Fishing in Washington County, Virginia
Government seat in Abingdon; 53,935 residents at the 2020 Census.
- 3lake pages
- 4DWR launches
- 8river pages
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What fishing in Washington County looks like
Washington County numbered 53,935 people in 2020; the seat sits at Abingdon. The DWR layers number local access points as DWR Region 3. Part of South Holston Reservoir lies in the next state over.
By acreage, South Holston Reservoir leads the 3 lake pages here. DWR access data puts 4 boating access sites within the boundary. Pier anglers get 1 fishing pier on the DWR pier layer. Count 282 stocking dates on the DWR trout schedule here.
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.
Washington County lakes with a page of their own
| Lake | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Holston Reservoir | 7,580 acres | reservoir | 2 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Hidden Valley Lake | 61 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish |
| Beartree Lake | 10 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | brook trout, rainbow trout |
Washington County has few paged lakes of its own; here are the next ones out from Abingdon.
| Lake | From Abingdon | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Bed Lake | 20 miles northeast | 330 acres | lake | 1 | bluegill, brook trout, rainbow trout |
| Hungry Mother Lake | 27 miles northeast | 108 acres | reservoir | 1 | common carp, channel catfish, crappie |
| Bark Camp Lake | 32 miles west | 61 acres | lake | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
| Rural Retreat Lake | 40 miles east | 90 acres | reservoir | 1 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Lincolnshire Lake | 40 miles northeast | 29 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Hales Lake | 40 miles east | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | brown trout, rainbow trout, tiger 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.
Which species DWR names most near Washington County
Lake pages out to 50 miles from Abingdon were tallied by fish, with bluegill on top.
Species DWR names on waterbody pages and its fishing grid, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a survey of fish numbers.
Moving water through Washington County
- South Fork Holston River6 stocked trout reaches, 2 USGS gauges
- Big Brumley Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Big Tumbling Creek (Clinch Fee Fishing Area)2 stocked trout reaches
- Middle Fork Holston River2 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class VI, 29.0 km
- Straight Branch1 stocked trout reach
- Tennessee Laurel1 stocked trout reach
- Valley Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Whitetop Laurel3 stocked trout reaches, wild trout survey class I, 22.3 km
Remaining named streams in Washington County (47)
- Brumley Creek, 03BRU-01Twild trout survey class III, 46.5 km
- Beaver Creek, 03BVR-01wild trout survey class VI, 26.6 km
- Laurel Creek, 03LAL-01Twild trout survey class II, 24.2 km
- Whitetop Laurel Upper Section2 stocked trout reaches
- Brumley Creek, 03BRU-01wild trout survey class III, 18.2 km
- Spring Creek, 03SPR-01wild trout survey class VI, 15.4 km
- Beaverdam Creek, 03BVD-01Twild trout survey class III, 11.6 km
- Brumley Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Green Cove Creek1 stocked trout reach
- Whitetop Laurel lower Section D1 stocked trout reach
- Wolf Creek (Washington County)1 stocked trout reach
- Valley Creek, 03VAL-01Twild trout survey class III, 9.8 km
- Rush Creek, 03RUS-01wild trout survey class II, 9.3 km
- Cox Mill Creek, 03CXC-01Twild trout survey class II, 9.2 km
- Green Cove Creek, 03GRE-01wild trout survey class II, 8.7 km
- Toole Creek, 03TOO-01wild trout survey class II, 8.7 km
- Laurel Creek, 03LAL-01wild trout survey class II, 7.1 km
- Greendale Creekwild trout survey class VI, 6.5 km
- Cox Mill Creek, 03CXC-01wild trout survey class II, 6.4 km
- Straight Creekwild trout survey class VI, 6.2 km
- Sinking Creek, 03SNK-01wild trout survey class VI, 6.1 km
- Mill Creek, 03MLC-01wild trout survey class II, 6.0 km
- Rockhouse Run, 03RCH-01wild trout survey class II, 5.4 km
- Rockhouse Run, 03RCH-01Twild trout survey class II, 5.1 km
- Bucks Branchwild trout survey class VI, 4.6 km
- Sturgill Branchwild trout survey class II, 4.3 km
- Valley Creek, 03VAL-01wild trout survey class III, 3.8 km
- Feather Camp Branchwild trout survey class II, 3.5 km
- Buckeye Creek, 03BKE-01wild trout survey class III, 3.4 km
- London Bridge Branchwild trout survey class II, 3.4 km
- Beaverdam Creek, 03BVD-01wild trout survey class III, 3.2 km
- Berry Creek, 02BRR-01wild trout survey class VI, 3.1 km
- Hall Creek, 03HAL-01Twild trout survey class V, 3.1 km
- Brush Creekwild trout survey class III, 3.0 km
- Star Hill Branch, 03STR-01wild trout survey class II, 3.0 km
- Steel Creekwild trout survey class VI, 2.9 km
- Hall Creek, 03HAL-01wild trout survey class V, 2.8 km
- Buckeye Creek, 03BKE-01Twild trout survey class III, 2.5 km
- Back Fork, 03BAC-01wild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Green Cove Creek, 03GRE-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.2 km
- Rush Creek, 03RUS-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.0 km
- Toole Creek, 03TOO-01Twild trout survey class II, 2.0 km
- Star Hill Branch, 03STR-01Twild trout survey class II, 1.4 km
- Spring Creek, 03SPR-01Twild trout survey class VI, 1.1 km
- Berry Creek, 02BRR-01Twild trout survey class VI, 0.9 km
- Back Fork, 03BAC-01Twild trout survey class II, 0.7 km
- Grosses Creek, 03GRC-01Twild trout survey class VI, 0.1 km
USGS gauges reading in Washington County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| S F Holston River Near Damascus, Va | 126 cfs, 2.48 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 pm |
| M F Holston River Near Meadowview, Va | 88 cfs, 2.04 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:45 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.
Points where trailers back down in Washington County
- Avens boat ramp on South Holston ReservoirSouth Holston Reservoir, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater
- Hidden Valley Lake boat rampHidden Valley Lake, concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater
- Whitaker Hollow boat ramp on South Holston ReservoirSouth Holston Reservoir, concrete ramp, 2 ramps, freshwater
- Clinch Mountain boat ramp on North Holston RiverNorth Holston River, concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, freshwater
Fishing from a pier in Washington County
- Bear Tree Recreation Area on Beartree LakeBeartree 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.
Washington County on the DWR trout schedule
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Big Brumley Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| October 26, 2026 | Big Tumbling Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 7, 2026 | Whitetop Laurel (Upper) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 7, 2026 | Tennessee Laurel | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 30, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 29, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 27, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 23, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 22, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 20, 2026 | Whitetop Laurel (Upper) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 20, 2026 | Tennessee Laurel | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 16, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 15, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 13, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 12, 2026 | Big Tumbling Creek | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 12, 2026 | Big Brumley Creek | B | Rainbow Trout |
| May 11, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 9, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
| May 6, 2026 | Clinch Mountain | + | Rainbow Trout |
2026 planned trout releases in Washington County
| Water | County or city as printed | Category | Category meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beartree Lake | Washington County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Big Brumley Creek | Washington County | B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | |
| Big Tumbling Creek | Washington County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Big Tumbling Creek | Washington County | CR | catch and release, stocked 3 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Straight Branch | Washington County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | yes |
| Tennessee Laurel | Washington County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Valley Creek | Washington County | C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | |
| Whitetop Laurel (Lower) | Washington County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Whitetop Laurel (Upper) | Washington County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
Trout water rules printed for Washington County
| Water | County or city as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Tumbling Creek | Washington | Seasonal Catch and Release | yes |
| Brumley Creek | Washington | Catch and Release | |
| Green Cove Creek | Washington | Catch and Release | |
| Whitetop Laurel Creek | Washington | 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).
Digest limits for anglers in Washington County
A Washington County lake with no digest line of its own keeps to the rows below. The freshwater license runs $23 a year at resident rates and $47 at nonresident rates.
| 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 |
Waters inside Washington County carrying separate digest lines (6)
| Water | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| South Holston Reservoir | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No smallmouth less than 15 inches |
| South Holston Reservoir | White Bass | No harvest or possession (catch and release only) |
| Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs | Crappie (black or white) | No crappie less than 10 inches; South Holston Res. — 15 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
| South Holston Reservoir | Rock Bass (redeye) | 20 per day |
| South Holston Reservoir | Trout | 7 fish per day—only 2 lake trout. No minimum size. |
| South Holston Reservoir | All Catfish | 20 per day, only 1 catfish per day longer than 34 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.
Virginia record fish linked to Washington County
| Species | Weight as printed | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Trout | 14 lbs. 12 oz. | South Fork Holston River | 1990 |
| Sauger | 5 lbs. 8 oz. | South Holston Reservoir | 1972 |
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.
Bass trail stops in Washington County
0 of the 1 posted events on water of Washington County lie ahead.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2026 | Fishers of Men Virginia West – Classic – South Holston 2026-05-02 | South Holston | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages (DWR publishes no tournament calendar); checked November 2026.
Where anglers in Washington County buy their bait
Buying bait in Washington County
- Virginia Creeper Fly-Fishingbait and tackle shop, Abingdon
- Sportsman Marinamarina, Abingdon
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; guide and charter business listings (matched by the waters they list or their locality), read November 6, 2026.
Leaving Washington County
Towns inside Washington County
- Abingdonpop. 8,376
- Glade Springpop. 1,367
Counties and cities around Washington County
- City of Bristol15 miles southwest
- Russell County15 miles northwest
- Smyth County24 miles east
- Tazewell County34 miles northeast
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Washington County
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Washington County, in pictures
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
Photo: LookoutBelle, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
What anglers ask about Washington County
What launch count does DWR give Washington County?
The DWR layer shows 4 boating access sites, starting with Avens boat ramp on South Holston Reservoir.
On which Washington County impoundment can a boat run the farthest?
South Holston Reservoir, at 7,580 acres.
Which species does DWR list most often on lakes by Washington County?
Bluegill leads the count of lake pages within 50 miles, then channel catfish, crappie and rainbow trout; DWR names them on its waterbody pages.
Do Yellow Pages listings show tackle sellers inside Washington County?
2 listed shops, beginning with Virginia Creeper Fly-Fishing.
What town serves Washington County as its seat?
It is Abingdon.
Do waters of Washington County require a fishing license?
The freshwater license runs $23 a year at resident rates and $47 at nonresident rates.
Which localities touch Washington County?
The next locality pages over are City of Bristol, Russell County and Smyth County.
Which DWR region do access points in Washington County fall in?
DWR lakes, ramps or piers inside it carry the number for DWR Region 3.
Where can I fish from a pier in Washington County?
Try Bear Tree Recreation Area on Beartree Lake, one of 1 fishing pier DWR records here.
Which tournaments have used water of Washington County?
Organizers posted 1 event here, none of them still ahead.
Which lakes in Washington County have special regulations?
The digest lists 6 water exceptions here, starting with South Holston Reservoir; the table above shows each.
What does the trout schedule show for Washington County?
The DWR schedule carries 282 stocking dates; the newest lists Rainbow Trout (October 26, 2026; category B) at Big Brumley Creek.
Has a lake in Washington County produced a Virginia record?
Brown Trout, 14 lbs. 12 oz., 1990, from South Fork, Holston.
Choose a reservoir or trout creek in Washington County
Every lake page lists the fish DWR names there.