Redear Sunfish in Virginia
Creel, record and water pages for Virginia redear sunfish.
- 50 a daybag
- 4 lbs. 12 oz.record
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redear sunfish across the Commonwealth
"Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass" is where the 2026 digest lists redear sunfish. Daily creel per the digest: 50 per day in the aggregate (combined). The length column reads: No statewide length limits.
Virginia's top redear sunfish on the DWR list weighed 4 lbs. 12 oz.: Private Pond, 1986. 70 Virginia lake and river pages here carry redear sunfish on DWR's list, Lake Anna, Lake Chesdin and Lake Moomaw at the top. Local digest lines on 1 water cover it, 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 one.
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), Sunfish (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.
Virginia lakes and rivers with a different redear sunfish rule
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 redear sunfish record came from
| Weight as printed | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lbs. 12 oz. | Private Pond | 4-28-1986 |
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 redear sunfish
- Lake Anna9,600 acres, Louisa County
- Lake Chesdin3,100 acres, Dinwiddie County
- Lake Moomaw2,530 acres, Bath County
- James River State Park Lakes1,440 acres, Buckingham County
- Western Branch Reservoir1,265 acres, City of Suffolk
- Diascund Reservoir1,110 acres, New Kent County
- Lake Prince946 acres, City of Suffolk
- Briery Creek Lake845 acres, Prince Edward County
- Sandy River Reservoir740 acres, Prince Edward County
- Burnt Mills Reservoir711 acres, Isle of Wight County
- Beaverdam Swamp Reservoir635 acres, Gloucester County
- Lake Mooney520 acres, Stafford County
- Lake Meade512 acres, City of Suffolk
- Lake Cohoon510 acres, City of Suffolk
- Rivanna Reservoir450 acres, Albemarle County
- Hunting Run Reservoir420 acres, Spotsylvania County
- Ni Reservoir411 acres, Spotsylvania County
- Banister Lake400 acres, Halifax County
- Fort Pickett Lakes384 acres, Dinwiddie County
- Waller Mill Reservoir360 acres, York County
- Harwood’s Mill Reservoir265 acres, York County
- Lee Hall Reservoir230 acres, York County
- Burke Lake218 acres, Fairfax County
- Speight’s Run197 acres, City of Suffolk
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
More fish beside redear sunfish on the family tree
- Bluegill50 a day
- Alabama Bassno daily cap
- Alewifeno possession
- American Eel25 a day
- American Shadno possession
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Blue Catfish20 a day
- Blueback Herringno possession
A Piscifun spread to take to Virginia redear sunfish
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Pictures of the water by Redear Sunfish
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0
Commonwealth angler queries on Redear Sunfish
Is there a daily cap on Virginia redear sunfish?
Per the digest, 50 per day in the aggregate (combined); length rule: No statewide length limits.
Where was the Virginia redear sunfish record caught?
DWR lists 4 lbs. 12 oz. (Private Pond, 1986).
Which Virginia lakes list redear sunfish?
Begin with Lake Anna, Lake Chesdin and Lake Moomaw; 70 Virginia pages list it.
Do any Virginia waters set their own redear sunfish rule?
The digest lists 1 water, including 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.
Is redear sunfish on the DWR stocking schedule?
It is not on the DWR stocking schedule.
Which license lets me keep redear sunfish in Virginia?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
What family holds redear sunfish on the DWR profile?
Lepomis microlophus; family Sunfish (Centrarchidae), per the DWR species profile.
Do Virginia redear sunfish 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 redear sunfish
Start from a water above for its DWR launches.