SlotGaugeCheck a catchBowfin regulations in Virginia
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Bowfin size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia inland waters (statewide) | Open year-round | No length limit | 5 per day Jul 1 - Apr 14; 1 per day Apr 15 - Jun 30 |
Notes
- Spawning-season limit: only 1 per day from April 15 through June 30; 5 per day the rest of the year.
- Printed as its own row by DWR, separate from longnose gar (same limits).
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- No statewide length limit
- Limit
- July 1 to April 14: 5 per day; April 15 to June 30: 1 per day
- Virginia inland waters (statewide) — as printed
- “Bowfin July 1 to April 14: 5 per day April 15 to June 30: 1 per day No statewide length limits”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the bowfin
Species of ray-finned fish
The ruddy bowfin is a ray-finned fish native to North America. Common names include mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, grindle, grinnel, swamp trout, and choupique. It is regarded as a relict, being one of only two surviving species of the Halecomorphi, a group of fish that first appeared during the Early Triassic, around 250 million years ago. The bowfin is often considered a "living fossil" because it has retained some morphological characteristics of its early ancestors. It is one of two species in the genus Amia, along with Amia ocellicauda, the eyespot bowfin. The closest living relatives of bowfins are gars, with the two groups being united in the clade Holostei.
Read more about Bowfin on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Bowfin in Virginia?
No length limit in Virginia state waters.
How many Bowfin can you keep per day in Virginia?
5 per day Jul 1 - Apr 14; 1 per day Apr 15 - Jun 30.
When is Bowfin season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Bowfin a keeper today?
Bowfin has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 5.