Virginia Fish Species
65 Virginia fish with 2026 freshwater limits, saltwater rules from the Administrative Code, trout stocking and state records.
Photo of Eastern Shore of Virginia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
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Old Dominion water photographed for Virginia Fish Species
Photo: flyheatherfly, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
The Virginia species list, reader questions
How many Virginia fish have a page?
65, each with a digest row, a saltwater rule, a state record or trout stocking dates; the threatened and endangered fish share one page.
Where do freshwater limits come from?
The 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest DWR links from its regulations page.
Where do saltwater limits come from?
Marine Resources Commission chapters of the Virginia Administrative Code, read on law.lis.virginia.gov with an as-of date.
Who keeps Virginia freshwater records?
Virginia DWR; these pages print the weight, date and water but leave off the angler.
How many largemouth and smallmouth may a Virginia angler keep?
Five largemouth and smallmouth bass a day combined, with no statewide length limit; some waters set their own rules.
Can I keep a sturgeon?
No. Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon are on the threatened and endangered list and may not be possessed.
Do red drum have a slot limit?
Yes, in tidal waters the Administrative Code sets a slot for red drum; the red drum page prints the numbers and section.
A Virginia fish I target is missing; why?
It needs a regulation row, a state record or stocking dates first.
Next stops after the Virginia species list
- Virginia waters A to Zevery lake, river, bay, locality, town and fish page in one list
- License and regulationsfees, exemptions and the creel and length table of the 2026 digest
- Saltwater rulesMarine Resources Commission limits as printed in the Administrative Code
- Special regulation watersthe lakes and rivers the digest gives their own line
- Special regulation trout watersdelayed harvest, catch and release and the Jackson tailwater
- Border watersKerr, Gaston, the New, the Potomac and South Holston
- Free Fishing Dayslicense-free dates DWR has announced
- State freshwater recordsthe DWR list as of 9-2-2025, weights and waters
- Trout stockingevery DWR stocking date back to 2023
- Trout fishingstocking categories, Heritage Day and wild trout classes
- Water levelsUSGS live flow, reservoir pools and tide stations
- Chesapeake Baythe bay, its sounds and the tidal rivers that feed it
- Boat rampsDWR boating access sites with a page each
- Fishing piersDWR lake piers and the Atlantic and bay piers
- Artificial reefsMarine Resources Commission reef sites with chart grids
- Bait and tackleshops and marinas grouped by DWR region number
- Guides and charterscharter captains and freshwater guides
- TournamentsCATT, BFL and Fishers of Men dates and results