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Trout Fishing Changes & Updates for 2025

  • As a reminder, a trout license is not required to fish designated stocked trout waters during Free Fishing Days. A permit is still required to fish at Clinch Mountain, Crooked Creek, and Douthat State Park Fee Fishing Areas.
  • The cost for a nonresident trout license to fish in designated stocked trout waters has been reduced to the same price as a resident trout license ($23.00).
  • Stocking dates for Urban Stocked Trout Waters will be posted the week prior to stocking on the Department’s trout stocking info page and trout stocking telephone line.
  • In the Catchable Trout Stocking Plan, Wytheville Community College Pond (Wythe County) has been changed from a Category B to a Category A water.
  • The Delayed Harvest Water in Chestnut Creek (Carroll County) has been changed. It now spans from the U.S. Route 58 bridge down- stream approximately 4.2 miles downstream to the downstream boundary of the New River Trail State Park Cliffview Campground.
  • Hearthstone Lake (Augusta County) has been changed from a Category B water to a Category A water in the Catchable Stocked Trout Program