DGIF announces stocking dates for selected Virginia trout waters

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) has announced stocking dates for select trout waters this spring. This new initiative is in response to recent surveys of trout license holders and anglers which indicate that many trout anglers would like to see more preannounced stockings. 

One of the strategies outlined in the Virginia Stocked Trout Management Plan is to evaluate prior announcement of trout stocking events in Virginia’s western trout waters.

Currently the DGIF conducts 1,108 individual stockings of catchable trout during a season.  These stockings are announced at 4 p.m. the day of stocking.

In recent years the only trout stockings that have been preannounced are the 20 waters stocked for Heritage Day (first Saturday in April).  This year, the DGIF is expanding the program by preannouncing the trout stockings of the 12 waters listed below.  These preannounced stockings are one of the normal allocated stockings for these waters.  They are not “additional” stockings.

DGIF’s stocked trout program is a privilege made possible by landowners allowing public fishing access.  These landowners include private citizens, private companies, localities, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States Forest Service. 

Access to stocked trout waters can be lost due to poor angler behavior.  Angling pressure is increased for a short period of time when stocking is announced in advance.  Trout anglers are asked to respect private property, pack out all trash, and park their vehicles in safe areas.

Stocking times may vary depending on the distance from the hatchery to the receiving water but most stocking will occur between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There will be no temporary stream or lake closures associated with these stocking events.  The DGIF may postpone or change the date of any of these stocking events due to circumstances that compromise the resource or public safety.  Here are the preannounced trout stocking dates for spring, 2017:

Pigg River (Franklin Co.) - March 10
Lake Thompson (Fauquier Co.) - March 22
Mint Springs Lake (Albemarle Co.) - March 25
South River - Ridgeview Park & Grottoes Park (Augusta/Rockingham Co.) - March 29
North River – Upper & Gorge (Augusta Co.) - March 30

Barbour’s Creek (Craig Co.) - April 7
Jackson River – Hidden Valley (Bath Co.) - April 14
Rural Retreat Pond (Wythe Co.) - April 14
Liberty Lake (Bedford Co.) - April 29

Roanoke River (Roanoke City) - May 6
South Fork Powell River (Wise Co.) - May 13
Middle Fork Holston River (Smyth Co.) - May 27