Virginia regulations
Blue Catfish Regulations in Virginia 2026
Virginia Blue Catfish regulations: Daily bag 1 fish/day, Min size 32 inches. Sourced from DWR.
Rules (31)
All Rivers Below The Fall Line Other Than The Tidal James River And Its Tributaries Downstream To A Line Connecting Hog Point On Hog Island (Surry County) And The Downstream Point Of The Mouth Of College Creek (James City County)Open
- Status
- Permitted
No daily limit
Buggs Island LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
State Record: 143 lbs. on 6-18-2011
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir Including The Staunton (Roanoke) River And Its Tributaries To Difficult Creek, Charlotte County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
longer than 32 inches
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir Including The Staunton (Roanoke) River And Its Tributaries To Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; And The Dan River And Its Tributaries To The Banister River, Halifax County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
longer than 32 inches
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir Including The Staunton (Roanoke) River And Its Tributaries To Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; And The Dan River And Its Tributaries To The Banister River, Halifax County;
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 32"
only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches
Dan River And Its Tributaries To The Banister River, Halifax County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
longer than 32 inches
Inland Waters Of VirginiaClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
Unauthorized introduction (i.e., stocking) is illegal
James River And Its Tributaries Below The Fall Line Downstream To A Line Connecting Hog Point On Hog Island (Surry County) And The Downstream Point Of The Mouth Of College Creek (James City County)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 32"
No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches longer than 32 inches only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches
Lake GastonOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 32"
No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches longer than 32 inches only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches
Privately Owned Ponds And LakesClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
cannot be stocked
Rappahannock RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Archery State Record: 68 lbs. 14 oz. on 10-20-2022
Tidal James RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
unlimited harvest of any size below the freshwater-saltwater demarcation line. See page 24 for more.
Tidal James River Below The Freshwater-Saltwater Demarcation LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
unlimited harvest of any size
Virginia’s Rivers And LakesClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
Unauthorized introduction (i.e., stocking) of fish or wildlife, including game, bait, and aquarium species, into new waters can harm the environment and destroy public fisheries. Releasing exotic or potentially harmful species is illegal.
York RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
unlimited harvest of any size below the fall line. See page 24 for more.
Other Virginia fish regulations
Other regulated species in Virginia with current rule pages — same DWR source, same verification cadence.
- Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow)303 rules
- Smallmouth Bass118 rules
- Largemouth Bass109 rules
- Channel Catfish100 rules
- Bluegill (Sunfish)83 rules
- Stripers (Striped Bass)80 rules
- Crappie (Black & White)70 rules
- Yellow Perch54 rules
- White Perch54 rules
- Muskie (Muskellunge)44 rules
- Fluke (Summer Flounder)5 rules
- Redfish (Red Drum)4 rules
- Cobia3 rules
Frequently asked questions
When is Blue Catfish season in Virginia?
Blue Catfish season in Virginia is set by DWR. Some zones may have specific open windows; see the rule table above.
What is the size limit for Blue Catfish in Virginia?
Minimum size for Blue Catfish in Virginia is 32 inches in Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir Including The Staunton (Roanoke) River And Its Tributaries To Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; And The Dan River And Its Tributaries To The Banister River, Halifax County;, per DWR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Blue Catfish in Virginia?
Daily bag limit for Blue Catfish in Virginia is 1 fish/day in Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir Including The Staunton (Roanoke) River And Its Tributaries To Difficult Creek, Charlotte County, per DWR.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/resources/VA/26VAFW_LR.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26VAFW_LR_2026-01-14-181617_afxs.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/virginia/fishing/creel-length-limits
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DWR before keeping a catch.