West Virginia Trout Stocking Report 2026
West Virginia never announces stockings in advance, as a matter of policy. The day's waters post by close of business. Trout January into July, channel catfish in early summer.
Data checked 2026-08-28 · source: West Virginia DNR
1,304
stocking records 2026
315
waters
Between seasons
West Virginia is between stocking seasons. January into July.
The 2026 season at a glance
Stocking records by month. January into July.
Jan
63
Feb
231
Mar
337
Apr
339
May
269
Jun
58
Jul
7
Aug
·
Sep
·
Oct
·
Nov
·
Dec
·
What gets stocked
| Species | Stockings | Fish |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | 1,240 | |
| Channel catfish | 64 |
State record fish
The heaviest fish of each species ever certified in West Virginia, from the West Virginia DNR record book. Weights are shown exactly as the agency publishes them; waters we track link to their stocking pages.
| Species | Weight | Water | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Carp | 71.69 lb | Warden Lake | William R. Taucher | 2005 |
| Blue Catfish | 71.00 lb | Ohio River | Michael Ramey | 2026 |
| Flathead Catfish | 70.00 lb | Little Kanawha River | L.L. McClung | 1956 |
| Muskellunge | 51.00 lb | Little Kanawha River | Lucas King | 2022 |
| Common Carp | 47.00 lb | Farm Pond (Preston County), Preston Co. | Gary Johnson | 1998 |
| Channel Catfish | 46.70 lb | Pond (Wayne County), Wayne Co. | John Tyler Rutherford | 2024 |
| Striped Bass | 45.70 lb | Bluestone Lake | James Brooks | 2010 |
| Buffalo | 38.00 lb | Little Kanawha River | Hobert Null | 1976 |
| Tiger Musky | 36.50 lb | Mountwood Lake | Clyde E. Beckett | 1994 |
| Freshwater Drum | 27.88 lb | Kanawha River | John A. Gibson | 2021 |
| Northern Pike | 22.06 lb | Dog Run Lake | Boyd O. Pratt, Sr. | 1989 |
| Rainbow Trout | 19.40 lb | Pond (Berkeley County), Berkeley Co. | Eric Files, Sr. | 2014 |
| Longnose Gar | 19.08 lb | Kanawha River | Michael Shan Casey | 1993 |
| Walleye | 18.97 lb | Elk River | Jerry Rose | 2004 |
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 16.75 lb | Kanawha River | Robert Honaker | 1985 |
| Brown Trout | 16.00 lb | South Branch | Paul Barker | 1968 |
| Tiger Trout | 13.32 lb | Summit Lake | Donnie Workman | 2026 |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.28 lb | Pond (Grant County), Grant Co. | David W. Heeter | 1994 |
| Golden Rainbow Trout | 11.84 lb | South Branch | Hunter Rohr | 2026 |
| Bowfin | 10.60 lb | Ohio River | Lauren Noble | 2024 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 9.75 lb | South Branch | David Lindsay | 1971 |
| Saugeye | 8.73 lb | East Lynn Lake | Everett Chapman | 2006 |
| Brook Trout | 7.64 lb | Shavers Fork | Gary M. Chapman | 2004 |
| Eel | 7.25 lb | Bunker Hill Quarry | Arlie R. Ruble | 1977 |
| Redhorse | 6.46 lb | Kanawha Falls | Zack Roper | 2026 |
| Chain Pickerel | 6.19 lb | Tuckahoe Lake | Steven Demma | 2001 |
| Bullhead Catfish | 6.10 lb | Tygart Lake Headwaters | Gary R. Freeman | 1977 |
| Sauger | 5.06 lb | Ohio River | David L. Vance | 2012 |
| Spotted Bass | 4.77 lb | R.D. Bailey Lake | Kevin Dameron | 2000 |
| White | 4.56 lb | New River | Louis Puskas | 1985 |
| White Crappie | 4.05 lb | Meathouse Fork | Leonard Edgell | 1971 |
| Black Crappie | 3.60 lb | East Lynn Lake | Jerry Porter | 2025 |
| Fallfish | 3.50 lb | North Fork of South Branch | James Blackwell | 1970 |
| Skipjack | 3.10 lb | Ohio River | Ethan Moss | 2021 |
| Goldeye/Mooneye | 3.00 lb | Ohio River | Delbert McWilliams | 1983 |
| Bluegill/Hybrid Bluegill | 2.75 lb | Pond (Randolph County), Randolph Co. | Mark Allen Lewis | 1986 |
| Yellow Perch | 2.04 lb | Summersville Lake | Clinton Mills | 2018 |
| Redear Sunfish | 1.75 lb | Plum Orchard Lake | John Plott | 2024 |
| Rock Bass | 1.75 lb | Big Sandy Creek | Warren Ryan | 1964 |
| Redbreast Sunfish | 0.57 lb | New Creek Lake | Zach Adkins | 2024 |
All rows come from West Virginia DNR publications
(official page).
Schedules change without notice, sometimes the same morning.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
West Virginia fishing
regulations.