Here are the regs.
4 VAC-20-252-20. DEFINITIONS.
"Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries" means all tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries within Virginia, westward of the shoreward boundary of the Territorial Sea, excluding the coastal area and the Potomac River tributaries, as defined by this section.
"Spawning reaches" means sections within the spawning rivers as follows:
1. James River from a line connecting Dancing Point and New Sunken Meadow Creek upstream to a line connecting City Point and Packs Point.
For the spring trophy season:
4 VAC-20-252-60. B. The area open for the Bay fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, except the spawning reaches of the James, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, and Rappahannock Rivers.
For the Spring/summer bay season
4 VAC-20-252-80.B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
For the fall season
4 VAC-20-252-90. B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
All of the above came from the VMRC site.
From the DGIF site:
Regulations for anadromous (coastal) striped bass ABOVE AND BELOW the fall line; and anadromous (coastal) American shad, hickory shad, alewife, blueback herring, and all other saltwater fish below the fall line are set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. For more information call 1-800-541-4646.
Fall Line Defined: The Fall Line is defined as the following landmarks: Rappahannock River ?Rt. 1 Bridge; Mattaponi River?Rt. 360 Bridge; Pamunkey River?Rt. 360 Bridge; Chickahominy River?Walkers Dam; James River ?14th Street Bridge.
There are areas, in addition to land locked lakes, that you can keep them. Again from the DGIF page.:
(Striped bass) anadromous (coastal)
in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest Rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay (creel limit) 4 per day No length limits
So there you have it. They are only allowed to be kept in the James River below the fall line when the appropriate bay season is open.
Tom