Reciprocal Licenses
All reciprocal license agreements listed below refer to both boat and bank anglers.
| Waterbody | Agreement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buggs Island (Kerr) and Gaston | Virginia or North Carolina state fishing licenses and permits are honored on those waters lying east of Union Street Dam on the Dan River in Virginia and the mouth of Difficult Creek on the Staunton River of Kerr Reservoir to the Gaston Dam on the Roanoke River, including all tributary waters accessible by boat from the main bodies of the reservoirs, or from the Island Creek subimpoundment. (Note: North Carolina regulations apply on North Carolina portions of these waters.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blue Ridge Parkway | Virginia and North Carolina licenses are honored on all Parkway waters. (Note:Virginia regulations apply in Parkway waters in Virginia except where noted herein or in federal regulations). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New River | Virginia or North Carolina state fishing licenses and permits are honored on the mainstream portion lying between the confluence of the North and South Forks of the New River in North Carolina (Alleghany County) downstream to the confluence of the New and Little Rivers in Virginia (Grayson County). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potomac River | Virginia has reciprocal license agreements for three sections of the Potomac River, one above the District of Columbia and two below the District of Columbia. License requirements are different for these sections. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Upper Potomac River [above Little Falls (upper border with the District of Columbia) to the West Virginia border/state line] | Resident anglers with state freshwater licenses in Virginia or Maryland may fish the Potomac River and from both banks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Middle Potomac and its Tidal Freshwater Tributaries (between Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Rt. 301) | Valid Virginia freshwater
and saltwater (excluding county
icenses), Potomac River Fisheries Commission,
and Maryland Bay sport licenses
are all honored on the mainstem
Potomac and Maryland tributaries up to
the demarcation lines (see below); all of
these same licenses, except the Virginia
saltwater licenses, are honored on the
Virginia tributaries up to demarcation
lines (see below): Virginia tributaries up to the following demarcation lines:
|
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| Lower Potomac River (between its mouth and the Rt. 301 Bridge) | Valid Virginia saltwater (excluding County licenses), Maryland Bay sport, or Potomac River Fisheries Commission licenses are honored in the main stem. In Virginia tributaries below 301, Virginia freshwater and saltwater, and Potomac River Fisheries Commission licenses are honored. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Holston Reservoir | Any person possessing a valid Tennessee or Virginia resident freshwater fishing license,
or who is legally exempt from those license requirements, and possessing the South
Holston Reservoir License may fish in the Tennessee and Virginia impounded waters of
South Holston Reservoir. Virginia residents fishing in South Holston Lake in TN must
have a Virginia resident license and South Holston Reservoir Permit (or Tennessee
nonresident fishing license); under the age of 13—no license or permit required. The
annual cost of the South Holston License is currently $21. The South Holston License is
valid in all impounded portions of the reservoir below full pool elevation of 1,730 feet,
including the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork Holston rivers and the South
Fork Holston River upstream to the Route 710 Bridge at Alvarado, VA. The South Holston
License is not valid for possession of trout. A valid resident Tennessee trout fishing license or a valid resident Virginia trout fishing license is required to fish for trout and to possess trout on South Holston Reservoir. All anglers shall abide by the laws of the state in which they are fishing as to manner and means of taking fish. Size restrictions and creel limits shall be as follows:
|
Note: Maryland regulations apply for the Upper Potomac River and the Maryland Potomac River tributaries (call 1-800-688-3467 for current Maryland regulations).
Note: Potomac River Fisheries Commission regulations are enforced in the Potomac mainstem between the lower District of Columbia border and the mouth of the Potomac (call 1-804-224-7148 or 1-800-266-3904 for current PRFC regulations). Waters between the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Little Falls are controlled by D.C., and a D.C. fishing license is required.
Fall Line
The Fall Line is defined as the following landmarks:
- Rappahannock River: Rt. 1 Bridge;
- Mattaponi River: Rt. 360 Bridge;
- Pamunkey River: Rt. 360 Bridge;
- Chickahominy River: Walkers Dam;
- James River: 14th Street Bridge;
- Occoquan River: I-95 Bridge.
