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Fish stocking schedule

West Virginia fish stocking schedule 2026.

Year-RoundWest Virginia Division of Natural Resources

West Virginia's trout stocking program covers over 200 waters statewide, with the famous Golden Rainbow Trout — a strain stocked exclusively in West Virginia — released in selected streams as a unique destination draw.

Official source

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Stocking Report

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative West Virginia stocking schedule — Weekly updates in Posted list format. For this week's actual stocking locations, dates, and volumes, view the official report directly.

View official West Virginia stocking report

This page summarizes the West Virginia stocking program for planning purposes. The agency report is the authoritative source — verify before any trip.

Primary stocked species in West Virginia

Typical stocking pattern by species. Heavy fill marks primary stocking months; moderate fill marks possible stocking. Verify exact dates against the official report.

  • Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
    JanJan — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesFebFeb — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMarMar — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAprApr — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesMayMay — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJunJun — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesJulJul — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesAugAug — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesOctOct — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inchesDecDec — moderate stocking Rainbow Trout typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
    Typical size: 9–12 inch catchable; some trophy fish 16+ inches
  • Brown TroutSalmo trutta
    JanJan — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesFebFeb — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMarMar — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAprApr — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesMayMay — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJunJun — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesJulJul — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesAugAug — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesSepSep — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesOctOct — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesNovNov — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inchesDecDec — moderate stocking Brown Trout typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
    Typical size: 9–14 inch catchable; trophy fish 18–24 inches
  • Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
    JanJan — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableFebFeb — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMarMar — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAprApr — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableMayMay — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJunJun — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableJulJul — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableAugAug — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableSepSep — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableOctOct — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableNovNov — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchableDecDec — moderate stocking Brook Trout typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
    Typical size: 8–11 inch catchable
  • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy
    JanJan — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingFebFeb — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMarMar — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAprApr — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingMayMay — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingOctOct — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingNovNov — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerlingDecDec — moderate stocking Muskellunge typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 8–12 inch fingerling
  • Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatus
    JanJan — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingFebFeb — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingMarMar — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingAprApr — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingMayMay — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingJunJun — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingJulJul — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingAugAug — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingSepSep — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingOctOct — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingNovNov — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerlingDecDec — moderate stocking Channel Catfish typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerling
    Typical size: 10–14 inch catchable; 1–3 inch fingerling

Notable West Virginia programs

  • Catch and Release Areas
  • Wild Trout Streams
  • Golden Rainbow Trout (centennial program)
  • Muskellunge Stocking

State hatchery system

West Virginia operates 7 state-run fish hatcheries supporting the stocking program.

West Virginia urban fishing program

West Virginia maintains a designated urban fishing program — typically frequent stockings of catfish, trout, and panfish in city ponds and lakes. These programs are designed to make fishing accessible to families and first-time anglers.

West Virginia urban fishing program details →

Weekly stocking alerts for West Virginia.

Bield: Fish reads West Virginia Division of Natural Resources's stocking reports and alerts you when your saved waters are stocked. Set your county once and you'll know the day fish hit your home river.

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Hatch calendars for West Virginia trout rivers
Cranberry River hatch →Elk River (headwaters) hatch →Shavers Fork hatch →North Fork South Branch Potomac hatch →