Virginia regulations
Smallmouth Bass Regulations in Virginia 2026
Virginia Smallmouth Bass regulations: Daily bag 1 fish/day, Slot min 14 inches, Slot max 22 inches. Sourced from DWR.
Rules (118)
Big Walker Creek From The Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge Downstream To The New River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches
Briery Creek Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 24"
longer than 24 inches
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
Clinch River–Within The Boundaries Of Scott, Wise, Russell Or Tazewell Counties
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
longer than 20 inches no largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches
Dan River And Tributaries Downstream From The Union Street Dam, Danville
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches, 5 per day in the aggregate (combined)
Flannagan Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
no smallmouth bass less than 15 inches
James River (Upper)Open
- Status
- Permitted
mountain sections (upstream from Lynchburg) and piedmont sections (between Lynchburg and Richmond)
James River–Confluence Of The Jackson And Cowpasture Rivers (Botetourt Cty) Downstream To The 14th St. Bridge In Richmond
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches no largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches
Lake Gaston
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
Lake Moomaw
- Min size
- 12"
no largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 12 inches
Leesville Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
Levisa Fork River–Within The Boundaries Buchanan County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
longer than 20 inches no largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches
Little River Downstream From Little River Dam In Montgomery County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches
Maury RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
caught anywhere from the head waters to the mouth of the river where it enters the James
New RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
State Record: 8 lbs. 1 oz. on 3-12-2003
New River–Fields Dam (Grayson County) Downstream To The Va-Wv State Line
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches
New River–Fields Dam (Grayson County) Downstream To The Va-Wv State Line And Its Tributaries Little River Downstream From Little River Dam In Montgomery County, Big Walker Creek From The Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge Downstream To The New River And Wolf Creek From The Narrows Dam Downstream To The New R
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
only 1 per day longer than 22 inches No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches
New River–Fields Dam (Grayson County) Downstream To The Va-Wv State Line And Its Tributaries Little River Downstream From Little River Dam In Montgomery County, Big Walker Creek From The Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge Downstream To The New River And Wolf Creek From The Narrows Dam Downstream To The New River In Giles County.
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches no largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches
North Fork Holston RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
outstanding population, good numbers of smallmouth 14 to 18 inches, about one-third more than 14 inches, and more than 10% longer than 17 inches
North Fork Holston River–Rt. 91 Bridge Upstream Of Saltville, Va. Downstream To The Va-Tn State Line
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
longer than 20 inches no largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 20 inches
North Fork, South Fork And Mainstem Shenandoah River
- Slot min
- 11"
- Slot max
- 14"
no largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 inches
Potomac River – Virginia Tidal Tributaries Above Rt. 301 Bridge
- Min size
- 15"
no largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches from March 1 through June 15
Smith Mt. Lake And Its Tributaries Below Niagara Dam
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
South Holston Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
no smallmouth less than 15 inches
Staunton (Roanoke) River–And Its Tributaries Below Difficult Creek, Charlotte County
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
Staunton River–Leesville Dam (Campbell County) Downstream To The Mouth Of Difficult Creek, Charlotte County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
longer than 20 inches no smallmouth bass less than 20 inches
Wolf Creek From The Narrows Dam Downstream To The New River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
Longer than 22 inches No largemouth or smallmouth bass 14 to 22 inches
Wolf Creek From The Narrows Dam Downstream To The New River In Giles County
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 22"
longer than 22 inches
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
- 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
- Blue Catfish31 rules
- Fluke (Summer Flounder)5 rules
- Redfish (Red Drum)4 rules
- Cobia3 rules
Also known as
Smallmouth Bass is also called smallies. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Virginia.
Frequently asked questions
When is Smallmouth Bass season in Virginia?
Smallmouth Bass 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 Smallmouth Bass in Virginia?
Minimum size for Smallmouth Bass in Virginia is 23 inches in Carvins Cove, per DWR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Virginia?
Daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Virginia is 1 fish/day in Big Walker Creek From The Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge Downstream To The New River, per DWR.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26VAFW_LR_2026-01-14-181617_afxs.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/resources/VA/26VAFW_LR.pdf
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DWR before keeping a catch.