Elk River (Randolph, Webster)
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Trout water; 22 stockings on the 2026 record, spread January to October, heaviest in March. The West Virginia state record walleye, 18.97 lb, came from this water in 2004. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live, water temperature included.
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The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Trout
State record fish caught here
Certified by West Virginia DNR; weights shown exactly as the agency publishes them. Record book read October 2026.
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 7 | Trout | completed | ||
| Jan 21 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 17 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Feb 27 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 3 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 11 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Mar 20 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 26 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 30 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Apr 8 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| Apr 16 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 21 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 29 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 5 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 9 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 13 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 21 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 27 | Trout | completed | ||
| Oct 21 | Trout | completed |
When to fish Elk River (Randolph, Webster)
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:58-11:58 am and 10:21 pm-12:21 am | 4:15-5:15 am and 4:32-5:32 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:44 am-12:44 pm | 5:22-6:22 am and 4:57-5:57 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 2 days ago (Oct 21)
- Water 59 °F, prime coldwater range
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · West Virginia fishing forecast
Gear for this water
Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells. The gauge reads 59 degrees, prime coldwater temperature; fish confidently through the day.
For the trout (trout stocked 22 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Back Fork of Elk River | 4.8 mi | May 13 |
| Sugar Creek | 5.0 mi | May 13 |
| Williams River | 10 mi | Oct 21 |
| Laurel Fork Holly River | 12 mi | May 20 |
| Cranberry River | 14 mi | Oct 20 |
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