Chain Pickerel in Virginia
Where chain pickerel swim in Virginia, and what may be kept.
- 5 a daybag
- 7 lbs. 12 oz.record
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chain pickerel in the Old Dominion
Virginia freshwater rules group chain pickerel under the heading "Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike". How many to keep, word for word: 5 per day. Length rule as printed: No statewide length limits.
Douthat Lake produced the state chain pickerel mark of 7 lbs. 12 oz. in 1974. DWR names chain pickerel at 32 waters with pages here; Lake Gaston, Lake Drummond and Lake Moomaw come first. The digest rewrites the rule on 1 water, Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir included.
Chain Pickerel (Esox niger), Pikes (Esocidae).
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 | Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
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.
Local chain pickerel lines in the Virginia digest
| Water as printed | Group | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir | No daily limit |
Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.
Top Virginia chain pickerel by weight
| Weight as printed | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 7 lbs. 12 oz. | Douthat Lake | 1-26-1974 (retired category) |
| 7 lbs. 10 oz. | Lake Shawnee | 12-31-1996 |
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.
Where DWR lists chain pickerel in Virginia
- Lake Gaston20,300 acres, Brunswick County
- Lake Drummond3,142 acres, City of Chesapeake
- Lake Moomaw2,530 acres, Bath County
- Chickahominy Lake1,230 acres, New Kent County
- Diascund Reservoir1,110 acres, New Kent County
- Lake Prince946 acres, City of Suffolk
- Sandy River Reservoir740 acres, Prince Edward County
- Burnt Mills Reservoir711 acres, Isle of Wight County
- Lake Cohoon510 acres, City of Suffolk
- Hunting Run Reservoir420 acres, Spotsylvania County
- Ni Reservoir411 acres, Spotsylvania County
- Banister Lake400 acres, Halifax County
- Harwood’s Mill Reservoir265 acres, York County
- Lake Kilby222 acres, City of Suffolk
- Northeast Creek Reservoir187 acres, Louisa County
- Abel Reservoir185 acres, Stafford County
- Lake Gordon157 acres, Mecklenburg County
- Lake Orange124 acres, Orange County
- Lake Airfield115 acres (DWR outline area), Sussex County
- Sleeter Lake101 acres, Loudoun County
- Lake Conner100 acres, Halifax County
- Harrison Lake82 acres, Charles City County
- Gardy’s Millpond75 acres, Northumberland County
- Nottoway Falls Lake60 acres, Nottoway County
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Fish grouped with chain pickerel here
- Muskellunge1 a day
- Northern Pike5 a day
- Alabama Bassno daily cap
- Alewifeno possession
- American Eel25 a day
- American Shadno possession
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Blue Catfish20 a day
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Virginia chain pickerel
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Old Dominion water near Chain Pickerel, on camera
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Blake Patterson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Chain Pickerel across Virginia: reader questions answered
How many chain pickerel can go home from a Virginia water?
It reads 5 per day; the length column says No statewide length limits.
When was the Virginia chain pickerel record set?
7 lbs. 12 oz., from Douthat Lake in 1974.
Where do chain pickerel turn up in Virginia?
DWR names it on 32 Virginia pages here, Lake Gaston, Lake Drummond and Lake Moomaw included.
Is the chain pickerel rule the same on every Virginia water?
Virginia's digest has 1 water with special wording, Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir for one.
Does Virginia DWR stock chain pickerel?
No stocking date names it.
Is one Virginia license enough for chain pickerel?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
What is the Latin name DWR gives chain pickerel?
Esox niger; family Pikes (Esocidae), per the DWR species profile.
When can I fish for chain pickerel in Virginia without a license?
Virginia DWR set Free Fishing Days for June 5–7, 2026: no freshwater fishing license needed, all other rules apply. The daily creel still counts.
Plan a Virginia day after chain pickerel
The waters linked above list piers and ramps.