Hungry Mother Lake Fishing
A reservoir in Smyth County, 108 acres.
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The essentials of Hungry Mother Lake
In Smyth County, the reservoir known as Hungry Mother Lake covers 108 acres. The closest Census place is Marion, about 3 miles away.
DWR boating access data shows 1 boat ramp on it. The pier layer adds 1 fishing pier.
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.
How DWR describes Hungry Mother Lake
Hungry Mother Lake is a 108-acre impoundment located in Hungry Mother State Park in Smyth County. The lake supports a host of sport fish including largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, crappie, channel catfish, carp, sunfish, rock bass, muskellunge, and walleye. Walleyes, and musky are stocked annually; all other populations are self-sustaining. Alewives are the primary forage fish. Don’t let the lake’s proximity to the Town of Marion and the Interstate 81 corridor discourage you.
These are DWR sentences on Hungry Mother Lake, cut to whole sentences.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
For the largemouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Motor rule and facilities at Hungry Mother Lake
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Electric Motors Only
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, accessible facilities, food concession, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, hiking trails, bike trails, fishing pier or platform, boat ramps, electric motors only, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 3
Only the fields DWR fills in for Hungry Mother Lake appear here.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Species DWR lists for Hungry Mother Lake
The DWR fishing outlook grid for Hungry Mother Lake
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | best bet |
| Panfish | present |
For Hungry Mother Lake, species come from DWR pages and trout records rather than from catches.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
DWR-mapped launches on Hungry Mother Lake
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungry Mother State Park | dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater | DCR | From Marion, Rt 16 North, R on SR 617 (1.4); L on SR 750 |
Walk-in fishing on Hungry Mother Lake
- Hungry Mother State Parkfishing pier
Virginia launches flanking Hungry Mother Lake
- Saltville boat ramp on North Fork Holston RiverNorth Fork Holston River, 13 miles west
- Rural Retreat Lake boat rampRural Retreat Lake, 13 miles east
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.
Cooler math for Hungry Mother Lake under Virginia rules
| 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 |
The 2026 statewide rows are the default on Hungry Mother Lake.
DWR page rule lines for Hungry Mother Lake
- Bass
- 12 to 16 inch protected slot limit.
- Bass may be harvested smaller than 12 inches and larger than 16 inches.
- 5 fish/day, with only one fish larger than 16 inches.
- Muskellunge
- 42 inches minimum
- 1 fish/day
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- 18 inches minimum
- 2 fish/day
- Walleye
- 18 inches minimum
- 5 fish/day
- Catfish
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.
Hungry Mother Lake among nearby lakes
Next to Hungry Mother Lake, Laurel Bed Lake is the giant of the group at 330 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungry Mother Lake | this water | 108 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Rural Retreat Lake | 13 miles east | 90 acres | 1 | 31 |
| Laurel Bed Lake | 17 miles west | 330 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Hales Lake | 17 miles southeast | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 31 |
| Beartree Lake | 18 miles southwest | 10 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 22 |
| Lincolnshire Lake | 18 miles north | 29 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 31 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Just off Hungry Mother Lake, by road
Another Virginia impoundment after Hungry Mother Lake
- Rural Retreat Lake13 miles east
- Laurel Bed Lake17 miles west
- Hales Lake17 miles southeast
- Beartree Lake18 miles southwest
- Lincolnshire Lake18 miles north
Filling the bait bucket close to Hungry Mother Lake
- Bottom Dwellers Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Cedar Bluff, 20 miles
- New River Sports-Wythevillebait and tackle shop, Wytheville, 25 miles
Places to stay near Hungry Mother Lake
- Marion3 miles, Smyth County
- Chilhowie10 miles, Smyth County
- Saltville13 miles, Smyth County
- Rural Retreat14 miles, Wythe County
The Virginia counties and cities along Hungry Mother Lake
- Smyth Countycounty seat Marion
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Hungry Mother Lake
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Hungry Mother Lake, in pictures
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Hungry Mother Lake, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
How do I find Hungry Mother Lake on a Virginia map?
Point the map at Smyth County, about 3 miles from Marion.
How many acres is Hungry Mother Lake?
Size on record: 108 acres.
Does DWR keep a public launch on Hungry Mother Lake?
Use Hungry Mother State Park, the single DWR launch.
What swims in Hungry Mother Lake?
The DWR list includes common carp, channel catfish, crappie, muskellunge, rock bass, spotted bass and walleye.
How many largemouth can go home from Hungry Mother Lake?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
What does DWR charge to fish Hungry Mother Lake?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Anyone not yet 16 is excused from buying one.
Where can bank anglers fish Hungry Mother Lake?
DWR maps one fishing pier there: Hungry Mother State Park.
What tackle store is handiest for Hungry Mother Lake trips?
Bottom Dwellers Tackle Inc (about 20 miles away) heads the shop list.
Load the cooler for Hungry Mother Lake
Each 2026 Virginia fee and creel row is linked below.