I know quite a few C.O.s in the area, and I bet if you cut a hole in the ice and said you were going noodling, they'd all laugh and let you try!!!
In the James River in the eastern part of the state they do have some very large blue cats and after the high water of two years ago, plenty of big ol' cottonwoods in the water. I'd bet a noodler could do pretty good. But off the top of ny head I could not say one way or the other if it was legal.