The collaborative efforts between DWR fisheries biologists and hatchery staff allow for the propagation of Walleye.
Walleye brood stock is typically collected from the New, Staunton, and South Holston Rivers each spring. Collections occur in March to coincide with the spawning runs of each system. Walleye spawned or hatched at Vic Thomas, Front Royal, King and Queen, and Buller Fish Cultural Stations, are raised in fertilized ponds anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Walleye fingerlings, reared primarily on a zooplankton diet, will range in size from 1 to 2 inches in length.
Ponds are harvested and Walleye fingerlings are stocked in waters across the Commonwealth. Hatchery production has been variable in the last few years with 1,781,500 Walleye and Saugeye fingerlings stocked into 19 selected waters in 2023. The 2024 production allowed for the stocking of 669,170 Walleye and Saugeye fingerlings into 13 priority waters. The 2025 production allowed for 1,323,227 Walleye and Saugeye fingerlings to be stocked into 18 priority waters. An additional 2,235,874 Walleye and Saugeye fry were stocked into 9 selected waters. The rebound in fingerling abundance was a welcomed sight in 2025 thanks to all the hard work and effort put forth by DWR hatchery staff. Growth rates of stocked Walleye and Saugeye vary by resource with more productive systems seeing fish reach 18" in roughly 2 years
Getting Started
Depending on where you live and how far you are willing to travel, the various stocked Walleye waters will allow anglers to explore new resources they may have overlooked in the past and learn some new fishing techniques along the way. The Walleye stocked waters vary greatly as anglers can decide which systems are the most intriguing. Large rivers such as the New and Shenandoah Rivers can provide a memorable day on the water with an abundance of Walleye and a decent chance of catching larger-sized Walleye. Smaller-sized rivers like the Staunton River should not be overlooked and can provide solid action. For those anglers more comfortable being on the still water, Virginia offers several large reservoirs with quality Walleye and Saugeye fisheries. Numerous small impoundments have also been stocked to provide healthy Walleye and Saugeye populations. This summary forecast will try to point you in the right direction to catch some Walleye and Saugeye in 2026.
Anglers curious about learning additional information on the various fisheries should check out the full 2026 Walleye Fishing Forecast for more detailed information.