Burnt Mills Reservoir Fishing
Public reservoir fishing in Isle of Wight County, 711 acres.
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Burnt Mills Reservoir, the short version
Covering 711 acres, Burnt Mills Reservoir is a reservoir in Isle of Wight County. Ice, gas and groceries wait in Windsor, roughly 5 miles off.
Below sit the launches, the fish and the keep rules.
Acres as stated on the Virginia DWR waterbody page, read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Census 2023 places.
The DWR waterbody page on Burnt Mills Reservoir
Burnt Mills is 711 acres and dates back to the early 1940s. The upper half of the lake is very stumpy and caution is required when motoring through the lake. The main tributary (Great Swamp) is a dense cypress swamp. The lake has good populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, chain pickerel, black crappie, and redear sunfish. Fish population surveys indicate most species have remained stable in terms of numbers and average size for the past ten years. Yellow perch appear to be increasing in abundance.
The DWR text on Burnt Mills Reservoir appears unedited above.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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- Boat motors (DWR layer)12 HP
- DWR region numberDWR Region 1
These Burnt Mills Reservoir entries come from DWR layers, word for word where possible.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
What swims in Burnt Mills Reservoir, per DWR
Nothing here for Burnt Mills Reservoir is an angler report; it is what DWR names.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Boat ramps serving Burnt Mills Reservoir
The DWR access layer has nothing on Burnt Mills Reservoir itself.
Ramps worth knowing close to Burnt Mills Reservoir
- Western Branch boat ramp on Lake PrinceLake Prince, 4 miles southeast
- Butler Lake boat ramp on Lone Star LakesLone Star Lakes, 5 miles east
- Jones Creek boat rampJones Creek, 10 miles northeast
- Blackwater Bridge boat rampBlackwater River, 12 miles west
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Size and creel at Burnt Mills Reservoir
| Species as printed | Applies to | 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 |
Unless the digest singles out Burnt Mills Reservoir for a species, the statewide row decides.
What the DWR page lists under rules for Burnt Mills Reservoir
- Gas motors (up to 9.9 horsepower) are allowed. The City of Norfolk has amended their codes to allow boats with outboard motors larger than 9.9 horse power to access the lake if the gas tanks are removed or the outboard is disabled (prop removed).
- Bank fishing is prohibited.
- Either a daily or annual boat permit is required from the City of Norfolk.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
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.
Sizing Burnt Mills Reservoir against nearby impoundments
Among the five nearest lake pages, Western Branch Reservoir is the biggest at 1,265 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnt Mills Reservoir | this water | 711 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Prince | 4 miles south | 946 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Western Branch Reservoir | 4 miles southeast | 1,265 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lone Star Lakes | 5 miles east | 50 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Lake Cohoon | 7 miles south | 510 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Meade | 8 miles southeast | 512 acres | 0 | 0 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Old Dominion stops around Burnt Mills Reservoir
Other impoundments a short drive from Burnt Mills Reservoir
- Lake Prince4 miles south
- Western Branch Reservoir4 miles southeast
- Lone Star Lakes5 miles east
- Lake Cohoon7 miles south
- Lake Meade8 miles southeast
Bloodworm and minnow counters en route to Burnt Mills Reservoir
- Harbor View Partners, 2602 Nansemond Pkwymarina, Suffolk, 8 miles
- G Daddy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Carrollton, 9 miles
- Brown's Marinamarina, Carrollton, 11 miles
- Harbor View Partners, 106 Sharpe Drmarina, Suffolk, 12 miles
- Leeward Municipal Marinamarina, Newport News, 16 miles
- Gregs Bait Shackbait and tackle shop, Portsmouth, 17 miles
Towns that make a good base for Burnt Mills Reservoir
- Windsor5 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Smithfield8 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Carrollton10 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Suffolk11 miles, City of Suffolk
Each locality touching Burnt Mills Reservoir, linked
- Isle of Wight Countycounty seat Isle of Wight
A Piscifun spread to take to Burnt Mills Reservoir
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Photo ID for the fish swimming at Burnt Mills Reservoir
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Andy Sloane, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sorting out Burnt Mills Reservoir, question by question
Which part of Virginia is Burnt Mills Reservoir in?
Set the GPS for Isle of Wight County, about 5 miles from Windsor.
What size is Burnt Mills Reservoir?
It spans 711 acres.
Which Commonwealth ramp puts a bass boat on Burnt Mills Reservoir?
Back down at Western Branch boat ramp on Lake Prince, roughly 4 miles away.
Which fish does a Virginia angler find in Burnt Mills Reservoir?
Expect black crappie, bluegill, chain pickerel, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish and yellow perch, per DWR.
Do I measure bass at Burnt Mills Reservoir?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Which license should I carry at Burnt Mills Reservoir?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Anglers under 16 need none.
Is Burnt Mills Reservoir worth a trip with no boat on the trailer?
The pier layer is empty for this water.
Does any listed bait store serve Burnt Mills Reservoir?
Try Harbor View Partners (about 8 miles away).
Head out to Burnt Mills Reservoir this season
Read the creel rows before the bow leaves the ramp.