Fishing near Arlington, Virginia
In Arlington County; the 2020 Census counted 238,643 residents.
- 5 milesto nearest lake page
- 1launch nearby
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Casting from a Arlington base
Arlington (Census-designated place, Arlington County) logged 238,643 residents when Census takers counted in 2020. Cook Lake is the nearest lake with a page, roughly 5 miles to the south. Occoquan Reservoir is the big one close by, 2,100 acres. The nearest recorded launch is Gravelly Point on Potomac River, 3 miles away.
The nearest DWR fishing pier is Cameron Run Lake fishing pier on Cook Lake, 5 miles away.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Arlington; miles are straight lines.
Reservoirs a drive from Arlington
| Lake | Distance | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Lake | 5 miles south | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | channel catfish, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Fairfax Lake | 13 miles northwest | 28 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Burke Lake | 13 miles southwest | 218 acres | lake | 1 | black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill |
| Occoquan Reservoir | 17 miles southwest | 2,100 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
Acres are the NHD outline area of the mapped lake (USGS National Hydrography Dataset), not a DWR figure. Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
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- Holmes Run3 miles, 1 stocked trout reach
- Accotink Creek7 miles, 1 stocked trout reach, 2 USGS gauges
USGS stations close to Arlington
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Fourmile Run At Alexandria, Va | 3 cfs, 4.07 ft gage height | Nov 7 5:20 pm |
| Four Mile Run At Hwy 29 At Falls Church, Va | 0 cfs, 1.90 ft gage height | Nov 7 4:55 pm |
| Tripps Run At Falls Church, Va | 0 cfs, 0.79 ft gage height | Nov 7 5:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 7, 2026 5:34 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
DWR waterbody pages, stocked trout reaches and wild trout survey layers, and USGS gauges (live readings); read November 6, 2026.
Arlington water mapped
- Gravelly Point on Potomac RiverPotomac River, concrete ramp (no dock), 2 ramps, barrier-free, freshwater, 3 miles
Bank access close to Arlington
- Cameron Run Lake fishing pier on Cook Lakefishing pier, 5 miles
- Lake Burke fishing pierfishing pier, 13 miles
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Bait counters and captains serving Arlington
Bait stops for a Arlington trip
- Belle Haven Marina Incmarina, Alexandria, under a mile
- District Anglingbait and tackle shop, Arlington, 1 mile
- Washington Sailing Marinamarina, Alexandria, 5 miles
- Marina Barbosa Psychhealthmarina, Alexandria, 5 miles
- Old Dominion Boat Clubmarina, Alexandria, 6 miles
- Boat America Corporationmarina, Springfield, 8 miles
- Marina Maidsmarina, Springfield, 8 miles
- Tackle Emmanualbait and tackle shop, Alexandria, 10 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings (miles only for shops with an exact point); guide and charter business listings; read November 6, 2026.
Creel rules for a day from Arlington
Budget $23 for the resident freshwater license, or $47 as a nonresident.
| Species | Where it applies | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Alabama, Spotted Bass | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | statewide | 4 per day in the aggregate | No fish less than 20 inches |
| Striped Bass | Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) | Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters | no length limit printed |
| Striped Bass | Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Walleye, Saugeye | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate | No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
| Sauger | statewide | 2 per day | No statewide length limits |
| White Bass | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Muskellunge | statewide | 1 per day | No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
| Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | statewide | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Crappie (black or white) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Rock Bass (redeye) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass | No statewide length limits |
| Roanoke Bass | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass | No statewide length limits |
| Perch (yellow and white) | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Trout | statewide | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
| Channel, White, and Flathead | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Blue | statewide | 20 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Hickory Shad | Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries | Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. in tidal rivers | no length limit printed |
| Hickory Shad | Meherrin River below Emporia Dam, Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers, and their tributaries plus Back Bay | 10 per day | No length limits |
| Anadromous (coastal) Alewife and Blueback Herring | Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries | Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. for these species in tidal rivers | no length limit printed |
| Other native or naturalized nongame fish | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Threatened and endangered species | statewide | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Grass Carp | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Longnose Gar | statewide | July 1 to April 14: 5 per day | April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
| Bowfin | statewide | July 1 to April 14: 5 per day | April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits |
| Northern Snakehead | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Spotted Sea Trout | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 4 per day, no fish less than 14 inches | no length limit printed |
| Red Drum | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 1 per day between 18 and 27 inches | no length limit printed |
| Grey Trout | Back Bay and tributaries, including Brinson’s Inlet Lake (Lake Tecumseh), and the North Landing River and its tributaries | 1 per day, no fish less than 12 inches | no length limit printed |
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. Lake and river pages print any water exception. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Onward from Arlington
Virginia towns adjoining Arlington
- Seven Corners3 miles
- Bailey's Crossroads3 miles
- Lake Barcroft4 miles
- Falls Church4 miles
- Alexandria4 miles
The locality page holding Arlington
- Arlington Countyseat: Arlington
Piscifun tackle that suits Arlington
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Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Arlington
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0 1.0
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Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing from Arlington: questions
How many miles lie between Arlington and a lake page?
Cook Lake, 5 miles south.
What is the closest DWR launch to Arlington?
Gravelly Point on Potomac River wins at 3 miles.
Which DWR pier is nearest Arlington?
About 5 miles to Cameron Run Lake fishing pier on Cook Lake.
Who sells hooks and bait near Arlington?
Belle Haven Marina Inc is listed under a mile from town.
Which county or independent city includes Arlington?
Arlington County covers it.
What license covers a weekend of fishing from Arlington?
Expect $47 for twelve months of Virginia freshwater fishing as a visitor, or $8 for a short-term option DWR lists.
What is the biggest reservoir page near Arlington?
Occoquan Reservoir covers 2,100 acres and lies 17 miles off.
What other town pages sit close to Arlington?
Seven Corners (3 miles), Bailey's Crossroads (3 miles) and Lake Barcroft (4 miles) sit closest.