South Branch (C&R)
Fishing and stocking
Trout water; 48 stockings on the 2026 record, spread January to October, heaviest in May. This water holds 3 West Virginia state records, including the brown trout at 16.00 lb, caught in 1968.
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
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 5 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Jan 6 | Trout | completed | ||
| Jan 8 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 11 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Feb 12 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 19 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 20 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 25 | Trout | completed | ||
| Feb 26 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 4 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 6 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 7 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 12 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Mar 14 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 19 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 20 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 25 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 27 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 1 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| Apr 3 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 8 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| Apr 10 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 14 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 15 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 16 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Apr 22 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 23 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 30 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 1 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 6 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| May 7 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| May 8 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 11 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 13 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 20 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 21 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 27 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 28 | Trout | completed | ||
| Oct 16 | Trout x 2 sections | completed | ||
| Oct 19 | Trout x 2 sections | completed |
When to fish South Branch (C&R)
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:55-11:55 am and 10:17 pm-12:17 am | 4:11-5:11 am and 4:27-5:27 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:41 am-12:41 pm | 5:18-6:18 am and 4:53-5:53 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 4 days ago (Oct 19)
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 48 times here in 2026, moving water)
| 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 |
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brandywine Lake | 7.7 mi | Oct 22 |
| Brushy Fork Lake | 10 mi | Jun 23 |
| Spruce Knob Lake | 14 mi | Oct 22 |
| Hone Quarry Lake VA | 15 mi | Oct 21 |
| Gandy Creek | 16 mi | May 28 |
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