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Fishing in Virginia

Click a region to explore top fishing spots, species, and local tips.

Virginia offers extraordinary fishing diversity from the Atlantic coast to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore provide world-class striped bass, blue crab, and flounder fishing. The Shenandoah National Park features 100+ miles of brook trout streams, Smith Mountain Lake offers excellent bass and striper fishing, and the James River provides smallmouth bass and muskie fishing.

Topographic map — click to view full size

Coastal & Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach, Chincoteague -- Striped Bass, Red Drum, Flounder, Speckled Trout, Bluefish

Piedmont & Central

Lake Anna, Kerr Lake, Briery Creek -- Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Bluegill

Shenandoah & Mountains

Shenandoah National Park, Mossy Creek, Jackson River -- Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass

Southwest & Blue Ridge

Claytor Lake, New River, Smith Mountain Lake -- Smallmouth Bass, Muskie, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie

Northern VA & Potomac

Potomac River, Occoquan Reservoir, Burke Lake -- Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Carp

Hampton Roads & Tidewater

James River, York River, Back Bay -- Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Flounder, Speckled Trout, Crappie