Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the Mountain State, and West Virginia’s state parks and forests are some of the best places to reel in a big catch. This spring, they’ll be even better thanks to the return of announced weekend trout stockings.
While getting a fish to bite requires some skill and a little luck, casting a line in stocked waters gives anglers a better chance to catch a fish. By announcing each location in advance, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources wants to give families plenty of time to plan a weekend fishing trip to their favorite park or forest.
Weekend Trout Stockings
Whether you like fishing from the shores of a lake or wading out into a trout stream, there’s a stocking location everyone can enjoy. Dates in bold are part of the special Gold Rush Week stockings during the week of April 1-6.
- Audra State Park
- Middle Fork River: March 22, April 12, May 10
- Blackwater Falls State Park
- Pendleton Lake: March 15, April 6
- Blackwater River: March 22, April 5, April 26, May 10
- Thomas Park Lake: March 15, April 6
- Cacapon Resort State Park
- Cacapon State Park Lakes: March 22, April 6, April 19, May 10
- Camp Creek State Park
- Camp Creek: March 29, April 12,
- Mash Fork: March 29, April 12,
- Canaan Valley Resort State Park
- Glady Fork: March 29, April 19, May 17
- Shavers Fork (Lower/Bemis): March 29, April 19, May 17
- Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
- Greenbrier River (Cass): April 6
- Chief Logan State Park
- Chief Logan Pond: March 15
- Coopers Rock State Forest
- Big Sandy: March 22, April 5, April 19, May 17
- Coopers Rock Lake: March 22, April 5, April 19, May 17
- Holly River State Park
- Laurel Fork (Holly River State Park): March 22, April 5, May 3
- Left Fork of Holly River: March 22, April 5, May 3
- Little Beaver State Park
- Little Beaver Lake: April 5
- Glade Creek of New River: April 5
- North Bend State Park
- North Bend Tailwaters: April 6
- Pipestem Resort State Park
- Longbranch Lake: March 22, April 6
- Seneca State Forest
- Seneca Lake: March 22, April 5, May 3
- Stonewall Jackson Resort State Park
- Stonewall Jackson Tailwater: March 22, April 6, May 3
- Sutton Trailwater: March 22, April 6, May 3
- Burnsville Tailwater: March 22, April 6, May 3
- Tomlinson Run State Park
- Tomlinson Run Lake: March 15
- King Creek: March 15
- Tomlinson Run: March 15
- Tygart Lake State Park
- Tygart Tailwaters: April 5, May 3
- Watoga State Park
- Watoga Lake: March 22, April 6, April 12, May 3
- Greenbrier River (Marlinton): March 22, April 12
Plan a fishing trip today!
Before you pack up your rods and reels and take the family out for a weekend of fishing fun, make sure you have a valid fishing license. They can be purchased online at wvfish.com, at a license agent around the state or by calling the DNR Licensing Unit at 304-558-2758. Kids 14 and younger don’t need one and can fish for free. Kids 15-17 must have a junior fishing license.
And don’t forget to share your fishing adventures with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using the hashtag #wvfish.