Updated: February 2024
The following tables list the current fishing records for both freshwater and saltwater fish caught in waters of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
If you think you’ve caught a record-breaking fish in Virginia, be sure to check out the resources at the bottom of this page so you claim your spot among the trophy-catchers. Better yet, check the rules first so you’ll know what to do when opportunity strikes your hook.
Freshwater Fishing Records
The following table lists game fish that were caught and certified under rules adopted in 1985. The next table below lists some larger species caught prior to the current process.
| Bass, Hybrid Striped 15 lbs, 13 oz | Claytor Lake | Don Jessie Mar 16, 2016 |
| Bass, Largemouth 16 lbs, 4 oz | Connor Lake | Richard Tate May 20, 1985 |
| Bass, Roanoke 2 lbs, 9 oz | Western Branch Reservoir | Harry G. Swauger May 28, 2005 |
| Bass, Rock 2 lbs, 2 oz | Laurel Bed Lake | Larry Ball May 17, 1986 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 8 lbs, 1 oz | New River | Donald S. Eaton, Jr. Mar 12, 2003 |
| Bass, Spotted 4 lbs, 12 oz | Claytor Lake | Cliffton Joel Hamilton Jan 1, 2020 |
| Bass, Striped 53 lbs, 7 oz | Leesville Reservoir | James B. Davis Mar 16, 2000 |
| Bass, White 6 lbs, 13 oz | Lake Orange | Ron Sprouse Jul 31, 1989 |
| Bowfin 16 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Cahoon | John Plyler, Jr. Oct 17, 2004 |
| Carp, Common 49 lbs, 4 oz | Lake Prince | Jeff Graham Jun 25, 1986 |
| Catfish, Blue* 143 lbs | Buggs Island Lake | Richard “Nick” Anderson Jun 18, 2011 |
| Channel Catfish 31 lbs, 8 oz | Rappahannock River | Sue Stanley Oct 2, 1992 |
| Catfish, Flathead 68 lbs, 12 oz | Lake Smith | Jeffrey E. Dill May 25, 2018 |
| Catfish, White 7 lbs, 6 oz | Western Branch Reservoir | Thomas Elkins Mar 24, 1992 |
| Black Crappie 4 lbs, 10 oz | Private Pond | Justin Elliott Apr 24, 1994 |
| Crappie, White | No Record Listed | |
| Drum, Freshwater 29 lbs, 6 oz | Buggs Island Lake | Del Pool Mar 26, 2018 |
| Fallfish 3 lbs, 9 oz | Cowpasture River | Josh D. Dolin May 6, 2021 |
| Gar 25 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Prince | Roger Beaver May 28, 1987 |
| Muskie 45 lbs, 8 oz | New River | Shannon Hill Jun 1, 2007 |
| Perch, White 3 lbs, 2 oz | Private Pond | Beau McLaughlin Jun 13, 2012 |
| Perch, Yellow 3 lbs | Flannagan Reservoir | George Mullins Mar 8, 2010 |
| Pickerel, Chain 7 lbs, 10 oz | Lake Shawnee | R. L. White Dec 31, 1996 |
| Pike, Northern 31 lbs, 4 oz | Motts Run Reservoir | George Wood Jul 24, 1994 |
| Sauger 3 lbs | Clinch River | Ronald C. Davis Apr 24, 2010 |
| Saugeye 6 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Gaston | Brittany Watkins May 29, 2023 |
| Bluegill Sunfish (2 lbs minimum) | No Qualifying Entry Under Current Rules | |
| Sunfish, Redear 4 lbs, 12 oz | Private Pond | Michael Mills Apr 28, 1986 |
| Trout, Brook 5 lbs, 15 oz | Cub Run | Thomas Garth Mar 12, 2019 |
| Trout, Brown 14 lbs, 12 oz | South Fork Holston | Mike Perkins May 24, 1990 |
| Trout, Rainbow 14 lbs, 7 oz | Greers Pond | Michael Lowe Jun 28, 1993 |
| Walleye 15 lbs, 15 oz | New River | Anthony P. Duncan Dec 15, 2000 |
Note: This blue catfish also is the current world record.
Historical Freshwater Records
The following record fish (select species) are larger than the records listed above. However, they were caught and qualified before Virginia adopted its current state record fish rules in 1985. Virginia DWR lists both new and old records where the older mark is larger than the new one.
| Bass, Spotted 6 lbs, 10 oz | Flannagan Reservoir | Joe Jett Friend Mar 31, 1976 |
| Bowfin 17 lbs, 8 oz | Chickahominy Lake | E. C. Cutright Nov 14, 1964 |
| Catfish, Channel 32 lbs | Lake Chesdin | Hugh Wyatt Apr 28, 1980 |
| Crappie, Black 4 lbs, 14 oz | Lake Conner | E. L. Blackstock Apr 8, 1967 |
| Crappie, White No Record Listed | | |
| Pickerel, Chain 7 lbs, 12 oz | Douthat Lake | Glenn C. Williams Jan 26, 1974 |
| Pike, Northern 31 lbs, 4 oz | Motts Run Reservoir | George Wood Jul 24, 1944 |
| Salmon, Coho 8 lbs, 12 oz | Philpott Reservoir | Melvin Chilton Dec 27, 1971 |
| Sauger 5 lbs, 8 oz | South Holston Lake | R. Stallard Jul 2, 1972 |
| Sunfish, Bluegill 4 lbs, 8 oz | Private Pond | Thomas E. Jones Feb 7, 1970 |
| Trout, Brook 5 lbs, 15 oz | Cub Run | Thomas Garth Mar 12, 2019 |
| Trout, Brown 18 lbs, 11 oz | Smith River | William W. Nease Jun 22, 1979 |
| Trout, Lake 5 lbs, 6 oz | Philpott Reservoir | Arthur A. Conner Jul 6, 1966 |
| Walleye 22 lbs, 8 oz | New River | Roy G. Barrett Aug 20, 1973 |
Saltwater Fishing Records
| Amberjack 118 lbs | Chesapeake Light Tower | Mark J. Roberts 1986 |
| Atlantic Tripletail 16 lbs, 12 oz | Chesapeake Bay York Spit Light | Richard H. Stuart, Jr. Jul 23, 2021 |
| Barracuda 45 lbs, 8 oz | CB Buoy Line | Wayne Seymour 1996 |
| Bluefish 25 lbs, 4 oz | Bluefish Rock | Gayle E. Cozzens 1986 |
| Cobia 109 lbs | York Spit | Joseph F. Berberich II 2006 |
| Cod, Atlantic 35 lbs | Off Wachapreague | Robert Crammer 1969 |
| Crevalle Jack 48 lbs, 12 oz | Ches. Light Tower | Charles McCaskill III 1993 |
| Croaker 8 lbs, 11 oz | New Point Light | Norman T. Jenkins 2007 |
| Dolphin (Dorado, Mahi Mahi) 71 lbs, 8 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Don Dorey 1991 |
| Drum, Black 111 lbs | Off Cape Charles | Betty D. Hall 1973 |
| Drum, Red (Redfish)** 85 lbs, 4 oz | Wreck Island | Herman Moore 1981 |
| False Albacore 25 lbs, 4 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Jack Sparrow 1964 |
| Flounder 17 lbs, 8 oz | Baltimore Channel | Charles E. Cross 1971 |
| Gray Triggerfish 6 lbs, 12 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Dave Walden 2017 |
| Kingfish (Roundhead) 2 lbs, 13 oz | Off Sandbridge | Chip Watters 2002 |
| Mackerel, King 63 lbs, 1 oz | Off Sandbridge | Susan M. Smith 2007 |
| Mackerel, Spanish 9 lbs, 13 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Everett Cameron 1993 |
| Marlin, Blue 1,093 lbs | Norfolk Canyon | Edward Alan Givens 1978 |
| Marlin, White 131 lbs, 10 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Rudolph D. van’t Riet 1978 |
| Pollock 23 lbs, 8 oz | Off Chincoteauge | Lee Michalski 1998 |
| Pompano 5 lbs, 10 oz | Scarborough Island | Robert T. Long 1992 |
| Porgy (Scup) 5 lbs, 5 oz | Off Chincoteauge | Charles B. Haines, Sr. 1978 |
| Sailfish 68 lbs, 8 oz | Off Virginia Beach | P.J. Murden 1977 |
| Sea Bass 10 lbs, 4 oz | Off Virginia Beach | Allan P. Paschall 2000 |
| Shark, Bigeye Thresher* 149 lbs | The Cigar | Wayne M. Gross 1992 |
| Shark, Blacktip 76 lbs, 10 oz | Off Virginia Beach | John W. Thurston, Jr. 1988 |
| Shark, Blue 266 lbs | The Cigar | Wayne C. DeFord 1987 |
| Shark, Bull 256 lbs | V-Buoy | Craig R. Paige 1982 |
| Shark, Dusky* 673 lbs | S.E. Lumps | Michael J. Halperin 1982 |
| Shark, Hammerhead (Great) 430 lbs | S.E. Lumps | Ronald E. Ault 1984 |
| Shark, Hammerhead (Scalloped) 245 lbs | The Cigar | Don Lips 1977 |
| Shark, Hammerhead (Smooth) 272 lbs | Off Virginia Beach | Carolyn L. Mathews 1988 |
| Shark, Lemon 312 lbs, 12 oz | Off Sandbridge | Bill Walker 1976 |
| Shark, Mako 728 lbs | Ches. Light Tower | Geoffrey H. Newbill 1983 |
| Shark, Sandbar (Brown)* 213 lbs | Triangle Wrecks | Bill Moffett 1986 |
| Shark, Sand Tiger* 339 lbs | Off Cape Charles | Kelly D. Capps 1983 |
| Shark, Silky* 110 lbs | Norfolk Canyon | Gary W. Seay 1977 |
| Shark, Spinner 129 lbs, 8 oz | Off Chincoteague | John E. Patton II 1991 |
| Shark, Thresher 525 lbs | Triangle Wrecks | Andrew P. Schuyler 2004 |
| Shark, Tiger 1,099 lbs, 12 oz | S.E. Lumps | John W. Thurston, Jr. 1981 |
| Shark, White* 131 lbs | S.E. Lumps | Fred Williams 1981 |
| Sheepshead 20 lbs, 12 oz | CBBT, Seagull Fishing Pier | Arun Nhek 2005 |
| Snowy Grouper 70 lbs, 7 oz | Norfolk Canyon | Roger C. Burnley 2011 |
| Spadefish 14 lbs, 14 oz | The Cell Chesapeake Bay | Roland E. Murphy 2009 |
| Spot 2 lbs, 6 oz | Off Poquoson | Nathan Dryden 1980 |
| Striped Bass 74 lbs | Off Virginia Beach | Cary Wolfe 2012 |
| Swordfish 597 lbs | Off Virginia Beach Norfork Canyon | Nicholas Kontodiakos Sep 25, 2020 |
| Tarpon 130 lbs | Off Oyster | Barry Truitt 1975 |
| Tautog 24 lbs, 3 oz | Morgan Wreck | Ken Neill III 2012 |
| Tilefish, Blueline 23 lbs, 5 oz | Norfolk Canyon | Michael Adkins 2009 |
| Tilefish, Golden 58 lbs | Norfolk Canyon | Joshua Jung 2017 |
| Trout, Gray (Weakfish) 19 lbs | Ches. Bay Br. Tunnel | Philip W. Halstead 1983 |
| Trout, Speckled 16 lbs | Masons Beach | Bill Katko 1977 |
| Tuna, Bigeye 311 lbs | Norfolk Canyon | Vic Gaspeny 2013 |
| Tuna, Blackfin 33 lbs, 15 oz | Norfolk Canyon | William W. Charlton III 2004 |
| Tuna, Bluefin 708 lbs | SSE of Rudee “Tuna Hole” | Jake Hiles Feb 16, 2020 |
| Tuna, Skipjack 22 lbs, 11 oz | The Cigar | Kitty Falk 1995 |
| Tuna, True Albacore 70 lbs, 11 oz | Washington Canyon | Wendy Brockenbrough 2019 |
| Tuna, Yellowfin 203 lbs, 12 oz | Norfolk Canyon | Bruce C. Gottwald, Jr. 1981 |
| Wahoo 122 lbs, 1 oz | Off Wachapreague | Susan Nelson 2012 |
*These species are currently illegal to possess, so the records are closed.
**Red drum (redfish) may only be kept if between 18 and 26 inches under current Virginia regulations.
Always check for updates to rules before fishing.
Setting a Fishing Record
If you think you’ve caught a fish that might vie for a place in Virginia’s freshwater record books, see the Virginia DWR’s Rules for Certifying a State Record Fish.
If that potential record-breaker came from saltwater, check out the resources on the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament page.