2026 regulation year
South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries 2026 — Virginia Fishing Regulations
Virginia statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries carries 4 special-regulation overlays on top of Virginia's 2026 fishing rules — covering Blue catfish, Channel catfish, Crappie (black + white). Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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Watch South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries (VA) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
State-level special regulation
TN/VA boundary tailwater — VA Trout Licence covers VA bank; spinning + fly fishing both permitted; wild brown trout + stocked rainbow; coordinate with TN regs for cross-boundary fishing
Source: Virginia special-water list
Per-species rules on South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries
All catfish 20 / day, only 1 catfish per day over 34 in
20 / day, only 1 catfish per day over 34 in (all catfish)
Crappie (black + white) regulations →
10 in min crappie, 15 / day in the aggregate
Official source
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (freshwater) + Virginia Marine Resources Commission (saltwater) publishes the authoritative 2026 Virginia fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Virginia fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Virginia trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Virginia
- All rivers below the fall line (tidal James / York / Rappahannock / Potomac)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Back Creek (Bath County)
- Beaver Creek (Sugar Hollow Park, Bristol)
- Big Tumbling Creek (Clinch Mountain WMA, Smyth County)
- Briery Creek Lake + Sandy River Reservoir
- Buffalo Creek (Rockbridge County)
- Buggs Island Lake
- Chesapeake Bay (Virginia portion)
- Chickahominy River + Chickahominy Lake (New Kent / Charles City Counties)
- Claytor Lake
- Dan River below Townes Dam (Patrick County)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries?
- South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Virginia's statewide 2026 rules, covering Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Crappie (black + white). One of them reads: "TN/VA boundary tailwater — VA Trout Licence covers VA bank; spinning + fly fishing both permitted; wild brown trout + stocked rainbow; coordinate with TN regs for cross-boundary fishing." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries?
- Yes. South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries is in Virginia, so a valid Virginia fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (freshwater) + Virginia Marine Resources Commission (saltwater). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for S Holston tribs; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Virginia rules.
- Do South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries' special rules replace Virginia's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Virginia's statewide 2026 regulations apply on S Holston tribs by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on S Holston tribs?
- Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Crappie (black + white) have a water-body-specific rule on South Holston River + Tennessee border tributaries, each linking to its full Virginia regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Virginia limits.