Lake Anna Fishing
A reservoir in Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties, 9,600 acres.
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The essentials of Lake Anna
In Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties, the reservoir known as Lake Anna covers 9,600 acres. The closest Census place is Lake Land'Or, about 11 miles away.
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 Lake Anna
Lake Anna is a 9,600-acre impoundment located in Louisa, Orange, and Spotsylvania counties, owned by the Dominion Power Company. The impoundment was completed in 1972 and serves as cooling water for the North Anna Nuclear Power Station. Initial stockings began in 1972, with introductions of Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, and Channel Catfish. Blueback Herring and Threadfin Shad were successfully introduced in the 1980’s to provide additional forage for pelagic (open-water) predators.
Getting to Lake Anna
Lake Anna is located midway between Fredericksburg and Richmond but to the West. The lake borders three counties of Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania. Access Site: Maps: Check your local bait & tackle shop for commercial maps.
These are DWR sentences on Lake Anna, cut to whole sentences.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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- Boat motors (DWR layer)Unlimited HP
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, hiking trails, boat ramps, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 4
Only the fields DWR fills in for Lake Anna 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 Lake Anna
The DWR fishing outlook grid for Lake Anna
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | present |
| Panfish | present |
For Lake Anna, 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 Lake Anna
No DWR launch sits on Lake Anna, so the neighbours are listed.
Walk-in fishing on Lake Anna
- Dyke III fishing pier on Lake Annafishing 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.
Cooler math for Lake Anna 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 Lake Anna.
DWR page rule lines for Lake Anna
- Largemouth Bass
- 5 per day in the aggregate
- No length limits
- Bluegill / Sunfish
- 50 per day in the aggregate
- No length limits
- Striped Bass / Hybrid Striped Bass
- 4 per day in aggregate
- 20” minimum
- Channel Catfish
- 20 per day
- No length limits
- Crappie
- 25 per day
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.
Virginia club and trail stops on Lake Anna
Every sourced event on Lake Anna is on its tournament page.
Lake Anna among nearby lakes
Next to Lake Anna, Ni Reservoir is the giant of the group at 411 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Anna | this water | 9,600 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Northeast Creek Reservoir | 10 miles west | 187 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Ni Reservoir | 19 miles northeast | 411 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Orange | 21 miles northwest | 124 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Motts Run Reservoir | 24 miles northeast | 160 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Old Cossey Pond | 24 miles northeast | 3 acres | 0 | 19 |
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 Lake Anna, by road
Another Virginia impoundment after Lake Anna
- Northeast Creek Reservoir10 miles west
- Ni Reservoir19 miles northeast
- Lake Orange21 miles northwest
- Motts Run Reservoir24 miles northeast
- Old Cossey Pond24 miles northeast
Filling the bait bucket close to Lake Anna
- Lake Anna Beach Marinamarina, Bumpass, 2 miles
- Sturgeon Creek Marina Incmarina, Spotsylvania, 6 miles
- Dockside Realty at Lake Annamarina, Mineral, 6 miles
- High Point Marinamarina, Mineral, 6 miles
- Angler's Landingfly shop, Orange, 21 miles
- Ken's Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Fredericksburg, 23 miles
Virginia captains and guides who work Lake Anna
- White Lightning Sport Fishingcharter, Fredericksburg, (703) 407-2700
Places to stay near Lake Anna
- Lake Land'Or11 miles, Caroline County
- Lake Caroline13 miles, Caroline County
- Louisa14 miles, Louisa County
- Spotsylvania Courthouse16 miles, Spotsylvania County
The Virginia counties and cities along Lake Anna
- Louisa Countycounty seat Louisa
- Orange Countycounty seat Orange
- Spotsylvania Countycounty seat Spotsylvania Courthouse
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Lake Anna
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Lake Anna, in pictures
Photo: Wilbur Ince, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jim, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Bill McChesney, CC BY 2.0
Lake Anna, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
How do I find Lake Anna on a Virginia map?
Point the map at Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties, about 11 miles from Lake Land'Or.
How many acres is Lake Anna?
Size on record: 9,600 acres.
Does DWR keep a public launch on Lake Anna?
No mapped launch is near it.
What swims in Lake Anna?
The DWR list includes black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill, bullhead, channel catfish, crappie and hybrid striped bass.
How many largemouth can go home from Lake Anna?
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 Lake Anna?
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 Lake Anna?
DWR maps one fishing pier there: Dyke III fishing pier on Lake Anna.
What tackle store is handiest for Lake Anna trips?
Lake Anna Beach Marina (about 2 miles away) heads the shop list.
Load the cooler for Lake Anna
Each 2026 Virginia fee and creel row is linked below.