Trout Fishing Guide

Important Notices

Tumbling Creek Road Closure May 13–17, 2024Tumbling Creek Road will be gated at the foot of the mountain from May 13–17, 2024, to complete urgent road repairs. This will prevent vehicles from accessing the higher elevations of Clinch Mountain WMA and Fee Fishing Area as well as Laurel Bed Lake. All campsites beyond the foot of the mountain must be vacated by 8 PM on May 12. We appreciate your patience while we make these important repairs. To accommodate this closure DWR will be modifying the Clinch Mountain Fee Area stocking schedule as follows: Monday, May 13th — Sections A & B Wednesday, May 15th — Section A Friday, May 17th — Sections A & B Saturday, May 18th — Sections C & D The normal fee area stocking schedule will resume the following week.

Attention Stocked Trout Anglers: Changes to South River (Rockingham County) StockingThe section of South River in Rockingham County behind the Dollar General is now posted. This section will no longer be stocked. Trout will still be stocked in Grand Caverns Park. Please respect private landowners and their property that allow public access for stocked trout fishing.

Virginia contains over 3,500 miles of trout streams, in addition to numerous ponds, small lakes and reservoirs. The total includes over 2,900 miles of wild trout streams and about 600 miles of water inhabited with stocked trout. Virginia’s diversified trout habitat offers a wide range of trout fishing opportunities.

• Trout Fishing Changes & Updates for 2024
• Tiger Trout in Virginia
• Trout Season and Limits
• Where to Go Trout Fishing (Interactive Map)
• Daily Trout Stocking Information
• Designated Trout Waters (Catchable Trout Stocking Waters)
• Pre-Announced Stocked Trout Waters
• Catchable Trout Stocking Plan (PDF)
• Trout Heritage Day
• Urban Program Waters
• Kids Fishing Events
• Youth-Only Stocked Trout Program
• Special Regulation Trout Waters
• Delayed Harvest Waters
• Fee Fishing Areas
• Trout Lakes
• Special Trout Areas: Shenandoah National Park & Blue Ridge Parkway Waters
• Artificial Lure Definition
• Landowner Permits
• License Requirements for Trout Fishing
• Freshwater Fish Citations
• Didymo in Virginia

Trout Management in Virginia

Trout management in Virginia consists of three basic programs.

• The Catchable Trout Stocking Program is the best known and most popular. “Designated Stocked Trout Waters” are stocked from October through May with catchable-sized trout. See the Trout Stocking Plan for the streams and lakes stocked and their stocking schedule.
  • Stocked Trout Management Plan (2016–2025)
• The Wild Trout Program includes the management of reproducing populations of brook, rainbow, and brown trout. Efforts are directed primarily at habitat preservation and proper regulation for protection of spawning stocks.
  • Wild Trout Management Plan (2019–2028)
• The Fingerling Trout Stocking Program involves stocking sublegal trout into waters that have cold summer water temperatures and a good food source. This is the smallest of the three programs, but includes many of our high quality, special regulation trout fishing waters.