Brown Trout in Virginia
Creel, record and water pages for Virginia brown trout.
- 6 a daybag
- 18 lbs. 11 oz.record
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brown trout across the Commonwealth
"Trout" is where the 2026 digest lists brown trout. Daily creel per the digest: 6 per day. The length column reads: 7 inch minimum size.
Virginia's top brown trout on the DWR list weighed 18 lbs. 11 oz.: Smith River, 1979. 96 Virginia lake and river pages here carry brown trout on DWR's list, South Holston Reservoir, Lake Moomaw and Rural Retreat Lake at the top. Local digest lines on 2 waters cover it, See Trout Waters and South Holston Reservoir for one. DWR posted 1,339 stocking dates naming it, through November 6, 2026.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), Trout (Salmonidae).
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.
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| Where it applies | Row as printed | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| statewide | Trout | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
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 lakes and rivers with a different brown trout rule
| Water as printed | Group | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| See Trout Waters | ||
| South Holston Reservoir | 7 fish per day—only 2 lake trout. No minimum size. |
Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.
Where the Virginia brown trout record came from
| Weight as printed | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 18 lbs. 11 oz. | Smith River | 6-22-1979 (retired category) |
| 14 lbs. 12 oz. | South Fork, Holston | 5-24-1990 |
State Record Freshwater Fish as of 9-2-2025 (keeper: Virginia DWR (State Record Freshwater Fish list as of 9-2-2025); angler names left off here), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia lakes and rivers where DWR names brown trout
- South Holston Reservoir7,580 acres, Washington County
- Lake Moomaw2,530 acres, Bath County
- Rural Retreat Lake90 acres, Wythe County
- Bark Camp Lake61 acres, Scott County
- Lake Biggins60 acres, City of Newport News
- Lake Witten52 acres, Tazewell County
- Douthat Lake50 acres, Bath County
- Lincolnshire Lake29 acres (DWR outline area), Tazewell County
- Silver Lake23 acres, Rockingham County
- Lake Thompson10 acres, Fauquier County
- Clifton Forge Reservoir9 acres, Alleghany County
- Shields Lake7 acres, City of Richmond
- Hone Quarry6 acres, Rockingham County
- Dorey Park Lake5 acres, Henrico County
- Braley Pond4 acres, Augusta County
- Mint Springs4 acres (DWR outline area), Albemarle County
- Cook Lake3 acres (DWR outline area), City of Alexandria
- Hales Lake3 acres (DWR outline area), Grayson County
- Locust Shade Park3 acres (DWR outline area), Prince William County
- Old Cossey Pond3 acres, City of Fredericksburg
- Clearbrook Lake3 acres (DWR outline area), Frederick County
- Cave Mountain Lake2 acres (DWR outline area), Rockbridge County
- Franklin County Park Pond2 acres (DWR outline area), Franklin County
- Tomahawk Pond2 acres, Shenandoah County
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Where DWR stocked brown trout
| Water as listed | Dates since 2023 |
|---|---|
| Crooked Creek | 72 |
| Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek | 42 |
| Bullpasture River | 37 |
| Back Creek | 37 |
| Passage Creek | 34 |
| Pedlar River (Lower) | 28 |
| Mill Creek | 26 |
| Tye River | 26 |
| Burkes Fork | 26 |
| Dan River (Below Powerhouse) | 25 |
Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026.
More fish beside brown trout on the family tree
- Brook Trout6 a day
- Rainbow Trout6 a day
- Alabama Bassno daily cap
- Alewifeno possession
- American Eel25 a day
- American Shadno possession
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Blue Catfish20 a day
A Piscifun spread to take to Virginia brown trout
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Pictures of the water by Brown Trout
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Blake Patterson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Commonwealth angler queries on Brown Trout
Is there a daily cap on Virginia brown trout?
Per the digest, 6 per day; length rule: 7 inch minimum size.
Where was the Virginia brown trout record caught?
DWR lists 18 lbs. 11 oz. (Smith River, 1979).
Which Virginia lakes list brown trout?
Begin with South Holston Reservoir, Lake Moomaw and Rural Retreat Lake; 96 Virginia pages list it.
Do any Virginia waters set their own brown trout rule?
The digest lists 2 waters, including See Trout Waters.
Is brown trout on the DWR stocking schedule?
From 2023 on, 1,339 entries, newest November 6, 2026; numbers are not published.
Which license lets me keep brown trout in Virginia?
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.
What family holds brown trout on the DWR profile?
Salmo trutta; family Trout (Salmonidae), per the DWR species profile.
Do Virginia brown trout anglers skip the license on a free day?
Virginia DWR set Free Fishing Days for June 5–7, 2026: no freshwater fishing license needed, all other rules apply. Every other rule still applies.
Line up a trip for Virginia brown trout
Start from a water above for its DWR launches.