REGULATIONS
Vol. 27 Iss. 2 - September 27, 2010

TITLE 4. CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
BOARD OF GAME AND INLAND FISHERIES
Chapter 320
Proposed Regulation

Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-320. Fish: Fishing Generally (amending 4VAC15-320-25, 4VAC15-320-90; repealing 4VAC15-320-130).

Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Hearing Information:

October 5, 2010 - 9 a.m. - Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA

Public Comment Deadline: September 16, 2010.

Agency Contact: Phil Smith, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4016 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230, telephone (804) 367-8341, or email phil.smith@dgif.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The proposed amendments (i) adjust freshwater fishing creel and length limits; (ii) add the James River to the list of waters where a National Forest Permit is not required to fish from national forest lands; and (iii) eliminate the "only bait with a single point hook (no artificial lures allowed)" requirement for the Witcher Creek (Cedar Key cove) area on Smith Mountain Lake.

4VAC15-320-25. Creel and length limits.

The creel limits (including live possession) and the length limits for the various species of fish shall be as follows, unless otherwise excepted by posted rules at department-owned or department-controlled waters (see 4VAC15-320-100 D).


Type of fish

Subtype or location

Creel and length limits

Geographic exceptions

Creel or length limits for exceptions

largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass

5 per day in the aggregate;

No statewide length limits

Lakes

Briery Creek Lake

No bass 14 to 24 inches, only 1 per day longer than 24 inches

Buggs Island (Kerr)

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

Claytor Lake

No bass less than 12 inches

Flannagan Reservoir

No bass less than 12 inches

Lake Gaston

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

Leesville Reservoir

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

Lake Moomaw

No bass less than 12 inches

Philpott Reservoir

No bass less than 12 inches

Quantico Marine Base waters

No bass 12 to 15 inches

Smith Mt. Lake and its tributaries below Niagara Dam

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

Rivers

Clinch River – within the boundaries of Scott, Wise, Russell, or Tazewell counties

No bass 11 to 14 inches

Dan River and tributaries down stream from the Brantley Steam Plant, Danville

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

James River – Confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture rivers (Botetourt County) downstream to the 14th Street Bridge in Richmond

No bass 14 to 22 inches, only 1 per day longer than 22 inches

New River – Fields Dam (Grayson County) downstream to the VA – WV state line and its tributary Little River downstream from Little River Dam in Montgomery County (This does not include Claytor Lake which is delineated as: The upper end of the island at Allisonia downstream to the dam)

No bass 14 to 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches

North Fork Holston River - Rt. 91 bridge upstream of Saltville, VA downstream to the VA-TN state line

No bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches

North Fork Shenandoah River – Rt. 42 bridge, Rockingham Co. downstream to the confluence with S. Fork Shenandoah at Front Royal

No bass 11 to 14 inches

Potomac River - Virginia tidal tributaries above Rt. 301 bridge

No bass less than 15 inches from March 1 through June 15

Roanoke (Staunton) River - and its tributaries below Difficult Creek, Charlotte Co.

Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches

Shenandoah River –

Confluence of South Fork and North Fork rivers, Front Royal, downstream, to the Warren Dam, near Front Royal

No bass 11 to 14 inches

Base of Warren Dam, near Front Royal downstream to Rt. 17/50 bridge

No bass 14 to 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches

Rt. 17/50 bridge downstream to VA - WV state line

No bass 11 to 14 inches

South Fork Shenandoah River -

Confluence of North and South rivers, below Port Republic, downstream to Shenandoah Dam, near Town of Shenandoah

No bass 11 to 14 inches

Base of Shenandoah Dam, near Town of Shenandoah, downstream to Luray Dam, near Luray

No bass 14 to 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches

Base of Luray Dam, near Luray, downstream to the confluence with North Fork of Shenandoah, Front Royal

No bass 11 to 14 inches

Staunton River -

Leesville Dam (Campbell County) downstream to the U.S. Route 360 Bridge (Halifax/Charlotte County Line) near Clover, VA

No bass less than 20 inches, only 1 per day longer than 20 inches

striped bass

landlocked striped bass and landlocked striped bass x white bass hybrids

4 per day in the aggregate;

No fish less than 20 inches

Buggs Island (Kerr) reservoir including the Staunton River to Leesville Dam and the Dan River to Brantly Steam Plant (Danville)

October 1 - May 31: 2 per day in the aggregate;

No striped bass or hybrid striped bass less than 26 inches;

June 1 - September 30: 4 per day in the aggregate;

No length limit

Smith Mountain Lake and its tributaries, including the Roanoke River upstream to Niagara Dam

2 per day in the aggregate;

October November 1 - May 31: No striped bass 26 to 36 inches;

June 1 - September 30 October 31: No length limit

Lake Gaston

4 per day in the aggregate

October 1 - May 31: No striped bass or hybrid striped bass less than 20 inches

June 1 - September 30: No length limit

anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay

Creel and length limits shall be set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters

anadromous (coastal) in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest Rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay

2 per day;

No striped bass less than 18 inches

white bass

5 per day;

No statewide length limits

walleye

5 per day;

No statewide length limits

No walleye less than 18 inches

Flannagan, Philpott, and South Holston reservoirs, and the Middle Fork Holston and South Fork Holston rivers

No walleye less than 18 inches

Claytor Lake and New River upstream of Claytor Lake Dam

New River upstream of Buck Dam in Carroll County

No walleye less than 20 inches

Claytor Lake and the New River upstream of Claytor Lake Dam to Buck Dam in Carroll County

February 1 - May 31:
2 walleye per day; no walleye 19 to 28 inches;

June 1 - January 31:
5 walleye per day; no walleye less than 20 inches

sauger

2 per day;

No statewide length limits

chain pickerel

5 per day;

No statewide length limits

Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) reservoirs

No daily limit

northern pike

2 per day;

No pike less than 20 inches

muskellunge

2 per day;

No muskellunge less than 30 inches

New River - Fields Dam (Grayson County) downstream to the VA - WV state line, including Claytor Lake

1 per day

No muskellunge less than 42 inches

bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding crappie, rock bass (redeye) and Roanoke bass

50 per day in the aggregate;

No statewide length limits

Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) reservoirs and that portion of the New River from the VA - NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little Rivers in Grayson County

No daily limit

crappie (black or white)

25 per day in the aggregate;

No statewide length limits

Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) reservoirs and that portion of the New River from the VA - NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little Rivers in Grayson County

No daily limit

Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs

No crappie less than 10 inches

rock bass (redeye)

25 per day;

No statewide length limits

Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) reservoirs and that portion of the New River from the VA - NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little Rivers in Grayson County.

No daily limit

Nottoway and Meherrin rivers and their tributaries

5 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass;

No rock bass less than 8 inches

Roanoke bass

No statewide daily limit;

No statewide length limits

Nottoway and Meherrin rivers and their tributaries

5 per day in the aggregate with rock bass;

No Roanoke bass less than 8 inches

trout

See 4VAC15-330. Fish: Trout Fishing.

catfish

channel, white, and flathead catfish

20 per day;

No length limits

All rivers below the fall line

No daily limit

blue catfish

20 per day, only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches

All rivers below the fall line

No daily limit, except only 1 blue catfish per day longer than 32 inches

yellow, brown, and black bullheads

No daily limit;

No length limits

American shad and hickory shad

James River above the fall line (14th Street Bridge), the Meherrin River above Emporia Dam, the Chickahominy River above Walkers Dam, the Appomattox River above Harvell Dam, the Pamunkey River and the Mattaponi River above the Rt. 360 bridge, and the Rappahannock River above the Rt. 1 bridge, and Virginia waters of Lake Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr) Reservoir and tributaries to include the Dan and Staunton rivers

No possession (catch and release only)

(below the fall line) in tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay

Creel and length limits shall be those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Meherrin River below Emporia Dam Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers, and their tributaries plus Back Bay

10 per day in the aggregate

No length limits

anadromous (coastal) alewife and blueback herring

Above and below the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay

Creel and length limits shall be those set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission

Meherrin River, Nottoway River, Blackwater River (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers, and their tributaries plus Back Bay

No possession

other native or naturalized nongame fish

See 4VAC15-360-10. Fish: Aquatic Invertebrates, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Nongame Fish. Taking aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and nongame fish for private use.

endangered or threatened fish

See 4VAC15-20-130. Definitions and Miscellaneous: In General. Endangered and threatened species; adoption of federal list; additional species enumerated.

nonnative (exotic) fish

See 4VAC15-30-40. Definitions and Miscellaneous: Importation, Possession, Sale, Etc., of Animals. Importation requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals.


4VAC15-320-90. Exception to requirement of national forest permit.

A national forest permit, as provided for in § 29.1-408 of the Code of Virginia shall not be required to fish from national forest lands in the North and South forks of the Shenandoah River, in the James River, in Skidmore Lake in Rockingham County, in Lake Moomaw (Gathright Project), in the Jackson River below Gathright Dam, in North Fork Pound Reservoir, and in Wilson Creek downstream of Douthat Lake in Alleghany and Bath Counties.

4VAC15-320-130. Special provision applicable to a portion of Witcher Creek (Cedar Key) within Smith Mountain Lake. (Repealed.)

It shall be lawful to fish using only bait with a single point unweighted bait hook (no artificial lures allowed) in that portion of Witcher Creek in Smith Mountain Lake from behind the no wake buoy line at the mouth of the cove known as Cedar Key to the back of the cove from April 15 to May 31, both dates inclusive. For the purpose of this chapter, a single point unweighted bait hook is defined as a hook that does not have a weight affixed to the hook. Any other weight must be attached to the line at least 12 inches above the hook (no weights below the hook).

VA.R. Doc. No. R11-2592; Filed September 8, 2010, 11:17 a.m.