RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Each year, Virginia’s waterways attract more than 800,000 people — both Virginians and visitors — for the sport of fishing alone, according to the Department of Wildlife Resources.
With over 176,000 acres of public lakes and 27,300 miles of fishable streams in the state, it’s no wonder that these anglers have caught some amazing fish.
Below is a list of ten of some of the many varieties of record-sized fish that have been caught in Virginia.
The data in this article is from the Department of Wildlife Resources and is updated as of November 2022.
Blue catfish: 143 pounds
- Buggs Island Lake in Boydton
- Caught on June 18, 2011 by Richard “Rick” Anderson
Striped bass: 53 pounds, 7 ounces
- Leesville Reservoir near Altavista
- Caught on March 16, 2000 by James B. Davis
Common carp: 49 pounds, 4 ounces
- Lake Prince in Norfolk
- Caught on June 25, 1986 by Jeff Graham
Gar: 25 pounds, 2 ounces
- Lake Prince in Norfolk
- Caught on May, 28, 1987 by Roger Beaver
Walleye: 22 pounds, 8 ounces
- New River — which runs through North Carolina and West Virginia
- Caught on Aug. 20, 1973 by Roy G. Barrett
Largemouth bass: 16 pounds, 4 ounces
- Conner Lake in Halifax County
- Caught on May 20, 1985 by Richard Tate
Rainbow trout: 14 pounds, 7 ounces
- Greers Pond near Chilhowie
- Caught on June 28, 1993 by Michael Lowe
Brook trout: 5 pounds, 15 ounces
- Cub Run near Chantilly
- Caught on March 12, 2019 by Thomas Garth
Roanoke bass: 2 pounds, 9 ounces
- Western Branch Reservoir in Norfolk
- Caught on May 28, 2005 by Harry G. Swauger
Visit Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources website to see more of the amazing record-sized fish caught in the state!
