Warden Lake
Fishing and stocking
Trout and channel catfish water, stocked 8 times in 2026, monthly February through June. A 42-acre reservoir. The West Virginia state record grass carp, 71.69 lb, came from this water in 2005.
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 24 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 11 | Trout | completed | ||
| Mar 24 | Trout | completed | ||
| Apr 8 | Trout Gold Rush | completed | ||
| Apr 23 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 6 | Trout | completed | ||
| May 22 | Trout | completed | ||
| Jun 23 | Channel catfish | completed |
When to fish Warden Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:52-11:52 am and 10:14 pm-12:14 am | 4:08-5:08 am and 4:24-5:24 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:37 am-12:37 pm | 5:16-6:16 am and 4:49-5:49 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
- Last stocked Jun 23
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · West Virginia fishing forecast
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the trout (trout stocked 7 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Slip bobber and jig | 1/32 oz marabou jig or waxworm suspended at cruising depth |
| 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Moores Run | 2.5 mi | May 6 |
| North River | 5.8 mi | May 15 |
| Waites Run | 6.5 mi | May 27 |
| Trout Run | 6.5 mi | May 27 |
| Dillons Run | 7.4 mi | May 22 |
Follow West Virginia stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule