Hickory Shad regulations in Virginia

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Hickory Shad has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.

Hickory Shad size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Meherrin (below Emporia Dam), Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan), North Landing and Northwest rivers and tributaries, plus Back Bay	Open year-round	No length limit	10 per day
Chesapeake Bay coastal rivers above and below the fall line	Open year-round	As set by VMRC	As set by VMRC for tidal rivers (no hickory shad rule printed on the VMRC recreational table)

Notes

Chowan-drainage rivers (Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater, North Landing, Northwest) and Back Bay: 10 per day, no size limit.
Chesapeake Bay rivers: DWR defers to VMRC; VMRC's recreational table prints no hickory shad limit, so confirm with VMRC before keeping any.
Do not confuse with American shad, which is catch-and-release only statewide.

Exact Virginia Marine Resources Commission wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: No length limit (Chowan drainage); Chesapeake rivers as set by VMRC
Limit: 10 per day in the Chowan drainage rivers; Chesapeake Bay coastal rivers as set by VMRC
Meherrin (below Emporia Dam), Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan), North Landing and Northwest rivers and tributaries, plus Back Bay — as printed: “Hickory Shad - Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries: Creel and length limits shall be the same as those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Comm. in tidal rivers | Meherrin River below Emporia Dam, Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers, and their tributaries plus Back Bay: 10 per day No length limits”

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

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About the hickory shad

Species of fish

The hickory shad, fall herring, mattowacca, freshwater taylor or bonejack is a member of the family Alosidae, ranging along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to the Gulf of Maine. It is an anadromous fish species, meaning that it spawns in freshwater portions of rivers, but spends most of its life at sea. It is subject to fishing, both historic and current, but it is often confused with or simply grouped together with American shad in catch statistics.

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

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Hickory Shad in Virginia?

No length limit in Virginia state waters.

How many Hickory Shad can you keep per day in Virginia?

10 per day.

When is Hickory Shad season in Virginia?

Open year-round.

Is my Hickory Shad a keeper today?

Hickory Shad has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 10.