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Trout Heritage Day

Trout Heritage Waters for 2025

This program was added for those anglers who enjoyed and missed the old opening day. Selected waters are stocked for the first Saturday in April to create an announced stocking event. These waters are closed to angling the Friday before Trout Heritage Day.

Add a bit of a challenge to your Trout Heritage Day by aiming to complete the Virginia Trout Slam Challenge! Catch each of the trout species of Virginia—brook, rainbow, and brown—in one to join the club of those who have completed Virginia Trout Slam Challenge and display their #VATroutSlam sticker proudly.

If you compete your Trout Slam on Trout Heritage Day, submit your catch to the DWR Trophy Fish Program, via Go Outdoors Virginia. Log in, click on make a purchase, click on Fishing, and choose Trout Slam Application. Once the form is processed, the angler will be mailed a Virginia Trout Slam sticker. Display it proudly, and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram (@VirginiaWildlife) and use #VATroutSlam!

The following waters will be stocked on the first Saturday in April for Heritage Day:

Waterbody County
Beartree Lake Washington County
Bark Camp Lake Scott County
Clinch Mountain Fee Fishing Area* Washington County
Cripple Creek (Ravens Cliff) Wythe County
Crooked Creek Fee Fishing Area* Carroll County
Douthat State Park Fee Fishing Area* Bath County
Hawksbill Creek Page County
Jennings Creek Botetourt County
Lake Witten Tazewell County
Liberty Lake Bedford County
Lincolnshire Lake Tazewell County
Middle Fork Holston River Smyth County
Passage Creek Shenandoah County
Pedlar River (upper) Amherst County
Pigg River Franklin County
Quantico MCB Prince William County
Robinson River Madison County
Rose River Madison County
South Fork Powell River Wise County
Tinker Creek Roanoke County

* The fee fishing areas are closed to angling on the Monday through Friday prior to Trout Heritage Day. On Trout Heritage Day, fishing can begin at 9:00 a.m.