CACAPON, WV (WVDN) – Gov. Jim Justice celebrated the kickoff of 2022 Fall Trout Stocking and the new Monster Trout Stocking Program at Cacapon Park Lake.
The Governor joined Cacapon Superintendent Scott Fortney, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Hatchery Program Manager Jim Hedrick, and additional DNR members to stock the lake at Cacapon Resort State Park.
“We’re doing something really, really special here,” Gov. Justice said. “We’re hoping this will help build even more interest for our state because for the first time ever you have young people genuinely coming to West Virginia, buying hunting and fishing licenses, and doing something that’s touching their soul.”
During the weeks of Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, WVDNR will stock 40 lakes and streams with 30,000 trout, 2,500 of which will be trophy-sized rainbows raised at WVDNR hatcheries and the White Sulphur Springs Federal Hatchery.
Of the 2,500 trophy-size trout, 250 will be tagged with a special number as part of the Monster Trout Stocking Program. Anglers who reel in one of these tagged fish and submit a photo of their catch will receive a commemorative hat and certificate.
“This program is going to do a lot of good things,” Gov. Justice added. “It’s bringing more awareness to the diamond in the rough that we have here in West Virginia. Who would’ve thunk it that we’d have the level of surplus right now? It’s because of all the great stuff we’re doing like this monster trout program.”
Anglers should expect good trout fishing to continue for several weeks even after the Fall Trout Stocking window closes, especially in larger streams and lakes, where trout will have more room to disperse.
Under Gov. Justice’s leadership, in April 2019 the DNR began spreading out over longer sections of streams for trout stocking, allowing for fish to be available to anglers at many new and exciting locations. The state has also committed over $30 million in fish hatchery upgrades.
All anglers 15 years and older are required to have a West Virginia fishing license, trout stamp, and a valid form of identification while fishing for trout. Licenses and stamps can be purchased at 160 retail locations across the state or online at WVfish.com.
Lakes and streams receiving a fall trout stocking are listed below. Each water will be stocked each week for a total of two stockings. Anglers can also find fall trout stocking waters listed on pages 14 and 15 of the 2022 Fishing Regulations Summary by looking for Code F on the stocking schedule.
Anthony Creek
Big Clear Creek
Blackwater River
Brandywine Lake
Buckhannon River
Buffalo Fork Lake
Cacapon Park Lake
Coopers Rock Lake
Cranberry River
Elk River
Evitts Run
Glade Creek of New
Knapps Creek
Lost River
New Creek Lake
North Branch of Potomac River
North Fork South Branch
Opequon Creek
Pendleton Lake
Pinnacle Creek
Pipestem Resort State Park Lake
Pond Fork
R.D. Bailey Tailwaters
Rock Cliff Lake
Shavers Fork (Lower Section)
Shavers Fork (Upper Section)
South Branch (Franklin Section)
South Branch (Smoke Hole Section)
Summersville Tailwaters
Seneca Lake
Spruce Knob Lake
Summit Lake
Sutton Tailwaters
Tygart River Headwaters
Tygart Tailwaters
Teter Creek Lake
Upper Guyandotte River
Watoga Lake
West Fork Greenbrier
Williams River
