Cowpasture River
Brown trout and rainbow trout water; 10 stockings on the 2026 record.
Bath County · Virginia · see it on the national map
Water right now
2.87
ft
gage height
USGS gauge 02016000
(COWPASTURE RIVER NEAR CLIFTON FORGE, VA) · 2026-08-28 17:30
10
stockings 2026
May 26
last stocked
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Tiger trout
Brook trout
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Feb 23 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 12 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 12 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 12 | Brook trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 24 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 24 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 26 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 26 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 26 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed |
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the trout (brown trout stocked 4 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson Creek (Lower) | 2.4 mi | Mar 9 |
| Clifton Forge Reservoir | 5.8 mi | Apr 30 |
| Pads Creek | 6.1 mi | May 4 |
| Douthat Lake (Only) | 8.5 mi | Apr 9 |
| Potts Creek WV | 12 mi | May 27 |
Records from Virginia DWR
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Virginia fishing
regulations.