St. Marys River Fishing
Moving water in Augusta County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo, nearby stand in for St. Marys River: Mackenzie Brooks, CC BY-SA 2.0
First notes on the St. Marys River
Augusta County carries the St. Marys River, a river. Budget about 8 miles of driving to Stuarts Draft.
DWR maps 3 stocked reaches as stocked trout water.
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 The DWR description of the St. Marys River
Cascading through one of Virginia’s most scenic canyons runs St. Marys River. This breathtaking native brook trout stream has long caught the interest of businessmen, scientists, government, and the public in general. A hike through St. Marys gorge yields both a natural feast for the eyes and a reminder of the days when the area was heavily mined for manganese. In fact, old cables and slabs of concrete are testimony to the heavy mining activity that occurred in the watershed around 1910.
The quoted passages are Virginia DWR wording about St. Marys River, unedited.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Fish DWR names on the St. Marys River
Fish listed for St. Marys River come from DWR pages, trout layers, the stocking schedule or the record list; this is not a catch report.
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.
DWR access points along the St. Marys River
St. Marys River has no DWR-mapped ramp.
Alternate DWR ramps when St. Marys River overflows
- Ridgeview Park on South RiverSouth River, 15 miles northeast
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Where DWR stocks trout in the St. Marys River
| Reach | Locality | Category | Species stocked | Heritage Day | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Marys River | Augusta | ||||
| St. Marys River | Augusta | ||||
| St. Marys River | Augusta | WT | brook |
The trout layer lists 3 reaches for St. Marys River, under category WT.
Virginia DWR Stocked Trout Reaches and Stocked Trout Lakes layers (category, species, heritage day), read November 6, 2026.
Survey class of the St. Marys River reaches
| Reach code | Class | Length | Species present |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10SMR-01T | II |
Survey classes on St. Marys River: II.
Virginia DWR Cold Water Stream Survey trout streams (reach class I to IV, length, species present), 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).
Virginia limits in force on the St. Marys 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 |
An exception for St. Marys River would override the row above.
- Trout
- Six trout per day with a minimum size limit of 9 inches. Only single hook artificial lures may be used; no bait allowed or in possession. All trout under the minimum size must be returned immediately to the water unharmed. This regulation applies to that portion of St. Marys River beyond the entrance gate within the National Forest.
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 St. Marys River and its closest Virginia neighbours
| Stream | Distance | DWR access sites | USGS gauges | Stocked reaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Marys River | this stream | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mills Creek | 7 miles east | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tye River | 7 miles southeast | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Back Creek | 7 miles east | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| South Rockfish River | 9 miles east | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Irish Creek | 10 miles southwest | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations and Stocked Trout Reaches, USGS gauges; read November 6, 2026.
Within a tank of gas of St. Marys River
Lakes in the same corner of Virginia as St. Marys River
- Sherando Lakes5 miles
- Mill Creek Reservoir6 miles
- Woodrow Wilson Pond14 miles
- Lake Tams16 miles
Picking up minnows and bloodworms near St. Marys River
- Tycoon Tackle Incbait and tackle shop, Waynesboro, 16 miles
- South River Fly Shopfly shop, Waynesboro, 16 miles
- Journey Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Lexington, 21 miles
Old Dominion towns a quick hop from St. Marys River
- Stuarts Draft8 miles, Augusta County
- Fishersville14 miles, Augusta County
- Waynesboro15 miles, City of Waynesboro
County and city guides tied to St. Marys River
- Augusta Countycounty seat Staunton
Virginia rivers neighbouring the St. Marys River
- Mills Creek7 miles
- Tye River7 miles
- Back Creek7 miles
- South Rockfish River9 miles
- Irish Creek10 miles
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on St. Marys River
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Old Dominion water near St. Marys River, on camera
Photo: Will Fisher, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Alter, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Nannette Turner, CC BY 2.0
Straight replies on the St. Marys River from the Virginia rule books
What town is near the St. Marys River?
It runs through Augusta County, about 8 miles from Stuarts Draft.
Can I launch a canoe on the St. Marys River?
Nothing on it is mapped; Ridgeview Park on South River is 15 miles away.
Does DWR name smallmouth bass for the St. Marys River?
DWR lists brook trout and rainbow trout.
Does DWR stock trout in the St. Marys River?
It has 3 reaches on the stocked trout layer (category WT). Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
How many black bass may leave the St. Marys River in a Virginia cooler?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits.
Does a teenager need a DWR license on the St. Marys 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. Youth under 16 are exempt.
Is the St. Marys River too high to float?
No USGS gauge is matched to it; check the state water levels page.
Where do anglers fishing the St. Marys River buy tackle?
Our list starts with Tycoon Tackle Inc (about 16 miles away).
Float a Commonwealth stretch of the St. Marys River
Licenses, trout rules and exceptions sit on the regulations page.