The Southern and Southwest Virginia Fishing Trail winds through some of Virginia’s fishing hotspots.  Among the highlights of the trail are The James River, Smith Mountain Lake, Bugg’s Island Lake, Lake Moomaw, the Staunton River and the Roanoke River (just to name a few!).
The locations along the trail offer something for anglers of all backgrounds—from the beginner to the seasoned veteran, the Southern and Southwest Virginia Fishing Trail promises something for everyone!

Reservoirs (Greater than 500 acres is size)

Briery Creek Lake, Prince Edward
Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir), Halifax/Charlotte/Mecklenburg
Carvins Cove,  Botetourt
Chesdin Reservoir, Dinwiddie
Claytor Lake, Pulaski
Flannagan Reservoir, Dickenson
Gaston Reservoir, Brunswick/Mecklenburg
Leesville Lake, Pittsylvania/Campbell
Lake Moomaw, Alleghany/Bath
Philpott Reservoir, Franklin/Henry/Patrick
Sandy River Reservoir, Prince Edward
Smith Mountain Lake, Bedford/Franklin/Pittsylvania
South Holston Reservoir, Washington

Lakes (Less than 500 acres in size)

Abbott Lake, Bedford
Amelia Lake (VDGIF), Amelia
Back Creek Reservoir, Bath
Bannister Lake, Halifax
Brunswick Lake (VDGIF),   Brunswick
Burton Lake (VDGIF), Pittsylvania
Conner Lake (VDGIF), Halifax
Cumberland State Forest Lakes, Cumberland
Dan River Reservoir, Danville
Fairystone Lake (State Park), Patrick
Ft. Pickett Lakes, Nottoway/Dinwiddie
Gordon Lake (VDGIF), Mecklenburg
Goodwin Lake (State Park), Prince Edward
Great Creek Lake, Brunswick
Hales Lake, Grayson County
Hidden Valley Lake  (VDGIF), Washington
Holliday Lake (State Park), Appomattox/Buckingham
Horsepen Lake (VDGIF), Buckingham
Hungry Mother Lake (State Park), Smyth
Keokee Lake (VDGIF), Lee
Laurel Bed Lake (VDGIF), Russell
Lincolnshire Lake, Tazewell
Lovill’s Creek Lake, Carroll
Nottoway Lake (VDGIF), Nottoway
Martinsville Reservoir, Henry
Mill Creek Lake, Amherst
Modest Creek Lake, Lunenburg
Moores Creek Dam, Rockbridge (Lexington)
Nelson Lake (VDGIF), Nelson
Nottoway Falls Lake, Lunenburg
Pound Reservoir (North Fork), Wise
Prince Edward Lake (State Park), Prince Edward
Lake Robertson (VDGIF)    Rockbridge
Rural Retreat Lake (VDGIF), Wythe
Stonehouse Lake, Amherst
Thrashers  Lake, Amherst
Victoria Reservoir, Lunenburg
Wilck’s Lake, Prince Edward
Lake Witten, Tazewell

Major Rivers

Clinch River
Dan River
Holston River
James River (upper - above Richmond)
Maury River
New River
North Fork Holston River
Staunton River (Roanoke below Leesville Dam)
Roanoke River Upper (above Niagara Dam)

Coldwater Streams/Lakes (Special Regulation Wild or Stocked)

Buffalo Creek. Rockbridge
Buffalo River, Amherst
Cabin Creek,  Grayson
Dan River, Patrick
East Fork Chestnut Creek, Grayson/Carroll
Elk Creek, Grayson
Holston River (South Fork),  Smyth
Irish Creek, Rockbridge
Jackson River, Bath
Jackson River Tailwater, Alleghany
Lexington City Reservoir, Rockbridge
Little Stony Creek, Giles
Maury River, Rockbridge
Mill Creek, Rockbridge
North Creek, Botetourt
Piney River, Nelson
Pound River, Dickenson
Roaring Fork, Tazewell
Roaring Run, Botetourt
Rockfish River, Nelson
Smith Creek, Alleghany
Smith River Tailwater, Henry
South River, Rockbridge
Stewart’s Creek, Carroll
Tye River, Nelson
Whitetop Laurel/Green Cove Creeks, Washington
Big and Little Wilson Creeks, Grayson

Trout Fee Fishing Areas

Clinch Mountain Fee Fishing Area, Smyth/Washington/Russell
Crooked Creek, Carroll
Douthat Lake and Wilson Creek, Bath

Trout Delayed Harvest Streams

Back Creek, Bath
Chestnut Creek, Carroll
Holliday Creek, Appomattox/Buckingham
North Fork Pound River and Pound River, Wise
Peak Creek, Pulaski
Pedlar River, Amherst
Roanoke River, Roanoke County and City of Salem

Stocked Trout Waters

There are 122 streams (or sections) and lakes stocked with catchable size trout from October 1 through May 31 in Southwest and Southside Virginia.