Emporia Reservoir Fishing
Greensville County holds this reservoir, 210 acres.
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Emporia Reservoir, sized up for Virginia anglers
Greensville County is home to Emporia Reservoir, a reservoir sized at 210 acres. Emporia lies about 3 miles from the map point.
Trailers go in at 1 boat ramp DWR maps.
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.
What Virginia DWR writes about Emporia Reservoir
Emporia Reservoir is a 210-acre reservoir in Greensville County on the Meherrin River. The lake has some largemouth bass, some big white crappie (the only District 2 water known to have white crappie), and plenty of small sunfish. Long-nose gar and redhorse suckers are abundant. In 1990, a fish lift (passage) went into operation, allowing shad and herring to run up to and over the dam on the river enabling them to continue on to historic spawning grounds. The lake is very turbid and shallow.
The quoted text above belongs to Virginia DWR and is reproduced as its page prints it for Emporia Reservoir.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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- Boat motors (DWR layer)10 HP
- DWR region numberDWR Region 1
DWR layers supply every row for Emporia Reservoir; nothing is guessed.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
DWR-listed fish at Emporia Reservoir
The fish shown for Emporia Reservoir are the ones DWR names on its page, trout layers, stocking schedule or record list, not a catch report.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Launch sites around Emporia Reservoir
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia boat ramp | dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater | City of Emporia | From Rt 58 in Emporia; Rt 619 South 1 mile |
Alternate DWR ramps when Emporia Reservoir overflows
- Farmers Market boat ramp on Meherrin RiverMeherrin River, 2 miles east
- Meherrin ParkMeherrin River, 3 miles southeast
- Purdy boat ramp on Nottoway RiverNottoway River, 10 miles north
- Brunswick Lake boat rampBrunswick Lake, 11 miles northwest
- Jarratt boat ramp on Nottoway RiverNottoway River, 11 miles northeast
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Creel and length rules at Emporia 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 |
A water-specific line for Emporia Reservoir would override the statewide row.
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.
Commonwealth lakes sitting near Emporia Reservoir
The largest neighbour of Emporia Reservoir in this table is Lake Gaston, 20,300 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia Reservoir | this water | 210 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Brunswick Lake | 11 miles northwest | 150 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Great Creek Watershed Lake | 18 miles west | 212 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Fort Pickett Lakes | 26 miles northwest | 384 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Gaston | 27 miles southwest | 20,300 acres | 3 | 0 |
| Lake Airfield | 34 miles northeast | 115 acres (DWR outline area) | 1 | 0 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Within a tank of gas of Emporia Reservoir
Lakes in the same corner of Virginia as Emporia Reservoir
- Brunswick Lake11 miles northwest
- Great Creek Watershed Lake18 miles west
- Fort Pickett Lakes26 miles northwest
- Lake Gaston27 miles southwest
- Lake Airfield34 miles northeast
Old Dominion towns a quick hop from Emporia Reservoir
- Emporia3 miles, City of Emporia
- Lawrenceville15 miles, Brunswick County
- Courtland29 miles, Southampton County
- South Hill30 miles, Mecklenburg County
County and city guides tied to Emporia Reservoir
- Greensville Countycounty seat Emporia
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Emporia Reservoir
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Old Dominion water near Emporia Reservoir, on camera
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jim, CC BY-SA 2.0
What a Virginia tackle counter hears about Emporia Reservoir
Which Virginia town makes the nearest base for Emporia Reservoir?
Its home locality is Greensville County, about 3 miles from Emporia.
Is Emporia Reservoir a big lake by Virginia standards?
Call it 210 acres.
How many DWR ramps serve Emporia Reservoir?
Only Emporia boat ramp appears on the DWR layer.
Which species does DWR list for Emporia Reservoir?
DWR sources name crappie, longnose gar, largemouth bass and white crappie.
How many bass may I keep from Emporia Reservoir?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Does a teenager need a DWR license at Emporia Reservoir?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Youth under 16 are exempt.
Does DWR map a pier on Emporia Reservoir?
No DWR pier is mapped; ramp areas are the usual bank spots.
Where do anglers fishing Emporia Reservoir buy tackle?
The Virginia store list holds nothing inside 25 miles.
Tow the johnboat over to Emporia Reservoir
License prices and special rules are on the regulations page.