West Virginia has numerous rivers, lakes and streams throughout the state that offer anglers the opportunity to catch a wide-variety of fish. As of 2010, the following fish records for West Virginia are as follows:
State Record for Largemouth Bass in West Virginia
In 2001, Eli Gain caught a 9.62 lbs largemouth bass on Dog Run Lake that was 25.75″ long. In 1994, David Heeter was fishing in a pond in Grant County and caught a 12.28 lbs largemouth bass that was 24.8″ long.
State Record for Smallmouth Bass in West Virginia
The South Branch River produced the state record for the heaviest smallmouth bass caught in West Virginia. In 1971, David Lindsay pulled in a 9.75 lbs smallmouth bass that was 24.25″ long. Also in 1976, Franklin Elliott hauled in a 7.5 lbs smallmouth bass out the New River that was 25.5″ long.
State Record for Rock Bass in West Virginia
The record for the largest recorded rock bass in West Virginia goes to Warren Ryan while fishing in 1964 on Big Sandy Creek. His rock bass weighed 1.75 lbs and was 13.8″ long.
State Record for Spotted Bass in West Virginia
In 1988, Leonard Blankenship pulled in 3.82 lbs spotted bass while fishing on R.D. Bailey Lake. His spotted bass was 19″ long. Also in 2000, R.D. Bailey Lake produced another record for the spotted bass. This time angler Kevin Dameron caught a 4.77 lbs spotted bass that was 19″ long as well.
State Record for Striped Bass in West Virginia
In 2000, Terry Watkins pulled in a huge striped bass off of Bluestone Lake that weighed 29.56″ and was 37.68″ long. Then in 2007, Bluestone Lake produced another state fishing record for the striped bass when angler Michael Pittman, Jr. caught a striped bass that weighed 21.38 lbs and was 40.88″ long.
State Record for Hybrid Striped Bass in West Virginia
The Kanawha River in West Virginia produced the two state records for Hybrid Striped Bass one to angler Frankie Harris in 2000 that weighed 14 lbs and was 32.1″ long. The second record goes to angler Michael Pittman, Jr. who in 2007 caught a 21.38 lbs striped bass that was 40.88″ long.
State Record for White Bass in West Virginia
Louis Puskas caught the state white bass record while fishing on the New River in 1985. The white bass weighed 4.56 lbs and was 20″ long.
State Record for Bluegill in West Virginia
Mark Lewis caught a 2.75 lbs bluegill in a pond in Randolph County in 1986 that was 11.7″ long. Also in 1964, Dennis Criss caught a 2.25 lbs bluegill in a farm pond in Fayette County that was 13.75″ long.
State Record for Bowfin in West Virginia
In 1994, Donald Newcomb caught a 7.54 lbs bowfin while fishing in a pond in Berkeley County. Then in 2006, another state record bowfin was caught by Matt Stender where his bowfin weighed 9.25 lbs while fishing in the Ohio River.
State Record for Buffalo Fish in West Virginia
Back in 1976, angler Hobert Null caught a 38 lbs-41″ buffalo fish while fishing on the Little Kanawha River.
State Record for Common Carp in West Virginia
In 1988, angler Charles Cook caught a 41.5 lbs-41″ common carp out of Stonewall Lake. Then ten years later in 1998, angler Gary Johnson caught a 47 lbs-39.3″ common carp at a farm pond in Preston County.
State Record for Grass Carp in West Virginia
In 2002, fisherman Joseph Spencer II reeled in a 52.5 lbs-47.1″ grass carp from a farm pond in Mason County. Also in 2005, angler William Taucher caught a 71.69 lbs-50.75″ grass carp out of Warden Lake.
State Record for Blue Catfish in West Virginia
Lynn Lange caught a 29.75 lbs-42.25″ blue catfish while fishing on the Ohio River.
State Record for Bullhead Catfish in West Virginia
In 1977, Gary Freeman reeled in a 6.1 lbs-22.75″ bullhead catfish while fishing on the Tygart Lake Headwaters.
State Record for Channel Catfish in West Virginia
In 2005, Michael Sears caught a 33.42 lbs-40.3″ channel catfish on Patterson Creek in West Virginia.
State Record for Flathead Catfish in West Virginia
The record for the largest flathead catfish in West Virginia occurred in 1956 by angler L.L. McClung on the Little Kanawha River. His fish weighed 70 lbs and was 52″ long.
State Record for Chain Pickerel in West Virginia
Steven Demma reeled in a 6.19 lbs-27.75″ chain pickerel in 2001, while fishing on Tuckahoe Lake.
State Record for Crappie in West Virginia
In 1971, angler Leonard Edgell caught a 4.05 lbs-19.76″ crappie while fishing on Meathouse Fork.
State Record for Fallfish in West Virginia
Angler James Blackwell caught a 3.5 lbs-21.25″ fallfish while fishing on the Northfork of South Branch in 1970.
State Record for Tiger Musky in West Virginia
In 1994, Clyde Beckett caught a 36.5 lbs-49.25″ tiger musky while fishing on Mountwood Lake in West Virginia.
State Record for Brook Trout in West Virginia
Gary Chapman caught a 7.64 lbs-22.25″ brook trout in 2004 while fishing at Shavers Fork. Jack Foltz caught a 4.78 lbs-23.5″ brook trout in 1981 while fishing on Lost River.
State Record for Brown Trout in West Virginia
In 1968, angler Paul Barker caught a 16 lbs-32″ brown trout on the South Branch River.
State Record for Golden Trout in West Virginia
In 1987, Gerald Estep while fishing at Stonecoal Lake caught an 8.63 lbs-27.5″ golden trout. Then in 1998, angler Danny Crider caught a 9.31 lbs-26.4″ golden trout on Brushy Fork Lake.
State Record for Rainbow Trout in West Virginia
In 1993, fisherman John Arnett caught an 11.74 lbs-31.7″ rainbow trout on Stonecoal Lake. Also in 2005, Aaron Propps caught a 15.65 lbs-30.5″ rainbow trout from a pond in Monroe County.
State Record for Tiger Trout in West Virginia
In 1986, John Duncan caught a 6.68 lbs-26″ tiger trout while fishing on the Greenbrier River.
State Record for Walleye in West Virginia
In 1976, angler Fred Cline caught a 15 lbs-35″ walleye at Kanawha Falls. Then in 2004, Jerry Rose reeled in an 18.97 lbs-30.87″ walleye at Elk River.
Source:
www.wvdnr.com
www.newriverbassfishing.com
