There are numerous trout fishing streams located in West Virginia that have native trout or are stocked by the WV DNR throughout the year. Some trout streams are known to many, but many anglers prefer to keep some of the native trout waters to themselves. Here are a list of great trout fishing waters that will provide you with more than enough opportunity to see what West Virginia truly has to offer:
Elk River
This river is one of the hottest trout fishing spots to catch some nice sized trout year round. The Elk River is a remarkable body of water that starts in Slaty Fork, West Virginia and goes for about 5 miles, commonly called the headwaters of the Elk River. The river then goes underground for about 6 miles and starts again at Elk Springs. The Elk River has native brook trout, stocked rainbows and brown trout and allows for a great fly fishing experience.
Shaver’s Fork
This trout stream is located in the deep backcountry on the Cheat River. Shaver’s Fork flows roughly 25 miles providing a great trout fishing experience without having to deal with large crowds of people. You can catch some nice browns and rainbows in this stream as well as some native brook trout. Shaver’s Fork flows through Randolph and Tucker County.
Gauley River
This river is known for whitewater rafting, but another treasure is that the river is stocked in early October with over 3,000 lbs of trout. WV DNR stocks the river with rainbow, brown and golden trout starting at Summersville Dam. You can catch some nice size trout from Summersville Dam down about 2 miles. Fishing this section requires you to hike a little bit and to use caution if you’re fishing off the bank.
Cranberry River
The Cranberry River is a crown jewel of a trout stream in West Virginia. The river flows roughly 27 miles through Greenbrier, Webster and Nicholas County. Cranberry River has native brook trout as well as stocked with brown, rainbow and gold trout. The Cranberry is often fished heavily, but if you’re into hiking or riding a bike into what is known as the “backcountry” you can catch some nice fish and not worry about too many people.
Williams River
The Williams River is a branch off the Gauley River and close to the Cranberry River. This river is stocked with about 27,000 pounds of rainbow, golden, brown and brook trout annually. The Williams River is accessible pretty much by vehicle where you can drive along and fish.
Cherry River
The Cherry River is another branch off the Gauley River and close in proximity to Cranberry River and the Williams River. The South Fork of the Cherry provides some great trout fishing and pretty accessible by vehicle. If you can find Richwood, West Virginia then you’ll have access to quite a few nice trout fishing streams to test your angling skills out.
