If you are a serious, trophy-hunting angler you know that it’s about the time to get out on an area lake or river and start putting that new fishing license to work. All across the region waters are approaching that magic 60-degree mark when fish move shallow and spawning occurs and that desk chair is definitely less comfortable than the leanin’ post on the front deck of your rig or padded seat on the kayak.
With limited time between tasks from the boss (you know who I’m talking about) you need to fish in the very best places for big fish. With the 2025 numbers just in from Virginia Department Wildlife Resources’ (VDWR) Director of the Virginia Angler Recognition Program, Meghann Rothgeb, we have some suggestions for you.
Remember, if you do land a trophy, you must obtain photographic evidence of weight or length and then we would urge you to consider releasing it. For a length citation, anglers must lay the fish on top of or next to a ruler and the photo must be clear and legible. Do not lay the ruler over the curvature of the fish’s body. For a weight citation, the photo must show the entire fish on the scale. The scale needs to be clear and legible. Anglers can submit numerous photos in their application if need be.
Once you have the photos, you submit your angler recognition applications through your Go Outdoors Virginia customer profile. Just log into your account and click on the “Add Catch” tile. Enter the details of your catch and checkout.
Once the photos and info are uploaded into your Go Outdoors Virginia account, Rothgeb and the staff at VDWR will examine the application and if qualifies, a fine certificate will be generated on your account and arrive about a month after you submit the citation form and the $5 processing fee.
You can also submit a photo of your big catch to Woods & Waters Magazine, and you’ll be entered their annual Big Fish Contest, winners to get a coveted W2 truck/boat sticker. Winner of the W2 Big Bass award will receive some Chevy swag and a $50 Green Top gift card.
Interesting to note that based on Rothgeb’s data there were 1,663 Angler Recognitions recorded for 2025 – up from 1,547 in 2024.
And now on to those big fish waters!
Largemouth Bass
Anglers spend more time fishing for micropterus salamoid than any other species. Knowing where to go to catch a trophy is helpful, right? According to DWR statistics, the best place to catch a trophy largemouth is a private pond (73 trophies). Now, as far as public waters, you’ll want to start with Smith Mountain Lake with 13 lunkers caught last year. Other good places to search for your trophy largemouth include the Chickahominy River (8) and Lake (5), Lake Burton (8), Briery Creek (7) and Lake Anna (5).
Smallmouth Bass
Brown bass anglers have two excellent fisheries to target a trophy (five pounds or 20”). Leading the way in 2025 was the New River with 127 citations, the largest of which was 22” and caught July 9. The James River holds the runner up spot with 50 trophy smallmouth bass certified in 2026, the largest at 22.75” and caught June 8. All of the Shenandoah River gave up 29 trophy smallmouth, including the main stem, South Fork and North Fork. Smith Mountain Lake produced 12 citation smallmouth. The Rappahannock River had eight. The Holston Rivers produced six citation smallies.
Crappie
The quest for a trophy crappie changed a bit recently when DWR split white crappie and black crappie into separate categories. Regardless of the subspecies one lake is the best to target both – Buggs Island/Kerr Reservoir (other than private ponds). This 50,000-acre lake that straddles the border of Virginia and North Carolina and produced 32 certified trophy crappie in 2025 and probably triple that uncertified. Black crappie tallied 24 and white crappie eight.
Lake Anna was second with 12 registered trophy black crappie. Little Creek Reservoir had 11 paper fish.This 996-acre water supply reservoir near Williamsburg was created by damming a portion of a Chickahominy River Creek
Other decent places to find a trophy crappie include Lake Drummond (5) and Lake Chesdin (two black and three white crappie).
Muskellunge
Muskie hunters can be a secretive lot and it’s not clear how many fish caught are actually registered with Virginia’s Angler Recognition Program. However, based on DWR data, you’ll want to fish either the James River (41) or New River (11) for the best chance at a trophy muskellunge.
The largest fish of 2025 taped 50.50”. One was caught by an angler fishing the New River on February 23 the other by an angler fishing the upper James December 3 . Interestingly South Holsten Reservoir produced five trophy muskie last year so keep an eye on that fishery. The Shenandoah River produced three.
Blue Catfish
Blue catfish on your list of trophy fish? Look no further than the tidal James River for your quarry as anglers found at least 97 last year based on registered citations. The largest blue caught in 2025 was 68 pounds. The Chickahominy River and Lake Gaston were two other top places to pursue trophy blue catfish last year.
Striper
Catching a trophy landlocked striper is not an easy task. They need to be 20 pounds or 37” – a hefty fish for Virginia lakes. By far the best place to target such a beast is Smith Mountain Lake. Anglers registered 15 such monsters in 2025, the largest of which was 34-15.
Claytor Lake was second with nine trophy striper.
Other species gaining popularity among resident and visiting anglers include hybrid striped bass (wiper) and saugeye.
Hybrid Striper
Fisheries biologists managing Rural Retreat Lake began stocking hybrid striped bass in 2014 to control the stunted black crappie population in the lake. Within three years, these hybrids were 18 inches, the keeper size. Fourteen trophy hybrids were certified in 2025 from Rural Retreat up to 13-2 pounds.
Lake Anna, Clayton Lake and Flannagan Reservoir each produced two trophy hybrid striper in 2025.
Saugeye
Lake Anna leads the way in certified trophy saugeye with eight in 2025 up to 5-10. Anglers also reported saugeye up to 6.3 pounds last year. Second place for trophy saugeye in 2025 was the Appomattox River and Lake Brittle with two each. Most of these fish are caught January through March.
Walleye
If you want to catch a trophy walleye, the New River is the best place to go with 11 caught last year, however don’t overlook the Staunton.
Trout
Trout species on your trophy bucket list? Head to Cripple Creek or Cedar Springs for rainbow trout which produced an astounding 200+ trophy ‘bows combined last year. Crooked Creek also gave up a number of brook trout citations along with Big Tumbling Creek and Jennings Creek.
Panfish
Western Branch Reservoir (48 citations) and Burnt Mill Lake (16 citations) are worth serious angling effort if you are looking to catch a citation red ear (shellcracker) sunfish. The Chickahominy, Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers are where to go (this month!) to catch a trophy yellow perch.
The overall top 10 Virginia citation producing waters in 2025 were: 1) private ponds, 2) the James River, 3) Cedar Springs, 4) the New River, 5) Cripple Creek, 6) Smith Mountain Lake, 7) the Roanoke River, 8) Crooked Creek, (9) Little Creek Reservoir 10) Buggs Island Lake.
We hope you have a great spring, and this article helps you check a box or two on your fishing wish list. If you catch a trophy, be sure and post a pic to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/woodsandwatersmagazine. Our annual Big Bass Contest runs through December 31 and was won by a massive, 13+ pound bass caught from a private lake last year by Ed Hall.
