28 public waters in the Mid-Ohio Valley region — 3 lakes/reservoirs and 25 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a West Virginia licence.
See every public fishing venue in West Virginia on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Mason County, West Virginia — McClintic Ponds is a 211-acre lake, managed by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (public fishing lake): A West Virginia Division of Natural Resources small lake or state-park lake — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Crappie and Channel Catfish, with Rainbow Trout stocked into many of them October to May. Managed for bank and small-boat access; most are electric-motor-only.
Krodel Lake, a 21-acre lake in Mason County, West Virginia, managed by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (public fishing lake): A West Virginia stocked-Trout lake or pond — rainbow, golden rainbow, brown and Brook Trout stocked on a winter-into-spring rotation (checked live on the WVDNR stocking report), with resident Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Channel Catfish the rest of the year. A Trout stamp is required.
In Mason County, West Virginia, Chief Cornstalk Lake is a 4-acre lake, managed by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (public fishing lake). A West Virginia stocked-Trout lake or pond — rainbow, golden rainbow, brown and Brook Trout stocked on a winter-into-spring rotation (checked live on the WVDNR stocking report), with resident Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Channel Catfish the rest of the year. A Trout stamp is required.
A 392-km navigable waterway threading through West Virginia's Northern Panhandle and North Central counties, the Ohio River supports a diverse warm- and coolwater fishery. Sauger and walleye dominate deeper main-channel structure, while largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass hold in shallower flats and tributary mouths. White bass, hybrid stripers, and black crappie round out a prolific system that rewards both bank and boat anglers year-round.
Kanawha River (155 km) flows through Kanawha, Putnam, Mason and 1 more county in West Virginia. The Kanawha River — West Virginia's largest river by flow, running past Charleston through a series of lock-and-dam pools. Largemouth, smallmouth and Spotted Bass, a good Sauger and hybrid-striped-bass fishery, White Bass, Crappie, and blue, channel and Flathead Catfish. The recovery from decades of industrial pollution has been dramatic.
Eighteenmile Creek runs 41 km through Putnam, Jackson and Mason Counties, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Leading Creek runs 6 km through Mason County, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Thirteenmile Creek runs 37 km through Mason and Jackson Counties, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Oldtown Creek is a 16 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Sixteenmile Creek is a 19 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
In Mason and Cabell Counties, West Virginia, Guyan Creek is a 18 km river or creek. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Kyger Creek runs 5 km through Mason County, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Swan Creek runs 9 km through Mason County, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Little Sixteenmile Creek (12 km) flows through Mason County, West Virginia. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Tenmile Creek runs 12 km through Mason County, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
In Mason County, West Virginia, Crooked Creek is a 12 km river or creek. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mudlick Fork runs 11 km through Mason, Putnam and Jackson Counties, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
In Mason County, West Virginia, Threemile Creek is a 11 km river or creek. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Flatfoot Creek is a 11 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
In Mason County, West Virginia, Crab Creek is a 10 km river or creek. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Cabell and Mason Counties, West Virginia — Kilgore Creek is a 4 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Poplar Fork is a 10 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
In Mason County, West Virginia, Broad Run is a 10 km river or creek. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
West Creek (8 km) flows through Mason County, West Virginia. A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Cabell and Mason Counties, West Virginia — Bryan Creek is a 8 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Robinson Run is a 8 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Mason County, West Virginia — Righthand Fork is a 7 km stream: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Lower Fivemile Creek runs 7 km through Mason County, West Virginia: A West Virginia smallmouth river (the South Branch Potomac, Cacapon, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, West Fork, Little Kanawha, Middle Island Creek) — Smallmouth Bass on the ledges and grass, Rock Bass ('redeye'), Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, and Muskellunge and Walleye on the bigger rivers. Classic float-and-wade bronzeback water.
Across its mapped waters, Mason County holds 20 species on PiscaMaps, including Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Muskellunge and Largemouth Bass.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the West Virginia map Join PiscaMapsOne West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fishing licence covers every public water in the state — resident annual about $19, non-resident annual about $37, with short-term non-resident options. A ~$12 trout stamp (resident and non-resident, including licence-exempt seniors and youths) is required to fish for or keep trout anywhere, plus a ~$3 National Forest stamp on Monongahela National Forest waters. West Virginia residents 65 and older who were residents before turning 65 are licence-exempt but still need the stamps. Buy at wvdnr.gov or ‘Go Wild’.