Daily limit
20 per day
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleNo length limits
VA · Catfish (channel, white, flathead and blue)
Virginia allows 20 catfish a day with no length limit on most waters, and many tidal rivers below the fall line have no daily limit at all. Blue catfish in several big waters carry a rule about fish longer than 32 inches, so know which river or lake you are on.
Verified 2026-10-24Limits at a glance
Regulation period: January 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026.
Daily limit
No daily limit
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleNo length limits
Daily limit
20 per day
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleNo statewide length limits
Daily limit
20 per day
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleOnly 1 blue catfish per day may be longer than 32 inches
Daily limit
No daily limit
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleOnly 1 blue catfish per day may be longer than 32 inches
Daily limit
No daily limit
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleNo length limits
Daily limit
20 per day
Dates
Year-round (as printed)
Size ruleOnly 1 catfish per day may be longer than 34 inches
Watch for
- The fall line separates the coastal-plain rivers (where the no-limit rules apply) from the piedmont and mountain waters above it.
- The 2026 digest flags changed blue catfish rules: unlimited harvest of any size in the York and Rappahannock rivers and their tributaries below the fall line, and in the tidal James below the freshwater-saltwater demarcation line (see p. 24 of the digest).
Quick answers
What is the daily limit for catfish (channel, white, flathead and blue) in Virginia?
Channel, white and flathead catfish, statewide: 20 per day. Size rule: No length limits. Other waters and date windows have different rules; see the table. Verify with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Which regulations do these Virginia figures come from?
January 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026, as published by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Last verified 2026-10-24.