Fishing in
West Virginia
8,839 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
West Virginia's mountain streams hold wild brook trout and heavily stocked rainbow and brown trout, including the golden rainbow trout, a strain that originated at the state's Petersburg hatchery in the 1950s and is stocked nowhere else in the same numbers. The New River carries a strong smallmouth bass fishery through a gorge better known for whitewater than fishing.
West Virginia holds 8,839 fishable waters on the books. WVDNR has logged 82 stockings in the last year, led by trout. The biggest water in the state is Summersville Lake at 2,834 acres.
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What you'll catch here
- Trout31 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Big Clear CreekTroutMay 4, 2026
- Blackwater RiverTroutMay 4, 2026
- Buckhannon RiverTroutMay 4, 2026
- Coopers Rock LakeTroutMay 4, 2026
- Cranberry RiverTroutMay 4, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Shavers Fork3× stocked
- South Branch3× stocked
- Buffalo Creek1× stocked
- Left Fork Holly River1× stocked
- Mash Fork1× stocked
- Opequon Creek1× stocked
- Tilhance Creek1× stocked
- Paint Creek1× stocked
- Tuscarora Creek1× stocked
- Coopers Rock Lake1× stocked
Biggest waters
- Summersville Lake2,834 ac
- Tygart Lake1,873 ac
- Sutton Lake1,636 ac
- Cheat Lake1,359 ac
- East Lynn Lake1,154 ac
- Mount Storm Lake1,129 ac
- Bluestone Lake1,124 ac
- Jennings Randolph Lake826 ac
Major rivers
- Kanawha Riverorder 8 · ~18,119 cfs
- New Riverorder 8 · ~12,292 cfs
- Little Kanawha Riverorder 7 · ~3,130 cfs
- Shenandoah Riverorder 7 · ~3,051 cfs
- Gauley Riverorder 7 · ~2,995 cfs
- Tygart Valley Riverorder 7 · ~2,800 cfs
- Guyandotte Riverorder 7 · ~2,294 cfs
- Tug Forkorder 7 · ~2,031 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Kanawha (410) · Wayne (340) · Randolph (339) · Mingo (300) · Lincoln (287) · Wyoming (285) · Nicholas (277) · Logan (277) · Pocahontas (277) · Boone (263) · Roane (254) · McDowell (254) · Webster (242) · Braxton (242) · Fayette (230) · Jackson (227) · Raleigh (209) · Greenbrier (204) · Gilmer (194) · Ritchie (189) · Lewis (181) · Preston (169) · Calhoun (153) · Wood (153) · Pendleton (152) · Tucker (151) · Clay (149) · Harrison (148) · Doddridge (143) · Wetzel (140)
Seasons, limits, and rules are West Virginia's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
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West Virginia fishing — FAQ
Where does West Virginia stock fish?+
WVDNR logged 82 stockings across West Virginia in the last year, led by trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
How often does West Virginia stock fish?+
West Virginia's agency publishes stocking updates that we check daily. Follow any water to track its stocking schedule.
Do I need a license to fish in West Virginia?+
Yes — West Virginia requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in West Virginia?+
West Virginia has 8,839 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.