27 public waters in the Potomac & Mountain Highlands region — 5 lakes/reservoirs and 22 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.
Dry Fork of the Cheat, a 119-acre Tucker County impoundment in the Potomac & Mountain Highlands, is a coldwater specialist's destination, holding smallmouth bass alongside multiple trout species—brown, brook, rainbow and tiger trout—that thrive in its cool, clean water.
Tucker County, West-Virginia — Black Fork is a 34-acre lake, 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.
Sand Run Lake, a 27-acre lake in Tucker 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.
In Tucker County, West Virginia, Thomas Park Lake is a 22-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.
Tucker County, West Virginia — Pendleton Lake is a 10-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.
North Branch Potomac River (81 km) flows through Mineral, Grant, Hampshire and 1 more county in West Virginia. The Potomac and its South Branch, North Branch and mainstem through the Eastern Panhandle — a nationally-known smallmouth-bass fishery, with Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Walleye and musky. The North Branch below Jennings Randolph Dam and the upper South Branch also hold Trout.
Cheat River (72 km) flows through Preston, Tucker and Monongalia Counties, West Virginia. A northern West Virginia river (the Monongahela, Cheat, Tygart Valley, West Fork) — Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, a Muskellunge fishery, channel and Flathead Catfish, largemouth in the pools, and Sauger in the lower Mon. The Cheat Canyon is remote whitewater; the Mon is a navigable pool river.
In Randolph, Pocahontas and Tucker Counties, West Virginia, Shavers Fork is a 136 km river or creek. A larger West Virginia freestone Trout river (the Cranberry, Williams, upper Elk, Shavers Fork, upper Gauley, North Fork South Branch) — stocked and wild rainbow, brown and Brook Trout in cold, clear, boulder-strewn water, with Smallmouth Bass and Rock Bass moving in through the lower and warmer reaches in summer.
In Randolph, Tucker and Pocahontas Counties, West Virginia, Laurel Fork is a 44 km river or creek. A larger West Virginia freestone Trout river (the Cranberry, Williams, upper Elk, Shavers Fork, upper Gauley, North Fork South Branch) — stocked and wild rainbow, brown and Brook Trout in cold, clear, boulder-strewn water, with Smallmouth Bass and Rock Bass moving in through the lower and warmer reaches in summer.
Blackwater River (55 km) flows through Tucker County, 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.
Glady Fork runs 52 km through Randolph and Tucker Counties, West Virginia: A larger West Virginia freestone Trout river (the Cranberry, Williams, upper Elk, Shavers Fork, upper Gauley, North Fork South Branch) — stocked and wild rainbow, brown and Brook Trout in cold, clear, boulder-strewn water, with Smallmouth Bass and Rock Bass moving in through the lower and warmer reaches in summer.
Dry Fork runs 32 km through Randolph and Tucker Counties, West Virginia: A larger West Virginia freestone Trout river (the Cranberry, Williams, upper Elk, Shavers Fork, upper Gauley, North Fork South Branch) — stocked and wild rainbow, brown and Brook Trout in cold, clear, boulder-strewn water, with Smallmouth Bass and Rock Bass moving in through the lower and warmer reaches in summer.
Beaver Creek (18 km) flows through Tucker 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.
Tucker and Randolph Counties, West Virginia — Red Creek is a 23 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.
Tucker and Preston Counties, West Virginia — Horseshoe Run is a 14 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.
Randolph and Tucker Counties, West Virginia — Otter Creek 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.
Haddix Run (9 km) flows through Tucker 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.
Brushy Fork (10 km) flows through Barbour and Tucker 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.
Left Fork Clover Run runs 10 km through Tucker and Barbour 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.
Licking Creek runs 10 km through Tucker and Preston 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.
Little Blackwater River (6 km) flows through Tucker County, 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.
North Branch Blackwater River (8 km) flows through Tucker 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.
Clay Lick Run runs 4 km through Tucker 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 Randolph and Tucker Counties, West Virginia, South Fork Red Creek is a 9 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 Tucker County, West Virginia, Right Fork Clover Run is a 8 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.
Tucker County, West Virginia — Minear Run is a 6 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.
Tucker County, West Virginia — Red Run 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.
Across its mapped waters, Tucker County holds 22 species on PiscaMaps, including Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill, Walleye, Muskellunge, Redbreast Sunfish and Rainbow Trout.
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’.