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  4. Pickerel fishing in Virginia

Pickerel fishing in Virginia

Virginia offers excellent fishing for pickerel. Anglers can explore weedy lakes, ponds, and still backwaters where this species thrives.

Types of Pickerel in Virginia

Best baits and lures for Pickerel in Virginia

According to catch data from over 20 million anglers on Fishbrain, these are the best baits used to catch Pickerel.

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Biggest Pickerel catches

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Latest Pickerel fishing reports in Virginia

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Chain pickerel

Stony Run

length · weight

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Chain pickerel

Lake Gaston

length · weight

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Chain pickerel

Hunting Run Reservoir

26 in · 4 lb

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Chain pickerel

Swift Creek Lake

length · weight

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Chain pickerel

Back Bay

11 in · 1 lb

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Chain pickerel

Swift Creek Lake

16 in · 1 lb

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Chain pickerel

Ashton Creek

length · weight

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Chain pickerel

Ashton Creek

length · weight

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Chain pickerel

Ashton Creek

length · weight

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recently logged catches
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Chain pickerel

Ashton Creek

length · weight

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Regulations for Pickerel 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 Chain pickerel as of May 17th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Chain pickerel

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

5

No length limit. Statewide bag limit = 5 chain pickerel per day.

Lake Gaston and Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir: No daily limit

Good

Esox niger

Regulations for

38°00′12.4″N 79°25′15.3″W
Regulations in the map
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FAQ

Anglers in Virginia commonly catch several Pickerel species, including Chain pickerel and Redfin pickerel, according to reports from Fishbrain members.

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.
Pickerel are caught in rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries throughout Virginia. Popular fishing waters reported by Fishbrain members include James River, Smith Mountain Lake, and Chesapeake Bay (South).

The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Pickerel have recently been caught.