Virginia regulations
Smallmouth Bass Regulations in Virginia 2026
Virginia Smallmouth Bass regulations as of 2026-05-08: Status Permitted; Status Permitted; Status Permitted. Sourced from DWR.
Rules (118)
AbelOpen
- Status
- Permitted
AccotinkOpen
- Status
- Permitted
AnnaOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Appomattox RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
ArrowheadOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Augusta County Rec PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Bealer’s Ferry PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Beaverdam Cr.Open
- Status
- Permitted
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
Braley PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
BrieryOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Carvins CoveOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Min size
- 23"
stocked as fingerlings
ClaytorOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Claytor Lake
- Min size
- 23"
Clearbrook Forest Service LakesOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Clifton Forge ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Clinch RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Clinck And Powell Rivers Only
- Min size
- 23"
Coles Run ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
CookOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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)
Douthat Forest Service LakesOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Dry RunOpen
- Status
- Permitted
ElkhornOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Flannagan Res.
- Min size
- 23"
Flannagan Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
no smallmouth bass less than 15 inches
FrederickOpen
- Status
- Permitted
GatewoodOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Germantown LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Hone QuarryOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Hunting Run ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Huntsman LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
JamesOpen
- Status
- Permitted
stocked as fingerlings
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 Anna
- Min size
- 23"
Lake Anna State Park PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Lake MooneyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
LauraOpen
- Status
- Permitted
LaurelOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
LexingtonOpen
- Status
- Permitted
LincolnshireOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Locust ShadeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Lovill’s CreekOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Maury RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
caught anywhere from the head waters to the mouth of the river where it enters the James
MoomawOpen
- Status
- Permitted
MottsOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Mtn. Run Ni ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Newman LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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 PoundOpen
- Status
- Permitted
North Fork Shenandoah RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
throughout
North Fork, South Fork And Mainstem Shenandoah River
- Slot min
- 11"
- Slot max
- 14"
no largemouth or smallmouth bass 11 to 14 inches
Norton ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Nottoway RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
above Rt. 630 Bridge
Old Cossey PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
PhilpottOpen
- Status
- Permitted
stocked as fingerlings
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
Powell Rivers Only
- Min size
- 23"
ShenandoahOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Shenandoah River (Main Stem)Open
- Status
- Permitted
SherandoOpen
- Status
- Permitted
SilverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
SkidmoreOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Slate LickOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Smith Mt. Lake And Its Tributaries Below Niagara Dam
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches
SouthOpen
- Status
- Permitted
stocked as fingerlings
South HolstonOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Tams City ParkOpen
- Status
- Permitted
TomahawkOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Virginia Department Of Wildlife Resources LakesOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Virginia Power Rec. PondsOpen
- Status
- Permitted
WilkinsOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Willis RobertsonOpen
- Status
- Permitted
WittenOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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
Woodrow Wilson PondOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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. Last verified .