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Virginia freshwater size limits and seasons

30 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-09-21. All 75 Virginia species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Blue Catfish	Open year-round	None	20 per person per day
Bowfin	Open year-round	No length limit	5 per day Jul 1 - Apr 14; 1 per day Apr 15 - Jun 30
Chain Pickerel	Open year-round	None	5 per person per day
Channel Catfish	Open year-round	None	20 per person per day
Common Carp	Open year-round	No size limit	No possession limit
Crappie	Open year-round	None	25 per person per day
Crayfish	Open year-round	No size limit	20 in aggregate (all species combined)
Grass Carp	Open year-round	No length limit	No daily limit; harvested fish must be dead
Hickory Shad	Open year-round	No length limit	10 per day
Hybrid Striped Bass	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	4 per day, striped bass and hybrids combined
Largemouth Bass	Open year-round	No statewide length limits	5 largemouth + smallmouth combined
Longnose Gar	Open year-round	None	5 (1 during Apr 15 – Jun 30)
Muskellunge	Open year-round	40 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Nongame fish (no possession limit)	Open year-round	No size limit	No possession limit
Northern Pike	Open year-round	None	5 per person per day
Northern Snakehead (invasive)	Open year-round	None	No statewide daily limit
Other nongame fish (20 per day)	Open year-round	No length limit	20 per day
Roanoke Bass	Open year-round	No length limit	25 per day, rock bass and Roanoke bass combined
Rock Bass	Open year-round	None	25 per person per day
Sauger	Open year-round	No size limit	2 per person per day
Smallmouth Bass	Open year-round	No statewide length limits	5 largemouth + smallmouth combined
Southern Flounder	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	6 per day
Spotted Bass	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Sunfish	Open year-round	None	50 per person per day
Threatened and endangered fish (no possession)	Closed	—	—
Trout	Open year-round	7 inch minimum	6 per person per day
Walleye	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	5 per person per day
White Bass	Open year-round	No statewide length limits	5 per person per day
White Perch	Open year-round	No length limit	No daily limit
Yellow Perch	Open year-round	None	No statewide daily limit