How Fishing Works in West Virginia (What to Know Before You Go)

Fishing in West Virginia is driven by three key factors: current, structure, and water type.

Three Core Fishing Systems

Rivers & streams
→ trout, smallmouth bass

Reservoirs & lakes
→ bass, crappie, catfish, walleye

Mountain systems
→ cold-water trout fisheries

Each requires a different approach.

Current Controls Fish Position

In rivers:

Fish hold in seams

Deeper runs

Current breaks

Fishing random water is a common mistake.

Structure Drives Lake Fishing

In reservoirs:

Fish relate to points

Drop-offs

Vegetation

Channel edges

Types of Catch Available

Freshwater

Rainbow Trout

Brown Trout

Brook Trout

Spotted Bass

White Bass

Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Muskie

Striped Bass

Grass Carp

Crappie

Walleye

Bullhead Catfish

Bluegill

Carp

Yellow Perch

State Fishing Records

How to Choose Where to Fish in West Virginia

Start with your goal:

Want trout → mountain streams, Potomac tributaries
Want smallmouth → Shenandoah, Bluestone
Want bass → Stonewall Jackson, Summersville
Want multi-species → Cheat, Tygart
Want walleye → Jennings Randolph

West Virginia rewards anglers who:

match water type + structure + season

Top 10 Fishing Spots Across West Virginia

Shenandoah & Potomac Rivers

Shenandoah & Potomac Rivers

These rivers form the most important river fishing system in West Virginia, especially for smallmouth bass.

Fish hold along rock structure, seams, and deeper runs.

What separates this system is its smallmouth consistency—it produces strong river fishing across long stretches.

Best for anglers who want high-quality smallmouth fishing in a flowing river system.

Jennings Randolph Lake

fishing jenning randolph lake west virginia

Jennings Randolph Lake

Jennings Randolph Lake is one of the top walleye fisheries in West Virginia, with fish holding along structure and depth transitions.

Fish are concentrated in defined zones, making patterns easier to establish.

What separates Jennings Randolph is its walleye focus—it consistently produces stronger walleye fishing than most lakes in the state.

Best for anglers who want targeted walleye fishing in a reservoir system.

Cheat Lake

Cheat Lake is one of the most balanced multi-species fisheries in West Virginia, offering bass, crappie, and walleye.

Fish relate to structure, docks, and shoreline transitions.

What separates Cheat Lake is its variety—it produces across species without sacrificing consistency.

Best for anglers who want multi-species fishing in a structured lake.

Bluestone River

The Bluestone River is one of the best smallmouth rivers in West Virginia, with fish holding in current seams, runs, and structure zones.

Seasonal trout stocking adds additional opportunity.

What separates the Bluestone is its flow—it fishes on current and structure rather than still-water patterns.

Best for anglers who want river fishing with strong smallmouth patterns.

North Bend Lake

North Bend Lake

North Bend Lake is a structured reservoir offering bass, crappie, and catfish.

Fish hold along vegetation, shoreline structure, and depth transitions.

What separates North Bend is its consistency—it produces steady fishing without requiring complex patterns.

Best for anglers who want reliable multi-species fishing in a lake setting.

Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake is the largest lake in West Virginia and one of the top smallmouth fisheries in the state.

Fish relate to rocky structure and deeper zones, especially in warmer months.

What separates Summersville is its smallmouth focus—it produces stronger smallmouth fishing than most lakes in the region.

Best for anglers who want targeted smallmouth fishing in a large reservoir.

Tygart Lake

Tygart Lake is one of the most consistent multi-species reservoirs in West Virginia, offering bass, crappie, and walleye.

Fish hold along structure and depth transitions.

What separates Tygart is its reliability—it produces steady results across seasons.

Best for anglers who want consistent fishing without needing to cover large water.

Stonewall Jackson Lake

Stonewall Jackson Lake is one of the top bass fisheries in West Virginia, with strong largemouth populations.

Fish hold tight to structure and cover, creating defined zones.

What separates Stonewall Jackson is its bass identity—it produces higher-quality bass fishing than most nearby lakes.

Best for anglers who want focused bass fishing in a controlled system.

Plum Orchard Lake

Plum Orchard Lake is a productive warm-water fishery offering bass, crappie, and catfish.

Fish hold near vegetation and structure, making them easier to locate.

What separates Plum Orchard is its productivity—it produces steady action without requiring advanced patterns.

Best for anglers who want consistent fishing with multiple species available.

Mountwood Park Lake

Mountwood Park Lake is a compact, structured fishery with bass, trout, and panfish.

Fish are concentrated and easier to locate due to the lake’s size.

What separates Mountwood is its efficiency—you spend less time searching and more time catching.

Best for anglers who want quick, consistent fishing in a smaller lake system.

West Virginia State Fishing Records

Species	Weight	Length	Location	Angler	Date
Bluegill Sunfish	2 lbs 12 oz	11.7"	unknown pond	Mark A. Lewis	1986
Bowfin	9 lbs 4 oz	28.43"	Ohio River backwater	Matt Stender	2006
Brook Trout	7 lbs 62 oz	21.75"	Cheat River	Robert Anthony Starkey	1/14/2004
Brown Trout	16 lbs 0 oz	32"	South Branch	Paul Barker	1968
Buffalo	38 lbs 0 oz	41"	Little Kanawha River	Hobert Null	1976
Bullhead	6 lbs 1.6 oz	22.75"	Tygart Lake Headwaters	Gary R. Freeman	1977
Carp	47 lbs 0 oz	39.3"	unknown pond	Gary Johnson	1998
Chain Pickerel	6 lbs 3.04 oz	27.75"	Tuckahoe Lake	Steven Demma	2001
Channel Catfish	33 lbs 6.72 oz	40.3"	Patterson Creek	Michael Sears	2005
Crappie	4 lbs 0.8 oz	19.75"	Meathouse Fork	Leonard Edgell	1971
Eel	7 lbs 4 oz	44"	Bunker Hill Quarry	Arlie R. Ruble	1977
Fallfish	3 lbs 8 oz	21.25"	North Fork South Branch Potomac River	James Blackwell	1970
Flathead Catfish	70 lbs 0 oz	52"	Little Kanawha River	L.L. McClung	1956
Freshwater Drum	27 lbs 0 oz	35.5"	South Fork Hughes River	Charles M. Lott	1989
Golden Trout	9 lbs 4.96 oz	26.4"	Brushy Fork Lake	Danny Crider	1998
Goldeye	3 lbs 0 oz	18.5"	Ohio River	Delbert McWilliams	1983
Grass Carp	71 lbs 11.04 oz	50.75"	Warden Lake	William R. Taucher	2005
Hybrid Bass	14 lbs 0 oz	32.1"	Kanawha River	Frankie Harris	2000
Largemouth Bass	9 lbs 9.92 oz	25.75"	Dog Run Lake	Eli Gain	2001
Longnose Gar	19 lbs 1.28 oz	50.5"	Kanawha River	Michael S. Casey	1993
Muskellunge	49 lbs 12 oz	50.37"	Stonecoal Lake	Anna Marsh	1997
Northern Pike	22 lbs 0.96 oz	42.6"	Dog Run Lake	Boyd O. Pratt Sr.	1989
Rainbow Trout	11 lbs 11.84 oz	31.7"	Stonecoal Lake	John P. Arnett	1993
Rock Bass	1 lbs 12 oz	13.8"	Big Sandy Creek	Warren Ryan	1964
Sauger	4 lbs 12 oz	23"	Ohio River	Steve Powell	1985
Saugeye	6 lbs 15.04 oz	25.75"	East Lynn Lake	Ferrel Mills	1996
Skipjack Herring	2 lbs 0 oz	18.9"	Ohio River	Christian Pyles	2000
Smallmouth Bass	9 lbs 12 oz	24.25"	South Branch	David Lindsay	1971
Spotted Bass	4 lbs 12.32 oz	19"	RD Bailey Lake	Kevin Dameron	2000
Striped Bass	45 lbs 11.2 oz	47.16"	Bluestone Lake	James Brooks	2010
Sturgeon	12 lbs 8 oz	40"	Ohio River	Emmett Wheeler	1949
Tiger Muskellunge	36 lbs 8 oz	49.25"	Mountwood Lake	Clyde E. Beckett	1994
Tiger Trout	10 lbs 10.4 oz	28.7"	Krodel Lake	Mike Connolly	2011
Walleye	17 lbs .82 oz	32"	Kanawha River	Steve Skeens	2003
White Bass	4 lbs 8.96 oz	20"	New River	Louis Puskas	1985
Yellow Perch	1 lbs 0 oz	15.25"	Pond	Joshua D. Carr	2008

Brown Trout

Appearance

Brown trout vary greatly in appearance, but are generally olive green to brown on top, shading to a creamy, golden yellow on the sides and an off- white along the belly. Most brown trout are covered with black spots along their sides, back, and dorsal fin with each spot surrounded by a light halo. Frequently, the spots near the lateral line are red. Unlike other trout species, brown trout tails have few if any spots.

Habitat

Brown trout occupy a range of aquatic systems and habitats from Coldwater mountain streams to larger rivers, ponds and lakes.

Diet

Brown trout feed on several animal prey species, aquatic invertebrates being the most abundant prey items. However, brown trout also feed on other prey such as land-based invertebrates (e.g. Hymenoptera) or other fish. Moreover, in brown trout, as in many other fish species, a change in the diet composition normally occurs during the life of the fish, and piscivorous behavior is most frequent in large brown trout.

Fishing for Brown Trout

Fishing for brook trout with a Bubble Fly or Bubble Bait rig is a great way to catch brook trout. The Bubble allows for easy casting or float and release to get to the hard bends and deep pools. Using a spinning reel or fly rod the bubble can help get to the fish. For lake fishing the Bubble works great with a nightcrawler and letting the bubble troll the bait for you using water current or wind.

Top 5 Bubble Fly Combos for Brown Trout

Ant, Cricket, Hopper, Adams Parachute, Wullf Royal

Top 5 Bubble Bait Combos for Brown Trout

Nightcrawler, Wax Worms , Corn, Power Bait, Salmon Eggs

Bubble Fly Challenge Games for Brown Trout

Panfish & Trout

How Fishing Works in West Virginia (What to Know Before You Go)

Three Core Fishing Systems

Current Controls Fish Position

Structure Drives Lake Fishing

Top Fish Species in West Virginia (What You’ll Actually Target)

Best Time to Fish in West Virginia

Types of Catch Available

Shenandoah & Potomac Rivers

Jennings Randolph Lake

Cheat Lake

Bluestone River

North Bend Lake

Summersville Lake

Tygart Lake

Stonewall Jackson Lake

Plum Orchard Lake

Mountwood Park Lake

Rainbow Trout

Appearance

Habitat

Diet