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- Catfish fishing in Virginia
Types of Catfish in Virginia
Catfish fishing spots in Virginia
Best baits and lures for Catfish in Virginia
According to catch data from over 20 million anglers on Fishbrain, these are the best baits used to catch Catfish.
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Biggest Catfish catches
Latest Catfish fishing reports in Virginia
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Regulations for Catfish in Virginia
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Virginia can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Channel catfish as of May 17th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Seasons
Bag limit
No statewide length limit.
Exceptions to statewide limits:
- South Holston Reservoir: 20 catfish per day, only 1 catfish per day longer than 34-inches total length
- All rivers below the fall line: No daily limit
Bow and Arrow (including crossbows) may be used to take common carp, grass carp, northern snakehead, and gar (fishing license required) during day and night hours, except from waters stocked with trout. Bowfin and catfish may be taken in tidal waters. Spearguns and poisoned arrows are prohibited.
Any common carp, grass carp, northern snakehead, goldfish, catfish, longnose gar, or bowfin taken with bow and arrow must be retained and must not be released back into or disposed of into the water. These fishes may not be disposed of on property abutting the body of water of capture.
For more information, see Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Ictalurus punctatus
Regulations for
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FAQ
These species can be found in many rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Catfish have recently been caught.