The Best Fishing Spots in Virginia
Virginia offers diverse recreational fishing across the Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic coast, inland rivers, mountain streams, and reservoirs. Anglers target coastal favorites like striped bass (rockfish), bluefish, red drum, summer flounder, black sea bass, tautog, and occasional cobia, while freshwater fishermen pursue largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, trout (brook, brown, rainbow), crappie, bluegill, and various catfish. Whether you prefer shore or pier fishing, inshore bay trips, or offshore charters, Virginia delivers year‑round opportunities for many skill levels and techniques.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Alexandria
(1 km to coast)
Annandale
(17 km to coast)
Arlington
(5 km to coast)
Baileys Crossroads
(9 km to coast)
Burke
(19 km to coast)
Cherry Hill
(1 km to coast)
Chesapeake
(5 km to coast)
Chester
(19 km to coast)
Colonial Heights
(16 km to coast)
Dale City
(8 km to coast)
East Hampton
(4 km to coast)
Falls Church
(12 km to coast)
Fort Hunt
(2 km to coast)
Fort Lee
(12 km to coast)
Franconia
(10 km to coast)
Fredericksburg
(15 km to coast)
Groveton
(4 km to coast)
Hampton
(3 km to coast)
Hopewell
(2 km to coast)
Huntington
(2 km to coast)
Hybla Valley
(4 km to coast)
Idylwood
(16 km to coast)
Lake Ridge
(9 km to coast)
Lincolnia
(11 km to coast)
Lorton
(6 km to coast)
McLean
(13 km to coast)
Merrifield
(18 km to coast)
Montclair
(8 km to coast)
Mount Vernon
(1 km to coast)
Newington
(7 km to coast)
Newport News
(0 km to coast)
Norfolk
(1 km to coast)
Petersburg
(19 km to coast)
Poquoson
(2 km to coast)
Portsmouth
(2 km to coast)
Portsmouth Heights
(7 km to coast)
Rose Hill
(7 km to coast)
Springfield
(14 km to coast)
Suffolk
(20 km to coast)
Tysons
(18 km to coast)
Virginia Beach
(1 km to coast)
West Falls Church
(14 km to coast)
West Springfield
(13 km to coast)
Williamsburg
(6 km to coast)
Woodlawn
(2 km to coast)
River Fishing
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is Virginia’s signature fishery, producing striped bass, red drum, speckled trout, cobia, flounder, and seasonal runs of spot and bluefish; spring and fall shine for migratory striped bass, summer brings cobia and spadefish, and winter targets include tautog near structure around Hampton Roads and the Lower Bay .
Chincoteague Bay
Bordering Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Chincoteague Bay offers flounder, speckled trout, red drum, and summer kingfish in channels and grass flats, with access to surf fishing on Assateague Island and nearby passes like Chincoteague Inlet .
Lynnhaven Inlet
A Virginia Beach favorite for speckled trout, red drum, sheepshead, and flounder, Lynnhaven Inlet and the connected Lynnhaven River and Broad Bay fish best on moving tides from spring through late fall around docks, bridges, and marsh creeks.
Piankatank River
A productive lower Bay tributary, the Piankatank yields speckled trout, red drum, striped bass, and summer croaker; grass beds and oyster bars fish well, with access to nearby hotspots like Gwynn’s Island and Fishing Bay .
Rudee Inlet
Easily accessed in the resort area, Rudee Inlet offers inshore action for speckled trout, red drum, flounder, and seasonal bluefish; inlet jetties and bridges produce on tide changes, while nearby Rudee Flats and the surf of Virginia Beach extend options.
York River
Flowing into the Bay at Yorktown , the York River supports striped bass, speckled trout, red drum, and summer croaker and spot; spring and fall see strong striper bites, while grass beds and marsh creeks near West Point hold trout and drum.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Claytor Lake
Fed by the New River, Claytor Lake offers striped bass, smallmouth, walleye, and muskellunge; night fishing for stripers in summer is popular, while points and coves near Claytor Dam and Peak Creek shine in spring and fall.
John H. Kerr Reservoir
Also known as Kerr Lake or Buggs Island , this expansive impoundment offers outstanding crappie, quality largemouth bass, and dependable catfish, with seasonal white bass and striped bass action; spring brush piles and summer ledges are prime targets.
Lake Anna
Lake Anna is a year-round bass factory where largemouth thrive around docks and grass, with strong populations of striped bass, crappie, and blue catfish; spring prespawn in creeks off the North Anna River and Pamunkey Branch is especially productive.
Lake Moomaw
A deep, clear mountain reservoir, Lake Moomaw produces quality brown trout, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass; summer thermocline trolling for trout is effective, while spring and fall shoreline structure near Gathright Dam and the Jackson River arm fishes well.
New River
The New River in Virginia is celebrated for trophy smallmouth bass, feisty muskellunge, and solid walleye; late spring and early fall float trips near Radford and Eggleston produce numbers and size with topwater and swimbaits.
Occoquan Reservoir
This Northern Virginia impoundment is a reliable producer of largemouth bass, crappie, and blue catfish, with clear-water finesse bites in summer and strong spring prespawn around standing timber near Fountainhead and docks around Lake Ridge .
Smith Mountain Lake
Virginia’s second-largest reservoir is renowned for quality striped bass, solid largemouth and smallmouth bass, and dependable crappie; spring topwater for bass, summer downlines for stripers, and fall shad migrations in the Roanoke River and Blackwater River arms drive patterns.
Shenandoah River
A scenic smallmouth haven, the Shenandoah features exceptional smallmouth bass fishing with bonus sunfish and channel catfish; summer wading and float trips around Front Royal and Luray yield steady action on tubes and topwater.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Back Bay
Back Bay’s brackish-fresh mix near Sandbridge and False Cape supports largemouth bass, crappie, and bowfin alongside seasonal red drum and speckled trout; grass and canals fish well in spring and fall, with summer dawn topwater bites.
Potomac River
The tidal Potomac along Virginia’s shore is famed for largemouth bass, with plentiful snakehead in marshes and steady catfish action; spring and fall bass bites around grass beds near Occoquan Bay are prime, while winter jigging for striped bass can be productive in deeper channels.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Adjacent to the southern end of Back Bay, this refuge area provides shoreline and surf access for largemouth bass, seasonal speckled trout and red drum, and backwater species like bowfin, with productive edges near False Cape and channels connecting to Back Bay .
Chickahominy River
A tidal bass gem with cypress-lined backwaters, the Chickahominy offers excellent largemouth bass, plentiful bowfin, and strong blue catfish, with seasonal striped bass; spring around Walkers Dam and adjacent Chickahominy Lake is prime.
James River
From tidal reaches near Jamestown to upriver sections above Richmond , the James River offers trophy blue catfish, strong spring shad and striped bass runs, and excellent largemouth bass and crappie action in oxbows and creeks; summer night fishing for giant blues is a regional hallmark.
Pamunkey River
The Pamunkey’s tidal stretches offer blue catfish, seasonal striped bass, and brackish white perch, while upstream holds largemouth bass; spring shad and perch runs around Aylett and broad summer catfish bites near New Kent are highlights.
Rappahannock River
A classic tidal-to-fresh system, the Rappahannock yields spring hickory shad and striped bass near Fredericksburg , strong summer blue catfish downstream, and brackish catches of speckled trout and red drum nearer Urbanna and the Bay.