|
|
Fishing in Newport News!
Click here to See Specific Fishing Locations in Newport news
Newport News features some of the best fishing in Coastal Virginia, with miles of saltwater coast and acres of freshwater lakes and reservoirs, we have something to offer every angler! Looking to fish the Chesapeake Bay or the mighty James River? We've got it covered. If saltwater fishing isn't your thing, enjoy the peaceful setting of one of our lakes or reservoirs, along with some great freshwater fishing. Freshwater or saltwater, our seven public boat ramps and three modern marinas, make getting out on the water a breeze. With almost every type of fishing available in Virginia, Newport News is the only stop you'll need to make for fishing in Coastal Virginia!
Need somewhere to get some shuteye between fishing outings? From our 188 campsites and our Leeward Municipal Marina - which offers overnight slips for boats - to our award-winning hotels, you'll find accommodations that suit your needs. Click here for accommodation information.
Bait, Tackle and Fishing License
Retail shops throughout the city offer services which will allow you to obtain a freshwater or saltwater fishing license, as well as any bait or tackle you may need to complete your angling experience in Newport News. Please see the chart below for a list of establishments where these services are offered. SHORELINE FISHING at Lee Hall and Harwood's Mill Reservoirs requires a Parks Division Shoreline Fishing Permit (can be purchased at the Newport News Campsites Office) in addition to the VA freshwater fishing license.
Please note: Licenses may also be purchased online.
Click Here to purchase a Saltwater Fishing License Online
Click Here to purchase a Freshwater Fishing License Online
| Location |
Purchase Freshwater License |
Purchase Saltwater License | Parks Division Shoreline Fishing Permit | Tackle & Bait Available |
| Wilcox Bait & Tackle, 9501 Jefferson Ave, Newport News VA, 23605 (757) 595-5537 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Dick's Sporting Goods, 12300 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 700, Newport News VA, 23602 (757) 249-2140 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| WAL-MART #1773, 12401 Jefferson Ave, Newport News VA, 23602 (757) 874-4434 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| K-MART 3122, 401 Oriana Road, Newport News VA, 23608 (757) 874-4242 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Newport News Campsite Office | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Saltwater Fishing
If you are a saltwater angler, you're sure to enjoy the abundance of the James River, Virginia's longest waterway, as well as the easily accessible Chesapeake Bay. We offer easy access to the "mighty James" at Denbigh Park, Peterson Yacht Basin, Leeward Municipal Marina and Huntington Park launch ramp. A Saltwater Fishing License is required, CLICK HERE for Saltwater Fishing License Information, unless you are fishing at the James River Bridge Fishing Pier (Fees apply and permit is included).
The James River and Chesapeake Bay host a wide variety of fish that peak at varying times throughout the year. The chart below details common species of fish found in the Chesapeake Bay and James River along with the reported season in which they are typically popular. Also included on the chart are tackle recommendations for each type of fish.
| Popular Species of Saltwater Fish | Typical Season (Peak Season) |
Tackle & Technique Recommendation |
| Bluefish | January - January (April - December) |
Trolling spoons and surgical tubes, casting jigs, spoons and plugs. |
| Croaker | March - November (June - September) |
Medium Heavy Spinning or Casting Combo with a two-hook bottom rig. Use No. 1 long shank hooks with small chunks of squid or shrimp. |
| Flounder | March - November (April - October) | Strip of squid on a 3-way rig or a 2 to 3 ounce bucktail jig adorned with a scented soft plastic jig tail. Cast and retrieve slowly or bounce along the bottom. |
| Gray Trout | April - November (May - October) | Jigging or casting bucktails and leadheads with plastics, or bottom-bouncing with cut bait or crab. |
| Red Drum |
May - November (June - October) |
Bigger fish taken on fish-finder rigs with fresh mullet, spot, menhaden or peeler crab. Puppy drum (smaller fish) taken on finger mullet, cut bait, and jigs teamed with plastics. |
| Spot |
May - November (June - October) |
Bottom-bouncing with a piece of blood worm. |
| Striped Bass (Rockfish) |
January - January (September - January) |
Cast swim shad, plugs, or bucktails to the pilings, jetties, piers and sea walls. When angling from a vessel, anchor up current of the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel and fish chunks of bunker on a fish finder rig in the pilings and under the lights. |
| Tautog |
January - January (March - June & October - December) |
Bottom-bouncing with crab, clams or whelk. Fiddler crabs are especially good. |
Freshwater Fishing
Newport News offers freshwater anglers three public reservoirs and two lakes chocked full of fish. Anglers can enjoy Harwood's Mill and Lee Hall Reservoirs, which provide water to the residents of Newport News and also provide a wide variety of fish in a perfect setting for anglers visiting the city. The city also boasts two lakes, Lake Maury at The Mariners' Museum Park and Lake Biggins at Huntington Park. All of the freshwater fishing locations offer access by either boat or shore; several even have rental boats and motors. Be sure to check in at the onsite facilities for availability of equipment, along with what permits or fees might be required. A Freshwater Fishing License is required, CLICK HERE for Freshwater Fishing License Information. SHORELINE FISHING at Lee Hall and Harwood's Mill Reservoirs requires a Parks Division Shoreline Fishing Permit, in addition to the VA freshwater fishing license. For details on Freshwater Fishing in the Newport News Reservoirs please click here.
The chart below details common species of fish found in Newport News' lakes and reservoirs along with the reported season in which they are typically popular. Also included on the chart are tackle recommendations for each type of fish.
| Popular Species of Freshwater Fish | Typical Season (Peak Season) |
Location | Tackle & Technique Recommendation |
| Largemouth Bass | January -January (March - June) |
Reservoirs & Lake Maury | Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plastic worms, or the classic Nightcrawler worm on a small hook. |
| Urban Trout Program (Could be Brown, Brook or Rainbow Trout) | January -January (October - May) | Lake Biggins | A piece of corn or a salmon egg fished under a bobber or on the bottom. |
| Bluegill | January - January (May - September) |
Lee Hall and Harwood's Mill Reservoirs | Nightcrawler worm on a small hook or your favorite fishing lure. |
| Yellow Perch | January - January (May - October) |
Lee Hall and Harwood's Mill Reservoirs | Nightcrawler worm on a small hook or your favorite fishing lure. |
| White Perch | January - January (May - October) |
Lake Maury | Nightcrawler worm on a small hook or your favorite fishing lure. |
Boat Ramps/Launching Areas
Please see the chart below for boat ramp specifications, such as location and type of water. Please note that fishermen may launch privately owned boats into the city's reservoirs by purchasing a daily or annual Launch Permit. No gas motors are permitted in the reservoirs, and a valid Virginia Freshwater Fishing license is required. Please call (757) 888-3333 for more information.
Jon boats for fishing are also available for rental year round at the Newport News Park Campsite Office, and on weekends and holidays during the summer months at Lee Hall Fishing Area and the Harwood's Mill concession office.
| Location |
Type of Water |
Launch Fee ($) | Hours | Location |
| Denbigh Park | Salt | No - Free | Dawn - 10:00 p.m. | At the end of Denbigh Boulevard, provides access to the Warwick River. |
| Leeward Municipal Marina | Salt | No Launch Ramp | 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. | 7499 River Road at the base of the James River Bridge. By boat "set your course" (37 degrees 1' N, 76 degrees 27' W). |
| Peterson's Yacht Basin | Salt | No - Free | 24 hours | 16th Street and Oak Avenue, provides access to the Hampton Harbor |
| Huntington Park | Salt | No - Free | 24 hours | Near the entrance to the James River Bridge on Mercury Boulevard provides access to the James River. |
| Lee Hall Fishing Area | Fresh | Yes | Dawn to Dusk | Newport News Park / Lee Hall Reservoir |
| Campsite Launch | Fresh | Yes | Dawn to Dusk | Newport News Park / Lee Hall Reservoir |
| Discovery Center at Newport News Park Launch | Fresh | Yes | Dawn to Dusk | Newport News Park / Lee Hall Reservoir |
| Jefferson Avenue Launch | Fresh | Yes | Dawn to Dusk | Newport News Park / Lee Hall Reservoir |
| Harwood's Mill Launch | Fresh | Yes | Dawn to Dusk | Newport News Park / Harwood's Mill Reservoir |
Still need more information? Click here to Chat Live with one of our well-trained travel counselors or make plans to stop by the Newport News Visitor Center to speak with a counselor in person, once you are in Newport News. The Visitor Center also features a gift shop with numerous souvenir specialty items. The Newport News Visitor Center is located off I-64 at exit 250B and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The Newport News Visitor Center can be reached by phone at 757-886-7777 or toll-free at 1-888-493-7386. We look forward to seeing you soon in Newport News, Virginia!
