Smallmouth Bass in Virginia
Where smallmouth bass swim in Virginia, and what may be kept.
- 5 a daybag
- 8 lbs. 1 oz.record
Pick for smallmouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of the species, not a Virginia water: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
smallmouth bass in the Old Dominion
Virginia freshwater rules group smallmouth bass under the heading "Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass". How many to keep, word for word: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined). Length rule as printed: No statewide length limits.
New River produced the state smallmouth bass mark of 8 lbs. 1 oz. in 2003. DWR names smallmouth bass at 36 waters with pages here; Smith Mountain Lake, Claytor Lake and Philpott Lake come first. The digest rewrites the rule on 19 waters, Briery Creek Lake and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir included.
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu), 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.
For the smallmouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Virginia smallmouth bass creel and length lines
| Where it applies | Row as printed | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| statewide | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | 5 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.
Local smallmouth bass lines in the Virginia digest
| Water as printed | Group | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Briery Creek Lake | Lakes | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 16 to 24 inches, only 1 per day longer than 24 inches |
| Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir | Lakes | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| Claytor Lake | Lakes | No smallmouth less than 14 inches |
| Flannagan Reservoir | Lakes | No largemouth bass less than 12 inches; no smallmouth bass less than 15 inches |
| Lake Gaston | Lakes | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| Leesville Reservoir | Lakes | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| Lake Moomaw | Lakes | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 12 inches |
| Smith Mt. Lake and its tributaries below Niagara Dam | Lakes | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| South Holston Reservoir | Lakes | No smallmouth less than 15 inches |
| Clinch River–within the boundaries of Scott, Wise, Russell or Tazewell counties | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
| Dan River and tributaries downstream from the Union Street Dam, Danville | Rivers | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| James River–Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt Cty) downstream to the 14th St. Bridge in Richmond | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches |
| Levisa Fork River–within the boundaries Buchanan County | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
| New River–Fields Dam (Grayson County) downstream to the VA-WV state line and its tributaries Little River downstream from Little River Dam in Montgomery County, Big Walker Creek from the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge downstream to the New River and Wolf Creek from the Narrows Dam downstream to the New River in Giles County. (This does not include Claytor Lake which is delineated as: The upper end of the island at Allisonia downstream to the dam.) | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches |
| North Fork Holston River–Rt. 91 Bridge upstream of Saltville, Va. downstream to the VA-TN state line | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
| Potomac River – Virginia tidal tributaries above Rt. 301 bridge | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches from March 1 through June 15 |
| Staunton (Roanoke) River–and its tributaries below Difficult Creek, Charlotte County | Rivers | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| North Fork, South Fork and Mainstem Shenandoah River | Rivers | No largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 inches |
| Staunton River–Leesville Dam (Campbell County) downstream to the mouth of Difficult Creek, Charlotte County | Rivers | No smallmouth bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches |
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 smallmouth bass by weight
| Weight as printed | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 8 lbs. 1 oz. | New River | 3-12-2003 |
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 smallmouth bass in Virginia
- Smith Mountain Lake20,600 acres, Franklin County
- Claytor Lake4,363 acres, Pulaski County
- Philpott Lake2,880 acres, Franklin County
- Lake Moomaw2,530 acres, Bath County
- Flannagan Reservoir1,143 acres, Dickenson County
- Laurel Bed Lake330 acres, Russell County
- Gatewood Reservoir162 acres, Pulaski County
- Lake Witten52 acres, Tazewell County
- Abbott Lake24 acres, Bedford County
- Staunton Run15 acres, Augusta County
- Otter Lake7 acres, Amherst County
- James River (Upper and Middle)Albemarle County
- New RiverCarroll County
- North RiverAugusta County
- Nottoway RiverGreensville County
- Smith RiverHenry County
- Appomattox RiverAppomattox County
- Meherrin RiverGreensville County
- Jackson RiverAlleghany County
- North Fork Shenandoah RiverShenandoah County
- South Fork Shenandoah RiverClarke County
- South RiverRockingham County
- Clinch RiverRussell County
- Maury RiverRockbridge County
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Fish grouped with smallmouth bass here
- Alabama Bassno daily cap
- Black Crappie25 a day
- Flier50 a day
- Green Sunfish50 a day
- Largemouth Bass5 a day
- Pumpkinseed50 a day
- Redbreast Sunfish50 a day
- Roanoke Bass25 a day
- Rock Bass25 a day
- Spotted Bassno daily cap
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Virginia smallmouth bass
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Old Dominion water near Smallmouth Bass, on camera
Photo: flyheatherfly, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: ted, CC BY 2.0
Smallmouth Bass across Virginia: reader questions answered
How many smallmouth bass can go home from a Virginia water?
It reads 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); the length column says No statewide length limits.
When was the Virginia smallmouth bass record set?
8 lbs. 1 oz., from New River in 2003.
Where do smallmouth bass turn up in Virginia?
DWR names it on 36 Virginia pages here, Smith Mountain Lake, Claytor Lake and Philpott Lake included.
Is the smallmouth bass rule the same on every Virginia water?
Virginia's digest has 19 waters with special wording, Briery Creek Lake for one.
Does Virginia DWR stock smallmouth bass?
No stocking date names it.
Is one Virginia license enough for smallmouth bass?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
What is the Latin name DWR gives smallmouth bass?
Micropterus dolomieu; family Sunfishes (Centrarchidae), per the DWR species profile.
When can I fish for smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass
The waters linked above list piers and ramps.