Fishing in West Virginia

Fishing in West Virginia

PiscaMaps covers 1,025 public fishing venues across West Virginia in 5 regions — 179 lakes and reservoirs and 836 rivers. The largest is Summersville Lake, at 2,790 acres. Ohio River is the longest mapped river, running 393 km. Potomac & Mountain Highlands has the most venues on file, with 374. 196 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across West Virginia's public waters are Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Muskellunge, Rock Bass, Walleye, Redbreast Sunfish and Rainbow Trout — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 127 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 129 have nearby camping, and 403 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in West Virginia

West Virginia's public fishing venues are spread across 5 regions on PiscaMaps:

Species Recorded in West Virginia

The most frequently recorded species across West Virginia's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Fishing Licence in West Virginia

Anyone 15-64 needs a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $19, non-resident annual about $37 (non-resident short-term licences are sold). A trout stamp (about $12, resident and non-resident) is required to fish for or possess trout anywhere in the state, and a National Forest stamp (about $3) is needed on the stocked waters inside the Monongahela National Forest. West Virginia residents 65 and older who were residents before turning 65 are licence-exempt but still need the trout and National Forest stamps. Buy from WVDNR at wvdnr.gov / 'Go Wild' (wvhunt.com). A West Virginia fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on a West Virginia or Ohio licence; the Potomac mainstem on a West Virginia or Maryland licence. A trout stamp is required on the stocked and wild trout sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many public fishing venues are there in West Virginia?+
  PiscaMaps covers 1,025 public fishing venues across West Virginia in 5 regions — 179 lakes and reservoirs and 836 rivers. The largest is Summersville Lake, at 2,790 acres. Ohio River is the longest mapped river, running 393 km. Potomac & Mountain Highlands has the most venues on file, with 374. 196 venues are documented trout waters.
• Do I need a fishing licence in West Virginia?+
  Anyone 15-64 needs a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fishing licence — resident annual is about $19, non-resident annual about $37 (non-resident short-term licences are sold). A trout stamp (about $12, resident and non-resident) is required to fish for or possess trout anywhere in the state, and a National Forest stamp (about $3) is needed on the stocked waters inside the Monongahela National Forest. West Virginia residents 65 and older who were residents before turning 65 are licence-exempt but still need the trout and National Forest stamps. Buy from WVDNR at wvdnr.gov / 'Go Wild' (wvhunt.com). A West Virginia fishing licence covers navigable rivers. The Ohio River is fished on a West Virginia or Ohio licence; the Potomac mainstem on a West Virginia or Maryland licence. A trout stamp is required on the stocked and wild trout sections.
• Are there boat ramps and camping near West Virginia's fishing lakes?+
  127 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 129 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.

Notable Lakes & Reservoirs in West Virginia

Rivers in West Virginia

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