Waterbody · Virginia
New River Fishing Regulations 2026
New River fishing regulations in 2026: top targets are musky, smallmouth bass, walleye. 288 current rules across 27 species from DWR.
Rules (288)
DWR regulates 288 rules across 27 species at this water.
Smallmouth Bass
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
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
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
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
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
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
Walleye
New RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
State Record: 15 lbs. 15 oz. on 12-15-2000
Claytor Lake And The New River Upstream To Fries Dam In Grayson County
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 19"
- Slot max
- 28"
no walleye 19 to 28 inches
Appomattox RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
seasonal fishery, run out of Lake Chesdin
Shenandoah River (Main Stem)Open
- Status
- Permitted
abundant in localized areas
South Holston Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
No walleye less than 18 inches
Muskellunge
New River-Claytor Dam Downstream To Va-Wv State LineOut of season
- Season opens
- Mar 1
- Season closes
- May 31
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 48"
- Slot min
- 40"
- Slot max
- 48"
March 1–May 31: No muskellunge less than 48 inches June 1–last day of February: No muskellunge 40 to 48 inches
Shenandoah River (Main Stem)Open
- Status
- Permitted
abundant in localized areas
Largemouth Bass
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
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
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
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
Sucker
Grayson County, New RiverOut of season
- Season opens
- Oct 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 20 fish/day
Smallmouth Bass Largemouth
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. (This Does Not Include Claytor Lake Which Is Delineated As: The Upper End Of The Island At Allisonia Downstream To The Dam.)
- 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
Saugeye
Claytor Lake And The New River Upstream To Fries Dam In Grayson County
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 19"
- Slot max
- 28"
no walleye 19 to 28 inches
Trout
Chestnut Creek (Carroll County): That Portion Of Stream From The U.s. Route 58 Bridge Downstream Approximately 4.2 Miles To The Downstream Boundary Of The New River Trail State Park Cliffview CampgroundOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Trout license required October 1–June 15. No bait may be in possession while fishing these waters. October 1 through May 31
Other Sunfish Excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (Redeye) And Roanoke Bass
That Portion Of The New River From The Va–Nc State Line Downstream To The Confluence Of The New And Little Rivers In Grayson CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No daily limit
Lake Gaston And 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; And That Portion Of The New River From The Va–Nc State Line Downstream To The Confluence Of The New And Little Rivers In Grayson CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No daily limit
Rock Bass (Redeye)
That Portion Of The New River From The Va–Nc State Line Downstream To The Confluence Of The New And Little Rivers In Grayson CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No daily limit
Lake Gaston And Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir And That Portion Of The New River From The Va–Nc State Line Downstream To The Confluence Of The New And Little Rivers In Grayson CountyOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No daily limit
Muskie
All Species
New RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
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).
Plus 15 more species. See the Virginia pillar page for the full list.
FAQ
Who regulates fishing on New River?
DWR regulates fishing on New River.
What species can I target on New River?
New River is best known for musky, smallmouth bass, walleye. Other species are present and tracked in the rule tables below.
Where should I verify these rules?
These rules summarize DWR's published content. Always confirm with the official source before keeping a catch.
Reference only. Regulations change mid-season. Always verify with the official source before keeping a catch.