Seneca Lake
Fishing and stocking
Trout and channel catfish water; 6 stockings on the 2026 record, spread February to October. A 4.9-acre reservoir.
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
Channel catfish
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 14 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 4 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| May 9 | Trout | completed | ||
| Jun 24 | Channel catfish | completed | ||
| Oct 22 | Trout | completed |
When to fish Seneca Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:57-11:57 am and 10:20 pm-12:20 am | 4:14-5:14 am and 4:30-5:30 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:43 am-12:43 pm | 5:21-6:21 am and 4:56-5:56 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 yesterday
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 5 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 |
For the catfish (channel catfish stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, 15 to 20 lb line, sturdy reel |
| Circle hooks on a slip-sinker rig | 2/0 to 5/0 circles on a Carolina rig; let them load up |
| Cut bait and prepared baits | fresh cut shad or chicken liver; scent is everything |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Knapps Creek | 9.5 mi | Oct 22 |
| Handley Pond (Children & Class Q) | 13 mi | Jun 24 |
| Greenbrier River (Marlinton) | 16 mi | May 19 |
| Watoga Lake | 16 mi | Oct 22 |
| Back Creek VA | 19 mi | Oct 5 |
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