Virginia Special Regulation Trout Waters

• Jackson River Tail­water (Alleghany County)Bait Allowed: From Gathright Dam downstream to the Westvaco Dam at Covington: No rainbow trout 12 to 16 inches; no brown trout less than 20 inches; 4 trout (combined rainbow and brown) creel (harvest) limit per day, only 1 of 4 can be a brown trout over 20 inches.
• Lake Moomaw (Alleghany/Bath Counties)Bait Allowed: The entire reservoir has the special 16-inch minimum size limit and 2 fish per day creel limit on trout. Bait allowed.
• Smith River (Henry County)Bait Allowed: From Philpott Dam downstream to the State Route 636 bridge crossing (Mitchell Bridge) located approximately 31 miles downstream of Philpott Dam and approximately 10.5 miles below Martinsville Dam: No brown trout 10 to 24 inches, only 1 brown trout per day long.
• South Holston Reservoir (Washington County)Bait Allowed: 7 per day creel (harvest) limit, only 2 of 7 can be a Lake trout; no length limits. See licenses and regulations in the reciprocal section on the License Information page . Bait allowed.
• Cabin Creek (Grayson County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of stream and its tributaries within the Grayson Highlands State Park and the Jefferson National Forest Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. See above for more information on the area.
• Conway River/Devils Ditch (Greene and Madison Counties)9-inch Minimum: That portion of Conway River and its major tributary, Devils Ditch, within the Rapidan Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the Shenandoah National Park. The stream lies north of Stanardsville and can be reached by Route 615 from Graves Mill.
• Garth Run (Madison County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of stream within the Rapidan WMA. The stream can be reached by Route 615 from Graves Mill. Most of the stream is accessible only by foot as the streams enters a gorge.
• Little Stony Creek (Giles County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of stream within the Jefferson National Forest. The stream is located near Pembroke and can be reached by Route 623.
• Little Stony Creek (Shenandoah County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of stream within the George Washington National Forest, including Woodstock Reservoir. The stream is located west of Woodstock and the Forest Service Road 92 crosses the lower portion of the special regulation section.
• Mill Creek (Giles County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of Mill Creek and its tributaries upstream of the Poplar Street Bridge in the Town of Narrows (Mill Creek flows through the National Forest in Giles County and the Town of Narrows.) The stream can be accessed from a parking area on Northview Stree.
• North Fork Buffalo River (Amherst County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of the stream and its tributaries within the George Washington National Forest. Access is available by a forest trail off Forest Road 51 or from the end of State Route 635.
• St. Mary’s River (Augusta County)9-inch Minimum: All portions of the stream and its tributaries above the gate near the George Washington National Forest property line. The stream lies east of Raphine off Route 608, a short distance from I-81.
• Ramsey’s Draft (Augusta County)9-inch Minimum: That portion of the stream and its tributaries within the George Washington National Forest.
• Buffalo Creek (Rockbridge County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: That portion from the confluence of Collier’s Creek upstream 2.9 miles to the confluence of North and South Buffalo creeks. The stream flows through private land and *a free written landowner permit is required to fish these waters.
• Dan River (Patrick County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: That portion from Talbott Dam approximately 6 miles downstream to a sign posted just upstream from the confluence of the Dan River and Townes Reservoir.
• Jackson River (Bath County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: That portion from the Forest Service swinging bridge, located just upstream from the mouth of Muddy Run, upstream 3 miles to the last ford on Forest Service Road 481D.
• Pound River (Dickenson County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: That portion from a sign 0.4 miles below Flannagan Dam downstream 1.2 miles to a sign just upstream of the confluence of the Pound River and the Russell Fork River. The section can be accessed from Flannagan Dam, which is owned and operated by the U.S.
• Roaring Run (Botetourt County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: The 1-mile special trophy trout section is located in the Jefferson National Forest between the third foot bridge upstream of the Roaring Run Furnace Day Use Area and the Botetourt/Alleghany County line.
• South Fork Holston River (Smyth County)16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: This section includes approximately 4 miles of stream extending from 500 feet above the concrete dam at Buller Fish Hatchery, upstream to the upper Jefferson National Forest boundary (above the crossing of the Appalachian Trail).
• Mossy Creek (Augusta County)20-inch Minimum, 1 Fish Per Day, Flyfishing Only: A 4-mile portion of stream upstream from the Augusta/Rockingham county line to a sign posted at the confluence of Joseph’s Spring. The stream is located just off Route 42 south of Bridgewater.
• South River (Augusta County)20-inch Minimum, 1 Fish Per Day, Flyfishing Only: That portion of South River from North Oak Lane Bridge in Waynesboro upstream to a sign posted approximately 1.5 miles above the Rt. 626 (Shalom Road) Bridge.
• Beaver Creek (Washington County)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream and its tributaries within the boundaries of Sugar Hollow Park in the City of Bristol.
• Big Stony Creek (Mountain Fork)(Wise and Scott Counties)Catch and Release Only: That portion of Big Stony Creek (Mountain Fork) and its tributaries within the Jefferson National Forest from the outlet of High Knob Lake downstream to the confluence of Chimney Rock Fork and Big Stony Creek.
• Brumley Creek (Washington County)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream and its tributaries from the Hidden Valley WMA boundary upstream to the Hidden Valley Lake Dam. This portion of stream is hike-in access only from the Hidden Valley WMA.
• Dan River (Patrick County)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream and its tributaries between the Townes Dam and the Pinnacles Hydroelectric Powerhouse.
• East Fork Chestnut Creek (Farmers Creek) (Grayson and Carroll Counties)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream and its tributaries upstream from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The stream lies south of Galax, crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway a short distance east of Route 89.
• Little Stony Creek (Scott County)Catch and Release Only: That portion of Little Stony Creek and its tributaries within the Jefferson National Forest from the Falls of Little Stony Creek downstream to a posted sign at the Hanging Rock Recreation Area.
• Little Tumbling Creek (Smyth and Tazewell Counties)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream within the Clinch Mountain WMA. Access is available from Route 91 via a WMA access road that parallels the lower 2 miles of stream. Access to the headwaters is by foot only.
• Big Tumbling Creek (Russell, Smyth, and Washington Counties)Catch and Release Only: Seasonal Catch and Release Only (October 1st until five days prior to the start of the Fee Fishing Season. Closed to angling five days prior to the start of the Fee Fishing Season).
• North Creek (Botetourt County)Catch and Release Only: That portion of stream and its tributaries upstream from a sign at the North Creek Campground. The stream is located east of Buchanan, a short distance from I-81.

Special regulation trout waters 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.