R.D. Bailey Tailwaters
Fishing and stocking
Stocked February to October in 2026: trout, 9 plants in all.
West Virginia · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Trout
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 12 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 25 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 12 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 26 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 7 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| Apr 22 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 7 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 21 | Trout | completed | ||
| Oct 21 | Trout | completed |
When to fish R.D. Bailey Tailwaters
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:05 am-12:05 pm and 10:27 pm-12:27 am | 4:22-5:22 am and 4:38-5:38 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:51 am-12:51 pm | 5:28-6:28 am and 5:04-6:04 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)
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.
For the trout (trout stocked 9 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Ultralight spinning rod | 6 to 7 ft ultralight, 4 lb line; long casts from the bank |
| Dough bait rigs | floating dough bait 18 inches above a small egg sinker; hatchery fish know the smell |
| Casting spoons | 1/8 to 1/4 oz in fluorescent or metallic; count down until you find the depth |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Horse Creek Lake | 7.1 mi | Jun 24 |
| Clear Fork of Guyandotte River | 8.9 mi | May 20 |
| Clear Fork Guyandotte River | 8.9 mi | Apr 21 |
| Panther Creek | 11 mi | May 21 |
| Clear Fork of Tug | 13 mi | May 7 |
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