SlotGaugeCheck a catchChannel Catfish regulations in Virginia
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Channel Catfish size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia inland waters (statewide; special waters differ) | Open year-round | None | 20 per person per day |
Notes
- A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' zones / name. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf
Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- 20 per day
- Inland waters — as printed
- “Catfish (Channel, White, Flathead): 20 per day; No length limits (rivers below the fall line: no daily limit)”
Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).
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About the channel catfish
Species of fish
The channel catfish, known informally as the "channel cat", is a species of catfish native to North America. They are North America's most abundant catfish species, and the official state fish of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Tennessee. The channel catfish is the most fished species of catfish in the United States, with around 8 million anglers angling them per year. The popularity of channel catfish for food has contributed to the rapid expansion of this species' aquaculture in the United States. It has also been widely introduced to Europe, Asia and South America, and many countries consider it an invasive species.
Read more about Channel catfish 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 Channel Catfish in Virginia?
None in Virginia state waters.
How many Channel Catfish can you keep per day in Virginia?
20 per person per day.
When is Channel Catfish season in Virginia?
Open year-round.
Is my Channel Catfish a keeper today?
Channel Catfish has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 20.