Powell River Fishing
River and creek fishing in Lee and Wise counties.
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The Powell River, sized up for Virginia anglers
Look for the Powell River, a river, in Lee and Wise counties. The closest Census place is Pennington Gap, about 4 miles from the mapped point.
It has 3 access sites on DWR records. 2 USGS gauges measure it. 2 stocked reaches carry DWR stocked trout.
Virginia DWR waterbody pages, Stocked Trout Reaches and Cold Water Stream Survey layers and Boating Access Locations; USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.
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| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Powell River At Big Stone Gap, Va | 35 cfs, 2.13 ft gage height | Nov 8 7:15 pm |
| Powell River Near Jonesville, Va | 83 cfs, 1.53 ft gage height | Nov 8 6:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 8, 2026 7:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS posts these Powell River values live; they are provisional.
| USGS site | Name |
|---|---|
| 03529500 | POWELL RIVER AT BIG STONE GAP, VA |
| 03531500 | POWELL RIVER NEAR JONESVILLE, VA |
USGS instantaneous values, provisional.
DWR-listed fish in the Powell River
For Powell River, the species follow DWR wording, not angler reports.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Boating access along the Powell River
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beech Grove boat ramp on Powell River | canoe slide concrete and wooden stairs ramp, freshwater | TVA | |
| Flanary Bridge boat ramp on Powell River | canoe slide concrete and wooden stairs ramp, freshwater | TVA | |
| Poteet Ferry boat ramp on Powell River | canoe slide concrete and wooden stairs ramp, freshwater | TVA |
Neighbouring boat ramps around Powell River
- State Line boat ramp on Clinch RiverClinch River, 10 miles southeast
- Lake Keokee boat rampLake Keokee, 14 miles northeast
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Catchable trout along the Powell River
| Reach | Locality | Category | Species stocked | Heritage Day | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell River | Wise | A (stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31) | rainbow, brown | ||
| Powell River | Wise | DH (Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times) | rainbow, brown |
DWR stocks 2 reaches of Powell River, in category A and DH.
Virginia DWR Stocked Trout Reaches and Stocked Trout Lakes layers (category, species, heritage day), 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).
How many fish leave the Powell River with you
| 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 |
Start from the statewide table on Powell River, then read any water line.
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.
Moving water around the Powell River, in a table
| Stream | Distance | DWR access sites | USGS gauges | Stocked reaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell River | this stream | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| North Fork Powell River | 5 miles north | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Hardy Creek | 14 miles west | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Clinch River | 15 miles east | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Stock Creek | 16 miles northeast | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| South Fork Powell River | 17 miles northeast | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations and Stocked Trout Reaches, USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.
Close to Powell River on the Commonwealth map
More Virginia lakes within reach of Powell River
- Lake Keokee14 miles
- Bark Camp Lake30 miles
A bed and a breakfast counter near Powell River
- Pennington Gap4 miles, Lee County
- Big Stone Gap18 miles, Wise County
- Appalachia19 miles, Wise County
Locality pages that take in Powell River
- Lee Countycounty seat Jonesville
- Wise Countycounty seat Wise
Other Commonwealth streams by the Powell River
- North Fork Powell River5 miles
- Hardy Creek14 miles
- Clinch River15 miles
- Stock Creek16 miles
- South Fork Powell River17 miles
Piscifun tackle that suits Powell River
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Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Powell River
Photo: Yellowstone National Park, Public domain
Photo: schizoform, CC BY 2.0
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
The Powell River, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
Which localities does the Powell River cross?
Our records put it in Lee and Wise counties, about 4 miles from Pennington Gap.
Where can I put a boat into the Powell River?
3 access sites are on the DWR list, including Beech Grove boat ramp on Powell River.
What swims in the Powell River?
The DWR list includes channel catfish, muskellunge, redbreast sunfish, rock bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and brown trout.
When is the Powell River stocked?
Yes: DWR lists 2 reaches in category A and DH. Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
Is there a length limit on smallmouth in the Powell River?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Can visitors fish the Powell 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. Under-16 anglers are exempt.
What is the Powell River running at on the USGS gauge?
See 2 USGS gauges above, live.
Which Virginia bait counter sits closest to the Powell River?
Buy bait before the drive.
Spend a cool Blue Ridge morning on the Powell River
Buy the license online first.