15 public waters in the Tidewater region — 3 lakes/reservoirs and 12 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a Virginia licence.
See every public fishing venue in Virginia on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Chickahominy Lake (1,230 ac) — a shallow, cypress-lined impoundment of the Chickahominy west of Williamsburg. Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Black Crappie, Bluegill, white and Yellow Perch, Bowfin, and channel and Blue Catfish. Tidal below Walkers Dam.
Charles Lake, a 63-acre lake in Charles City County, Virginia, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): A VDWR-managed small lake or a Department-leased city/county lake — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Channel Catfish and Crappie, with Rainbow Trout stocked into a number of them through the cool months (the Community Fishing / urban programme). Managed for easy bank and pier access.
In Charles City County, Virginia, Harrison Lake is a 60-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. A VDWR-managed small lake or a Department-leased city/county lake — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Channel Catfish and Crappie, with Rainbow Trout stocked into a number of them through the cool months (the Community Fishing / urban programme). Managed for easy bank and pier access.
The James — Virginia's signature river, 340 miles from the Cowpasture/Jackson confluence to Hampton Roads. The upper and middle river (Iron Gate to Richmond) is one of the best smallmouth-bass floats in the country, with Muskellunge, redbreast and Rock Bass. Below Richmond it goes tidal: trophy Blue Catfish, largemouth, and a spring striped-bass and Shad run.
Chickahominy River (128 km) flows through Henrico, Charles City, Hanover and 2 more counties in Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A tidal Virginia river (the tidal James, Chickahominy, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Appomattox and lower Rappahannock) — a nationally-known trophy blue-Catfish fishery, Largemouth Bass in the grass and cypress, white and Yellow Perch, Crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin and Gar, plus seasonal Striped Bass and one of the East Coast's better American-Shad runs.
Henrico, Charles City and Chesterfield Counties, Virginia — Turkey Island Creek is a 12 km stream, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water): A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Upper Chippokes Creek runs 4 km through Surry, Prince George and Charles City Counties, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water): A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Powell Creek runs 9 km through Prince George and Charles City Counties, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water): A Virginia wild or stocked mountain Trout stream — native Brook Trout ('natives' / 'specks') in the headwaters, wild and stocked rainbows and browns lower down. Special-regulation catch-and-release and delayed-harvest sections are marked. A Trout licence (and a National Forest stamp on many) is required to fish stocked water.
In Charles City County, Virginia, Barrows Creek is a 10 km river or creek, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Bailey Creek (11 km) flows through Prince George, Hopewell and Charles City Counties, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
In Charles City County, Virginia, Morris Creek is a 10 km river or creek, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Charles City and James City Counties, Virginia — Tomahund Creek is a 9 km stream, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water): A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
White Oak Swamp River (9 km) flows through Henrico, Charles City and New Kent Counties, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Gunns Run (7 km) flows through Charles City County, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water). A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
East Run runs 8 km through Charles City County, Virginia, managed by Commonwealth of Virginia (public / navigable water): A Virginia smallmouth river (the upper James, the Shenandoah and its forks, the Maury, Cowpasture, Jackson and Rappahannock) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass beds, Redbreast Sunfish ('redeyes'), Rock Bass, and a strong Muskellunge fishery on the James and Shenandoah. Classic wade-and-float bronzeback water.
Across its mapped waters, Charles City County holds 22 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Fallfish and Flathead Catfish.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Virginia map Join PiscaMapsOne Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources freshwater fishing licence covers every public water in the state — resident annual about $24, non-resident annual about $47, with 1-day and 5-day short-term options. A separate trout licence (~$24 resident) is required from 1 October to 15 June to fish designated stocked trout waters, plus a ~$5 National Forest permit on national-forest stocked water. Below the fall line, tidal water needs a saltwater licence instead. Virginia residents 65+ can buy a discounted or free licence. Buy at GoOutdoorsVirginia.com.