18 public waters in the Piedmont region — 9 lakes/reservoirs and 9 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.
In Goochland County, Virginia, Dover Lake is a 105-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access). Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Goochland County, Virginia — Picketts Creek Reservoir is a 52-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Goochland County, Virginia, Mount Bernard Lake is a 47-acre lake, managed by Unknown. 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.
Bolling Hall Lake (32 acres) sits in Goochland County, Virginia, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access). Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Goochland County, Virginia — Broad Branch Lake is a 23-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Licking Hole Farm Pond, a 21-acre lake in Goochland County, Virginia, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Lake Dillon, a 20-acre lake in Goochland County, Virginia, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Goochland County, Virginia — Carter and Harrell Lake is a 16-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
In Goochland County, Virginia, Harris Pond is a 10-acre lake, managed by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (public lake / boating access). A stocked mountain Trout lake (Moomaw, Douthat, Sherando, Skidmore/Switzer, Hone Quarry, Elkhorn, Coles Run, Mills Creek) — put-and-take rainbow, brown and Brook Trout stocked in the cool months, with smallmouth or Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch and Channel Catfish the rest of the year. A Trout licence is required.
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.
Byrd Creek runs 24 km through Goochland, Fluvanna and Cumberland 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.
Goochland, Henrico and Chesterfield Counties, Virginia — Tuckahoe Creek is a 6 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.
Goochland County, Virginia — Big Lickinghole Creek is a 17 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.
In Goochland County, Virginia, Little Lickinghole Creek is a 14 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.
Fine Creek (13 km) flows through Powhatan and Goochland 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.
Courthouse Creek (10 km) flows through Goochland and Louisa 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.
Fork Creek (9 km) flows through Louisa and Goochland 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 Goochland County, Virginia, Little Byrd Creek is a 7 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.
Across its mapped waters, Goochland County holds 17 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Redbreast Sunfish and Rock Bass.
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.