21 public waters in the Potomac & Mountain Highlands region — 4 lakes/reservoirs and 17 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.
Bluestone Lake (2,040 ac) — West Virginia's third-largest lake, at the confluence of the New and Bluestone rivers. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, a good Muskellunge and Walleye fishery, Crappie, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Bluegill and Catfish, plus the upper end fishes like the New River itself.
Mountain Valley Lake (38 acres) sits in Summers County, West Virginia, 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.
Pipestem Lake, a 18-acre lake in Summers 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.
Long Branch Lake, a 16-acre lake in Summers County, West-Virginia, managed by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (public fishing lake): Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
The Greenbrier River — the longest undammed river in the eastern US, following the Greenbrier River Trail for 78 miles. Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish and Channel Catfish, with Muskellunge in the lower river and stocked Trout in the cold tributaries and the upper river near Durbin.
The New River in West Virginia — a nationally-ranked trophy smallmouth-bass river and one of the best Muskellunge waters in the East, plus Walleye, Rock Bass, Flathead Catfish and largemouth in the pools. The 53-mile New River Gorge stretch is inside the national park; float or wade the milder sections above Hinton and below Fayette Station.
Bluestone River (108 km) flows through Mercer and Summers Counties, West Virginia. A West Virginia stocked Trout stream — rainbow, golden rainbow, brown and Brook Trout stocked from the WVDNR hatcheries (Edray, Bowden, Petersburg, Reeds Creek, Ridge) between January/February and May. Brook Trout ('natives'/'brookies') are the state fish and the only Trout native to the state. A Trout stamp is required to fish or possess Trout.
In Greenbrier, Fayette, Nicholas and 1 more county in West Virginia, Meadow River is a 64 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.
Indian Creek runs 34 km through Monroe and Summers 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 Summers and Raleigh Counties, West Virginia, Lick Creek is a 15 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.
In Raleigh and Summers Counties, West Virginia, Pinch 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.
In Summers County, West Virginia, Hungard 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.
Mountain Creek runs 11 km through Mercer, Raleigh and Summers 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.
Island Creek (11 km) flows through Mercer and Summers 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.
Kelly Creek (10 km) flows through Monroe and Summers 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.
Summers and Raleigh Counties, West Virginia — Little Bluestone River is a 8 km stream: A West Virginia stocked Trout stream — rainbow, golden rainbow, brown and Brook Trout stocked from the WVDNR hatcheries (Edray, Bowden, Petersburg, Reeds Creek, Ridge) between January/February and May. Brook Trout ('natives'/'brookies') are the state fish and the only Trout native to the state. A Trout stamp is required to fish or possess Trout.
Pipestem Creek runs 10 km through Summers 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.
Summers County, West Virginia — Griffith Creek is a 9 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.
Greenbrier and Summers Counties, West Virginia — Morris 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.
Little Stony Creek (8 km) flows through Monroe and Summers 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.
Madam Creek (8 km) flows through Summers and Raleigh 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.
Across its mapped waters, Summers County holds 20 species on PiscaMaps, including Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish 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’.