania County
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Anna | 9,600 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill |
| Hunting Run Reservoir | 420 acres | reservoir | 0 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
| Ni Reservoir | 411 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, chain pickerel, crappie |
| Motts Run Reservoir | 160 acres | reservoir | 1 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
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 Spotsylvania County
Bars show how many lake pages within 50 miles of Spotsylvania Courthouse name each fish; channel catfish 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.
Spotsylvania County ponds and lakes kept to a list
Inside Spotsylvania County, 3 further named waters get a table row instead of a page.
| Water | Kind | Area | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fawn Lake | lake | 265 acres (NHD outline area) | Lake Wilderness |
| Ruffins Pond | lake | 123 acres (NHD outline area) | Fredericksburg |
| Anna State Park Pond | pond | 1 acres (DWR outline area) | Louisa |
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 Spotsylvania County
- Upper Rappahannock River1 DWR launch, 2 USGS gauges
- Rapidan River (Trout Section)2 DWR launches, 1 USGS gauge
Spotsylvania County USGS stations
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| North Anna River Near Partlow, Va | 34 cfs, 3.49 ft gage height | Nov 13 8:15 pm |
| Po River Near Spotsylvania, Va | 14 cfs, 1.56 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:45 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.
Trailer-ready DWR sites around Spotsylvania County
- Hunting Run boat ramp on Rapidan River (Trout Section)Rapidan River (Trout Section), hand launch (boat slide), freshwater
- Motts boat ramp on Motts Run ReservoirMotts Run Reservoir, hand launch (boat slide), freshwater
Fishing piers of Spotsylvania County
- Motts Run Reservoir fishing pierMotts Run Reservoir, 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.
Keeper counts in force across Spotsylvania County
Freshwater in Spotsylvania 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 |
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.
Heaviest Virginia catches by Spotsylvania County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 31 lbs. 4 oz. | Motts Run Reservoir | 1994 |
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.
Tournament days on Spotsylvania County water
7 organizer events tie to water of Spotsylvania County, and 1 are still ahead.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 27, 2027 | Fishers of Men Virginia East – Classic – Lake Anna | Lake Anna | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| May 3, 2026 | CATT VA – Lake Anna Division Final 2026-05-03 | Lake Anna | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| March 28, 2026 | Fishers of Men Virginia East – Legacy – Lake Anna 2026-03-28 | Lake Anna | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| March 22, 2026 | CATT VA – Lake Anna Division 2026-03-22 | Lake Anna | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| March 14, 2026 | Fishers of Men Virginia East – Classic – Lake Anna 2026-03-14 | Lake Anna | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| March 1, 2026 | CATT VA – Lake Anna Division 2026-03-01 | Lake Anna | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
| Feb. 8, 2026 | CATT VA – Lake Anna Division 2026-02-08 | Lake Anna | Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT) |
Organizer schedule and results pages (DWR publishes no tournament calendar); checked November 2026.
Stores and paid captains across Spotsylvania County
Bloodworms, line and lures in Spotsylvania County
- Ken's Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Fredericksburg
- Dockside Realty at Lake Annamarina, Mineral
- High Point Marinamarina, Mineral
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 3708 Plank Rdsporting goods store, Fredericksburg
- Sturgeon Creek Marina Incmarina, Spotsylvania
Paid fishing trips in Spotsylvania County
- White Lightning Sport Fishingcharter, Fredericksburg, (703) 407-2700
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Onward from Spotsylvania County
Communities within Spotsylvania County
- Spotsylvania Courthousepop. 5,610
- Lake Wildernesspop. 2,960
The counties and cities ringing Spotsylvania County
- City of Fredericksburg12 miles northeast
- Caroline County20 miles southeast
- Orange County20 miles west
- Stafford County20 miles northeast
Piscifun tackle that suits Spotsylvania County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photo ID for the fish swimming at Spotsylvania County
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Replies for Spotsylvania County anglers
At which launches can a trailer back down within Spotsylvania County?
You can pick from 2 boating access sites, Hunting Run boat ramp on Rapidan River (Trout Section) among them.
What is the largest lake page inside Spotsylvania County?
Lake Anna, at 9,600 acres.
Which fish live in the lakes around Spotsylvania County, per DWR?
Channel catfish leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then bluegill, largemouth bass and crappie; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
What tackle sellers do the listings show in Spotsylvania County?
The listings hold 5 here, such as Ken's Tackle Shop.
Where is Spotsylvania County government business done?
Courthouse business happens in Spotsylvania Courthouse.
What does DWR charge to fish in Spotsylvania County?
Budget $23 for the resident freshwater license, or $47 as a nonresident.
Which localities border Spotsylvania County?
City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County and Orange County sit closest on the map.
Which region does DWR data give Spotsylvania County?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 4.
Where can children fish from a deck in Spotsylvania County?
Start with Motts Run Reservoir fishing pier; DWR lists 1 fishing pier.
When is the next posted weigh-in on water of Spotsylvania County?
7 events on file; the next is Fishers of Men Virginia East – Classic – Lake Anna on Lake Anna, Feb. 27, 2027.
Which state records trace to water of Spotsylvania County?
Northern Pike, 31 lbs. 4 oz., 1994, from Motts Run Reservoir.
Spend a sunrise on the water in Spotsylvania County
Each launch name opens a directions link.