Trout Fishing in Virginia
Stocking categories, the 2026 plan, Heritage Day, fee fishing areas and wild trout.
For stocked waterPiscifun Torrent Lite spinning comboCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Blacksburg: Chris Lawrence, CC BY-SA 2.0
How Virginia stocks and manages trout water
The 2026 catchable trout plan lists 201 waters, each with a stocking category that says how often DWR comes: 74 A; 65 B; 34 C; 17 DH; 8 U; 3 CR.
Beyond stocked water, DWR’s cold water stream survey classes 1,150 reaches of wild trout stream, about 7,249 km in all.
Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
2026 Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (category letters as printed), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia trout stocking categories as printed
| Code | Meaning as printed | Plan waters |
|---|---|---|
| A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | 74 |
| B | stocked 5 times between October 1 and May 15 | 65 |
| C | stocked 3 times between October 1 and April 30 | 34 |
| CR | catch and release, stocked 3 times between October 1 and May 31 | 3 |
| DH | Delayed Harvest, special regulations, stocked 3 times | 17 |
| U | urban fishing waters, trout license required November 1 through April 30, stocked 5 times between November 1 and April 15 | 8 |
| NSF | one less stocking between October 1 and May 31 | 0 |
| H | Heritage Day stocking (first Saturday in April) | 0 |
| * | National Forest waters | 0 |
| ** | section reserved for a fee fishing area | 0 |
2026 Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (category letters as printed), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia catchable trout plan waters, category A
| Water as printed | County as printed | Category | Meaning | National forest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Springs Lake (Upper) | Albemarle County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Mint Springs Lake (Middle) | Albemarle County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Scottsville Lake | Albemarle County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Sugar Hollow Reservoir | Albemarle County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Clifton Forge Reservoir | Alleghany County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Pedlar River (Lower) | Amherst County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Braley Pond | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Elkhorn Lake | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Lower Sherando Lake | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| South River (Ridgeview Park) | Augusta County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Back Creek | Bath County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Bullpasture River | Bath County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Cowpasture River | Bath County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Jackson River (Hidden Valley) | Bath County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Jackson River (Rt. 623) | Bath County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Wolf Creek | Bland County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Jennings Creek | Botetourt County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Dismal River | Buchanan County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Crooked Creek | Carroll County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Little Reed Island Creek | Carroll County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Potts Creek | Craig County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Pound River (Flannagan Dam) | Dickenson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Russell Fork River (Bartlick) | Dickenson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Burkes Fork | Floyd County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Little River | Floyd County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Pigg River | Franklin County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Clearbrook Lake | Frederick County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Wilkins Lake | Frederick County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Big Stoney Creek | Giles County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Wolf Creek | Giles County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Big Wilson Creek | Grayson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Elk Creek | Grayson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Hales Lake | Grayson County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | yes |
| Smith River (Lower) | Henry County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Bullpasture River | Highland County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Martins Creek | Lee County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| North Fork Powell River | Lee County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Hughes River | Madison County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Robinson River | Madison County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 | |
| Rose River | Madison County | A | stocked 8 times between October 1 and May 31 |
2026 Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (category letters as printed), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia trout streams with their own page
- Crooked CreekCarroll County; 162 stocking dates
- South RiverRockingham County, Augusta County and the City of Waynesboro; 125 stocking dates
- Roanoke RiverRoanoke County; 86 stocking dates
- Middle Fork Holston RiverSmyth, Washington and Wythe counties; 81 stocking dates
- North RiverAugusta County; 66 stocking dates
- Bullpasture RiverHighland County; 64 stocking dates
- Cripple CreekWythe County; 62 stocking dates
- South Fork Holston RiverSmyth and Washington counties; 61 stocking dates
- Jackson RiverAlleghany County; 61 stocking dates
- Whitetop LaurelWashington County; 54 stocking dates
- Smith RiverHenry and Franklin counties; 50 stocking dates
- Dan RiverPatrick County; 47 stocking dates
- Dismal CreekGiles County; 47 stocking dates
- Passage CreekShenandoah and Warren counties; 44 stocking dates
- Stony CreekShenandoah County; 32 stocking dates
- Little RiverFloyd County; 32 stocking dates
Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia Heritage Day, youth-only and fee fishing trout waters
- Heritage Day watersBark Camp Lake, Beartree Lake, Cripple Creek (Ravens), Crooked Creek, Hawksbill Creek, Jennings Creek, Lake Witten, Liberty Lake, Lincolnshire Lake, Middle Fork Holston River (Chilhowie), Middle Fork Holston River (Marion), Passage Creek, Pedlar River (Upper), Pigg River, Quantico MCB, Robinson River, Rose River, South Fork Powell River and Tinker Creek
- Youth-only watersCave Mountain Lake, Cave Mountain Lake (Kid's Day Event), Forest Service Office Youth Ponds, Franklin County Park Pond, Glen Alton Pond, Ivy Creek, Northern Fauquier Community Park Pond, South Fork Clinch River and South River (Basic Park)
- Fee fishing areasBig Tumbling Creek, Clinch Mountain, Crooked Creek and Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek; daily permit $8.00
Virginia DWR trout stocking schedule (date, county, water, category and species as listed; DWR prints no numbers or sizes), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia wild trout stream classes from the cold water survey
Virginia DWR Cold Water Stream Survey trout streams (reach class I to IV, length, species present), read November 6, 2026.
Commonwealth water pictured beside Trout Fishing in Virginia
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Virginia trout fishing questions
When does Virginia stock trout?
From October 1 into spring; category A waters get 8 stockings between October 1 and May 31.
How many waters are on the 2026 Virginia trout plan?
201, across categories A, B, C, delayed harvest, urban and catch and release.
Which Virginia waters call for the trout license, and when?
Designated stocked trout waters require a trout license October 1 to June 15; urban waters November 1 to April 30 (as printed).
What is the Virginia trout creel?
Six per day with a 7-inch minimum statewide; special regulation waters set their own rules.
What is Heritage Day?
Heritage Day stocking (first Saturday in April); 19 waters carry the tag on the schedule.
What are Virginia fee fishing areas?
Waters such as Big Tumbling Creek, Clinch Mountain and Crooked Creek, where a daily permit ($8.00) is required.
Does Virginia have wild trout?
Yes; DWR's survey classes 1,150 reaches of wild trout stream.
Where are stocking dates?
On the trout stocking page and each stocked water’s page.