Fishing near Reston, Virginia
In Fairfax County; the 2020 Census counted 63,226 residents.
- 2 milesto nearest lake page
- 0launches nearby
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Casting from a Reston base
Reston (Census-designated place, Fairfax County) logged 63,226 residents when Census takers counted in 2020. Fairfax Lake is the nearest lake with a page, roughly 2 miles to the northeast. Occoquan Reservoir is the big one close by, 2,100 acres.
The nearest DWR fishing pier is Lake Burke fishing pier, 13 miles away.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Reston; miles are straight lines.
Reservoirs a drive from Reston
| Lake | Distance | Area | Kind | DWR launches | Fish DWR names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax Lake | 2 miles northeast | 28 acres | lake | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Burke Lake | 13 miles south | 218 acres | lake | 1 | black crappie, blue catfish, bluegill |
| Occoquan Reservoir | 16 miles south | 2,100 acres | reservoir | 0 | bluegill, channel catfish, crappie |
| Cook Lake | 17 miles southeast | 3 acres (DWR outline area) | lake | 0 | channel catfish, brown trout, rainbow trout |
| Lake Brittle | 23 miles southwest | 77 acres | reservoir | 1 | black crappie, bluegill, bullhead |
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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- Accotink Creek10 miles, 1 stocked trout reach, 2 USGS gauges
- Holmes Run14 miles, 1 stocked trout reach
USGS stations close to Reston
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Snakeden Branch Above Lake Audubon At Reston, Va | 0 cfs, 1.32 ft gage height | Nov 7 5:20 pm |
| The Glade Near Howland Drive At Reston, Va | 0 cfs, 2.45 ft gage height | Nov 7 5:10 pm |
| S F Little Difficult Run Above Mouth Nr Vienna, Va | 1 cfs, 0.29 ft gage height | Nov 7 5:20 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.
Reston water mapped
Closest recorded launches for Reston
- Lake Burke boat rampBurke Lake, concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater, 14 miles south
- Gravelly Point on Potomac RiverPotomac River, concrete ramp (no dock), 2 ramps, barrier-free, freshwater, 17 miles east
- Lake Brittle boat rampLake Brittle, dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater, 23 miles southwest
- McKimmey (Point of Rocks) on Potomac RiverPotomac River, concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater, 25 miles northwest
- Castleman's Ferry boat ramp on Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River, concrete ramp (no dock), 1 ramp, freshwater, 32 miles northwest
Bank access close to Reston
- 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 Reston
Bait stops for a Reston trip
- Hot Fever Fishingbait and tackle shop, Fairfax, 7 miles
- Old Dominion Boat Clubmarina, Alexandria, 9 miles
- Boat America Corporationmarina, Springfield, 12 miles
- District Anglingbait and tackle shop, Arlington, 13 miles
- Belle Haven Marina Incmarina, Alexandria, 13 miles
- Tackle Emmanualbait and tackle shop, Alexandria
- Captain John S Beach Marinamarina, Lorton
- Marina Maidsmarina, Springfield
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 Reston
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 Reston
Virginia towns adjoining Reston
- Herndon3 miles
- Difficult Run3 miles
- Dranesville3 miles
- Wolf Trap4 miles
- Hutchison4 miles
The locality page holding Reston
- Fairfax Countyseat: Fairfax
Piscifun tackle that suits Reston
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Commonwealth fish worth recognizing at Reston
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Fishing from Reston: questions
How many miles lie between Reston and a lake page?
Fairfax Lake, 2 miles northeast.
What is the closest DWR launch to Reston?
Every DWR launch sits more than 12 miles out.
Which DWR pier is nearest Reston?
About 13 miles to Lake Burke fishing pier.
Who sells hooks and bait near Reston?
Hot Fever Fishing is listed 7 miles from town.
Which county or independent city includes Reston?
Fairfax County covers it.
What license covers a weekend of fishing from Reston?
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 Reston?
Occoquan Reservoir covers 2,100 acres and lies 16 miles off.
What other town pages sit close to Reston?
Herndon (3 miles), Difficult Run (3 miles) and Dranesville (3 miles) sit closest.