Grass Carp regulations in Virginia

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Grass Carp has no size limit today, with No daily limit; harvested fish must be dead.

Grass Carp size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Virginia inland public rivers and streams (not public lakes/reservoirs)	Open year-round	No length limit	No daily limit; harvested fish must be dead

Notes

Legal to keep from public rivers and streams only - not from public lakes or reservoirs.
Every grass carp you keep must be dead before you leave the water.

Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: No statewide length limit
Limit: No statewide daily limit
Virginia inland public rivers and streams (not public lakes/reservoirs) — as printed: “Grass Carp No statewide daily limit No statewide length limit | Anglers may possess grass carp taken from inland public waters, except for public lakes and reservoirs. Anglers must ensure that harvested grass carp are dead.”

Source: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, captured 2026-09-21 (2026 season).

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About the grass carp

Species of fish

The grass carp is a species of large herbivorous freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae, native to the Pacific Far East, with a native range stretching from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Sino-Russian border. This Asian carp is the only species of the genus Ctenopharyngodon.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Virginia Marine Resources Commission, not Wikipedia.

All 75 Virginia species A–Z →

Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Grass Carp in Virginia?

No length limit in Virginia state waters.

How many Grass Carp can you keep per day in Virginia?

No daily limit; harvested fish must be dead.

When is Grass Carp season in Virginia?

Open year-round.

Is my Grass Carp a keeper today?

Grass Carp has no size limit today, with No daily limit; harvested fish must be dead.