Pumpkinseed in Virginia
pumpkinseed under the 2026 Virginia rules.
- 50 a daybag
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What Virginia rules say about pumpkinseed
Find pumpkinseed in the digest table on the "Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass" line. The digest's creel entry: 50 per day in the aggregate (combined). Size, per the digest: No statewide length limits.
Start with Lake Moomaw, Hunting Run Reservoir and Harwood’s Mill Reservoir: 21 Virginia water pages list pumpkinseed. Water exceptions in the digest touch it on 1 water, such as Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County; and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County.
Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), Sunfishes (Centrarchidae).
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 | Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | 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.
Digest exceptions naming pumpkinseed
Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia water pages carrying pumpkinseed
- Lake Moomaw2,530 acres, Bath County
- Hunting Run Reservoir420 acres, Spotsylvania County
- Harwood’s Mill Reservoir265 acres, York County
- Lake Culpeper255 acres, Culpeper County
- Skidmore Reservoir118 acres, Rockingham County
- Harrison Lake82 acres, Charles City County
- Lake Gordonsville (Bowler’s Mill)75 acres, Louisa County
- Bark Camp Lake61 acres, Scott County
- Elkhorn Lake54 acres, Augusta County
- Lake Laura44 acres, Shenandoah County
- Lake Robertson31 acres, Rockbridge County
- Staunton Run15 acres, Augusta County
- Three Lakes Park7 acres, Henrico County
- Bryan Park5 acres (DWR outline area), City of Richmond
- North Fork Shenandoah RiverShenandoah County
- South Fork Shenandoah RiverClarke County
- Mattaponi RiverCaroline County
- Maury RiverRockbridge County
- Cowpasture RiverBath County
- Middle Fork Holston RiverSmyth County
- Shenandoah RiverClarke County
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Other Virginia fish near pumpkinseed
- Alabama Bassno daily cap
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Flier50 a day
- Green Sunfish50 a day
- Largemouth Bass5 a day
- Redbreast Sunfish50 a day
- Roanoke Bass25 a day
- Rock Bass25 a day
- Smallmouth Bass5 a day
- Spotted Bassno daily cap
Piscifun reels for a Virginia day on Virginia pumpkinseed
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Ridge-ringed reservoirs and creek bends near Pumpkinseed, photographed
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Old Dominion Pumpkinseed, asked at the ramp
What is the statewide pumpkinseed creel in Virginia?
Creel 50 per day in the aggregate (combined), length No statewide length limits, statewide.
Does DWR list a record pumpkinseed?
The DWR freshwater record list as of 9-2-2025 has no entry for it.
Which Virginia pages here mention pumpkinseed?
21 Virginia pages, Lake Moomaw, Hunting Run Reservoir and Harwood’s Mill Reservoir first.
Where does the pumpkinseed rule change in Virginia?
The digest alters it on 1 water, Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County; and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County for example.
Were pumpkinseed stocked in Virginia recently?
The schedule leaves it out.
Which Virginia license covers pumpkinseed?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Which family do pumpkinseed belong to in Virginia?
Lepomis gibbosus; family Sunfishes (Centrarchidae), per the DWR species profile.
On which Virginia dates can pumpkinseed be fished license-free?
Virginia DWR set Free Fishing Days for June 5–7, 2026: no freshwater fishing license needed, all other rules apply. Size and creel rules stay in force.
Pick a Virginia water for pumpkinseed
Each water page lists its DWR ramps, piers and digest lines.