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Trout Heritage Day

Important Notices

Trout Heritage DayAttention trout anglers: Trout Heritage Day is Saturday April 6, 2024. Trout Heritage Day is always the first Saturday in April. There was a misprint in the 2024 Freshwater Fishing & Boating Regulations Digest that listed Trout Heritage Day as April 1st.

Trout Heritage Waters for 2024

Celebrate trout fishing with friends and family on Trout Heritage Day! Some may find this day reminiscent of a traditional opening day of the trout season. DWR fisheries staff stock select waters on the first Saturday of April. This is done to create an announced stocking event and give anglers an routine opening day.

Add a bit of a challenge to your Trout Heritage Day by aiming to complete the Virginia Trout Slam Challenge! Catch each of the trout species of Virginia—brook, rainbow, and brown—in one to join the club of those who have completed Virginia Trout Slam Challenge and display their #VATroutSlam sticker proudly.

If you compete your Trout Slam on Trout Heritage Day, submit your catch to the DWR Trophy Fish Program, via Go Outdoors Virginia. Log in, click on make a purchase, click on Fishing, and choose Trout Slam Application. Once the form is processed, the angler will be mailed a Virginia Trout Slam sticker. Display it proudly, and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram (@VirginiaWildlife) and use #VATroutSlam!

The following waters will be stocked for the April 6th Heritage Day:

Waterbody County
Beartree Lake Washington County
Bark Camp Lake Scott County
Clinch Mountain Fee Fishing Area* Washington County
Cripple Creek (Ravens Cliff) Wythe County
Crooked Creek Fee Fishing Area* Carroll County
Douthat State Park Fee Fishing Area* Bath County
Hawksbill Creek Page County
Jennings Creek Botetourt County
Lake Witten Tazewell County
Liberty Lake Bedford County
Lincolnshire Lake Tazewell County
Middle Fork Holston River Smyth County
Passage Creek Shenandoah County
Pedlar River (upper) Amherst County
Pigg River Franklin County
Quantico MCB Prince William County
Robinson River Madison County
Rose River Madison County
South Fork Powell River Wise County
Tinker Creek Roanoke County

* The fee fishing areas are closed to angling from April 1 to 5. Heritage Waters are closed on April 5. On April 6, fishing can begin at 9:00 a.m.