Pound River Fishing
A river through Dickenson County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of John W. Flannagan Reservoir: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
What a Virginia angler should know about the Pound River
The Pound River crosses Dickenson County. Clintwood lies roughly 9 miles away.
Live numbers come from 1 USGS gauge. Hatchery trout go into 2 stocked reaches of it. About 3.5 km of it is classed as wild trout water. Special trout regulations apply to part of it.
Virginia DWR waterbody pages, Stocked Trout Reaches and Cold Water Stream Survey layers and Boating Access Locations; USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 DWR notes on fishing the Pound River
Didymo in Virginia 2008 The Pound River below Flannagan Dam in Dickenson County is the largest tail-water trout fishery in southwest Virginia. The cold-water release from the dam provides a unique habitat that is suitable for trout in this 1.6-mile stretch of the Pound River, before it empties into the Russell Fork River. The Department manages this unique resource to provide both stocked trout and special regulation trout fishing opportunities.
How DWR says to reach Pound River
Directions to the Pound River below Flannagan Dam & the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office can be found at the following link .
These sentences on Pound River belong to Virginia DWR.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Live Virginia gauge readout for the Pound River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Pound River Below Flannagan Dam, Near Haysi, Va | 547 cfs, 2.88 ft gage height | Oct 1 12:45 am Not updated since Oct 1, 2024. |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 7:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Provisional USGS data feed the Pound River panel.
| USGS site | Name |
|---|---|
| 03209000 | POUND RIVER BELOW FLANNAGAN DAM, NEAR HAYSI, VA |
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
The fish DWR records for the Pound River
The Pound River list repeats DWR names; generic labels stay unlinked.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Cold Water Stream Survey trout streams (reach class I to IV, length, species present), read November 6, 2026.
Getting onto the Pound River
No DWR launch sits on Pound River itself.
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Trout reaches on the Pound River
| Reach | Locality | Category | Species stocked | Heritage Day | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pound River | Dickenson | SR | brown | ||
| Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | Dickenson | A (stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31) | rainbow, brown |
Pound River carries 2 reaches on the stocked trout layer, category category A and SR.
Virginia DWR Stocked Trout Reaches and Stocked Trout Lakes layers (category, species, heritage day), read November 6, 2026.
What the cold water survey found in the Pound River
| Reach code | Class | Length | Species present |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01PNR-01 | VI | 3.47 km | brown |
On Pound River, survey classes run VI.
Virginia DWR Cold Water Stream Survey trout streams (reach class I to IV, length, species present), read November 6, 2026.
Fly, lure and harvest rules for the Pound River
| Water | Locality as printed | Regulation | Trout license Oct 1 to Jun 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pound River | Dickenson | 16 inch / 2 per day | |
| Pound River | Wise | Delayed Harvest | yes |
- 16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: Pound River (Dickenson County)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. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Delayed Harvest Waters: North Fork of Pound and Pound Rivers (Wise County)That portion of the streams from the base of North Fork of Pound Dam downstream to the confluence with Indian Creek. Access is available at the North Fork of Pound Dam and at parking lots within the town of Pound.
- 16-inch Minimum, 2 Fish Per Day: Pound River (Dickenson County)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. Army Corps of Engineers.
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.
Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
Catchable trout deliveries to the Pound River
| Date | Water as listed | Category | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout |
| April 27, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| April 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Brook Trout |
| March 24, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Brown Trout |
| March 9, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| February 17, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| January 22, 2026 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| October 16, 2025 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| May 9, 2025 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout |
| April 24, 2025 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
| March 27, 2025 | Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | A | Rainbow Trout |
The schedule shows 2026-27 1 date; 2025-26 8 dates; 2024-25 7 dates; 2023-24 8 dates on Pound River.
Plan category for the Pound River
| Water as printed | Locality as printed | Category | Meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | Dickenson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026. 2026 Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (category letters as printed), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia creel and length for the Pound River
| 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 |
On Pound River, statewide rows hold where no exception speaks.
- Stocked Trout Waters
- Statewide Freshwater Fishing License required year-round
- Special Trout License required October 1st through June 15th
- Creel Limit – 6 trout / day
- 7-inch minimum size limit
- Special Regulation Area
- Statewide Freshwater Fishing License required year-round
- Only Artificial Lures with Single Hook may be used in these waters.
- Creel Limit – 2 trout/day
- Minimum size – 16 inches
- Fishing must cease when creel limit is obtained
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. Designated stocked trout waters also need the $23 trout license from October 1 to June 15.
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.
The Pound River next to nearby creeks and rivers
| Stream | Distance | DWR access sites | USGS gauges | Stocked reaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pound River | this stream | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Cranesnest River | 8 miles southwest | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Frying Pan Creek | 10 miles southeast | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Levisa Fork | 11 miles northeast | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Russell Fork River | 14 miles southeast | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Clear Creek | 25 miles southwest | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations and Stocked Trout Reaches, USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.
Just off Pound River, by road
Another Virginia impoundment after Pound River
- Flannagan Reservoir2 miles
- North Fork Pound Reservoir19 miles
- Bark Camp Lake27 miles
Filling the bait bucket close to Pound River
- Eastern Fishing and Rental Toolsbait and tackle shop, Norton, 24 miles
Places to stay near Pound River
- Clintwood9 miles, Dickenson County
- Coeburn21 miles, Wise County
- Wise22 miles, Wise County
The Virginia counties and cities along Pound River
- Dickenson Countycounty seat Clintwood
Virginia streams near the Pound River
- Cranesnest River8 miles
- Frying Pan Creek10 miles
- Levisa Fork11 miles
- Russell Fork River14 miles
- Clear Creek25 miles
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to Pound River
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to Pound River, in pictures
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: LookoutBelle, CC BY 2.0
Sorting out the Pound River, question by question
Where does the Pound River show up on a Virginia road map?
Head for Dickenson County, about 9 miles from Clintwood.
Is there a DWR ramp on the Pound River?
No DWR site is nearby.
Which fish does DWR tie to the Pound River?
Expect brown trout, smallmouth bass, brook trout and rainbow trout, per DWR.
Are there wild trout in the Pound River?
DWR stocks 2 reaches of it, coded category A and SR. Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
How many bass may go home from the Pound River?
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 the Pound River?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Designated stocked trout waters also need the $23 trout license from October 1 to June 15. Anyone not yet 16 is excused from buying one.
Where do I check flow on the Pound River?
The panel above draws on 1 USGS gauge.
What tackle store is handiest for the Pound River trips?
Eastern Fishing and Rental Tools (about 24 miles away) heads the list.
Wet-wade the Pound River before the leaves turn
Every 2026 fee is one click away.