Lake Meade Fishing
This lake lies in City of Suffolk, 512 acres.
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Lake Meade in brief
Lake Meade is a Virginia lake in City of Suffolk, listed at 512 acres. The nearest community on the Census list is Suffolk, some 4 miles distant.
Read on for ramps, species and the cooler 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.
Lake Meade in the words of Virginia DWR
Lake Meade is the youngest Portsmouth water supply lake. It was impounded in 1960 on the mainstem of the Nansemond River. It is horseshoe shaped with lakes Kilby and Speight’s Run on one arm and Lake Cohoon on the other. The lake is 512 acres and has a maximum depth of about 25-feet.
DWR wrote the passage above about Lake Meade; check its page for updates.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Site amenities DWR lists for Lake Meade
- Boat motors (DWR layer)10 HP
- DWR region numberDWR Region 1
The rows on Lake Meade mirror DWR records.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Species on the DWR page for Lake Meade
DWR wording drives the Lake Meade species list; generic labels stay unlinked.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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There is no DWR ramp for Lake Meade; ask the owner before towing.
More DWR launches near Lake Meade
- Western Branch boat ramp on Lake PrinceLake Prince, 4 miles north
- Butler Lake boat ramp on Lone Star LakesLone Star Lakes, 8 miles north
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia limits in force on Lake Meade
| 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 |
Those statewide digest rows govern Lake Meade unless an exception below names it.
DWR regulation notes on Lake Meade
- Gas motors (up to 9.9 horsepower) are allowed
- Boat permits are required from the City of Portsmouth (757-397-4215).
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.
Lake Meade next to its Virginia neighbours
If Lake Meade feels crowded, Western Branch Reservoir spreads across 1,265 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Meade | this water | 512 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Kilby | 2 miles southwest | 222 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Cohoon | 3 miles west | 510 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Speight’s Run | 4 miles southwest | 197 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Western Branch Reservoir | 5 miles north | 1,265 acres | 0 | 0 |
| Lake Prince | 5 miles northwest | 946 acres | 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.
Around Lake Meade, within a Virginia drive
Other Virginia reservoirs close to Lake Meade
- Lake Kilby2 miles southwest
- Lake Cohoon3 miles west
- Speight’s Run4 miles southwest
- Western Branch Reservoir5 miles north
- Lake Prince5 miles northwest
Where to buy bait before Lake Meade
- Harbor View Partners, 2602 Nansemond Pkwymarina, Suffolk, 4 miles
- Harbor View Partners, 106 Sharpe Drmarina, Suffolk, 13 miles
- G Daddy's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Carrollton, 13 miles
- Gregs Bait Shackbait and tackle shop, Portsmouth, 14 miles
- Nautical Boatsmarina, Portsmouth, 15 miles
- Shipwright Marinamarina, Portsmouth, 16 miles
Virginia towns close to Lake Meade
- Suffolk4 miles, City of Suffolk
- Windsor9 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Carrollton14 miles, Isle of Wight County
- Portsmouth15 miles, City of Portsmouth
The localities Lake Meade runs through
- City of Suffolkindependent city
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Lake Meade
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Shorelines around Lake Meade through a camera
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Lake Meade: what Old Dominion anglers keep asking
Which Virginia locality holds Lake Meade?
Look in City of Suffolk, about 4 miles from Suffolk.
Roughly how much water is Lake Meade?
About 512 acres.
Which DWR access site suits a first trip to Lake Meade?
None is mapped on it; the closest DWR ramp is Western Branch boat ramp on Lake Prince, about 4 miles away.
What might bite for a Virginia angler at Lake Meade?
DWR lists bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish and striped bass.
Which digest bass row covers Lake Meade?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Does a Virginia freshwater license cover Lake Meade?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Under-16 anglers are exempt.
Can a bank angler work the shoreline of Lake Meade?
No dedicated pier appears on DWR data.
Which shop is on the way to Lake Meade?
Stop at Harbor View Partners (about 4 miles away).
Plan a Saturday on Lake Meade
Check the digest, then pick a ramp.