Lake Cohoon Fishing
DWR-listed reservoir water in City of Suffolk, 510 acres.
Pick for largemouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Suffolk: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
First notes on Lake Cohoon
Find Lake Cohoon, a reservoir of 510 acres, in City of Suffolk. It sits about 4 miles from Suffolk.
Ramps, fish and Virginia limits come next.
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.
DWR notes on fishing Lake Cohoon
Lake Cohoon is one of four water supply reservoirs owned by the City of Portsmouth but located in Suffolk. Lake Meade, Lake Kilby, and Speights Run are the other three. Cohoon (510 acres) offers excellent fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, chain pickerel, bluegill, and redear sunfish. It produces several six-pound chain pickerel each winter and is consistently one of the district’s top producers of big fish. Between 1998 and 2002, 66 trophy chain pickerel were reported, more than any other lake in the district.
For Lake Cohoon, the block above is copied from the DWR waterbody page.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
For the largemouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Motors, parking and more at Lake Cohoon
- Boat motors (DWR layer)10 HP
- Facilities DWR marksfee, parking, food concession, boat ramps, horsepower limit, paddle access
- DWR region numberDWR Region 1
Each line repeats a field DWR keeps for Lake Cohoon; blank fields are left off.
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.
Fish Virginia DWR names at Lake Cohoon
Where Lake Cohoon shines, per DWR
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | present |
| Catfish | present |
| Panfish | present |
Every fish listed for Lake Cohoon has a DWR source behind it.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Trailer ramps the DWR lists at Lake Cohoon
DWR maps no boating access site on Lake Cohoon; the closest ones follow.
Neighbouring boat ramps around Lake Cohoon
- Western Branch boat ramp on Lake PrinceLake Prince, 4 miles north
- Butler Lake boat ramp on Lone Star LakesLone Star Lakes, 9 miles northeast
- Blackwater Bridge boat rampBlackwater River, 13 miles west
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Keep rules for Lake Cohoon
| 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 |
At Lake Cohoon, start from the statewide rows and then read any water line.
Regulations tab on the DWR page for Lake Cohoon
- A permit (daily or annual) from the City of Portsmouth is required for fishing or boat on their lakes.
- Permits are valid for all four lakes.
- Daily permits can be purchased at the Cohoon-Meade Fishing Station on Pitchkettle Road (757-397-4215).
- Applications for annual permits can be obtained at the following places: 1) Cohoon-Meade Fishing Station; 2) Dashiell’s Half-Round Showroom on Holland Road in Suffolk, and 3) Portsmouth Utilities Department on Crawford Street, PortGas motors (up to 9.9 horsepower) are allowed.
- Bank fishing is limited to the shore at the fishing station, excluding the dam.
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 lakes clustered near Lake Cohoon
On size, Western Branch Reservoir heads the lakes around Lake Cohoon with 1,265 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Cohoon | this water | 510 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Meade | 3 miles east | 512 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Prince | 3 miles north | 946 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Lake Kilby | 3 miles southeast | 222 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Speight’s Run | 3 miles south | 197 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Western Branch Reservoir | 5 miles northeast | 1,265 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.
Close to Lake Cohoon on the Commonwealth map
More Virginia lakes within reach of Lake Cohoon
- Lake Meade3 miles east
- Lake Prince3 miles north
- Lake Kilby3 miles southeast
- Speight’s Run3 miles south
- Western Branch Reservoir5 miles northeast
Stores with hooks, line and lures around Lake Cohoon
- Harbor View Partners, 2602 Nansemond Pkwymarina, Suffolk, 6 miles
- G Daddy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Carrollton, 14 miles
- Harbor View Partners, 106 Sharpe Drmarina, Suffolk, 15 miles
- Gregs Bait Shackbait and tackle shop, Portsmouth, 16 miles
- Virginia Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Franklin, 16 miles
- Brown's Marinamarina, Carrollton, 17 miles
A bed and a breakfast counter near Lake Cohoon
- Suffolk4 miles, City of Suffolk
- Windsor6 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Carrollton14 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Smithfield15 miles, Isle of Wight County
Locality pages that take in Lake Cohoon
- City of Suffolkindependent city
Piscifun tackle that suits Lake Cohoon
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Lake Cohoon
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Andy Sloane, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Questions on Lake Cohoon before the truck is loaded
Where in the Commonwealth is Lake Cohoon?
Our records place it in City of Suffolk, about 4 miles from Suffolk.
How big is Lake Cohoon?
It is listed at 510 acres.
Does Lake Cohoon have a DWR launch?
No DWR ramp here; Western Branch boat ramp on Lake Prince lies about 4 miles off.
Which fish does Virginia DWR name at Lake Cohoon?
DWR names bluegill, chain pickerel, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish and walleye.
Is there a length limit on bass at Lake Cohoon?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Can a visitor fish Lake Cohoon?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. DWR asks nothing of anglers under 16.
Is there a fishing pier on Lake Cohoon?
DWR records no fishing pier for it.
Which Virginia bait counter sits closest to Lake Cohoon?
Nearest in our list: Harbor View Partners (about 6 miles away).
Rig up for Lake Cohoon before sunrise
Buy the Virginia license online before you go.