Virginia Fishing Regulations: Bag Limits, Size Limits and Seasons
These are the statewide daily bag limits and length limits Virginia anglers work under, taken from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR); tidal water is Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) guide for January 1 to December 31, 2026. Statewide means the default: most states, Virginia included, override these on specific lakes, rivers and coastal zones, so treat this page as the baseline and the official guide as the rule for the water you are standing on.
Virginia splits its water at the fall line. Above it DWR rules apply and trout season is open year-round; below it, in tidal water, VMRC sets the limits. Two tidal closures matter: speckled trout harvest is closed April 1 through June 30, 2026, and coastal striped bass is closed April 1 through May 15. Cobia is open June 15 to September 20 only. You will still need the Virginia fishing license, which runs $23 for residents and $47 for non-residents; the Virginia fishing license page covers short-term options, exemptions and where to buy.
Limits last verified 2026-09-16.
Virginia freshwater bag and length limits
| Species | Daily bag | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bassMost named rivers and reservoirs carry a slot or minimum, for example no bass 14 to 22 inches on the James and New rivers. | 5 combined | None statewide |
| Alabama and spotted bass | No limit | None |
| Striped bass and hybrids (landlocked)Smith Mountain, Kerr, Gaston and Claytor each run their own seasonal limits. | 4 combined | 20 in. minimum |
| White bass | 5 | None |
| Walleye and saugeye | 5 combined | 18 in. minimum |
| Sauger | 2 | None |
| Crappie (black and white)9 or 10 in. minimum on Kerr, Briery Creek, Flannagan and South Holston. | 25 combined | None statewide |
| Bluegill and other sunfish | 50 combined | None |
| Rock bass and Roanoke bass | 25 combined | None statewide |
| Yellow and white perch | No limit | None statewide |
| TroutSpecial regulation trout waters set their own limits. | 6 | 7 in. minimum |
| Channel, white and flathead catfishNo daily limit in rivers below the fall line. | 20 combined | None |
| Blue catfishOnly 1 per day over 32 inches on Kerr, Gaston and the tidal James. | 20 | None |
| Chain pickerel and northern pike | 5 | None |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 40 in. minimum |
Virginia saltwater limits
| Species | Daily bag | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Red drum (redfish) | 3 | 18-26 in. slot |
| Spotted seatrout (speckled trout)Only 1 over 24 inches. Closed April 1 through June 30, 2026. | 5 | 14 in. minimum |
| Summer flounder | 4 | 16 in. minimum January to May, 17.5 in. June to December |
| Black drum | 1 | 16 in. minimum |
| Striped bass (coastal)Open January 1 to March 31 and May 16 to December 31. | 1 | 28-31 in. slot |
| CobiaOpen June 15 through September 20. Permit required. | 1 per person, 2 per vessel | 43 in. minimum |
| Sheepshead | 4 | None |
Saltwater source: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources saltwater regulations.
How to read a bag limit
A daily bag limit is the number of that species one angler may keep in a day, and in most states also the number you may have in possession on the water. Where a row says "combined", the number is shared across every species named in it. A minimum length is measured from the tip of the closed mouth to the tip of the tail with the tail pinched; a slot means fish inside the range must go back. When a lake has its own rule in the official guide, that rule replaces the statewide one for that water only.
Related: the Virginia fishing license page for the fee and where to buy, non-resident fishing license fees across states, and fishing regulations for every state.