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2000 Regulations
Summary
This is a summary of the applicable laws and
regulations governing sport fishing in West Virginia. The West Virginia Code and the West
Virginia Code of State Rules contain the details of these laws and regulations. Copies of
the official regulations may be obtained from the West Virginia Secretary of State.
Year-round fishing is in effect unless otherwise noted.
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| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| BLACK
BASS (Smallmouth, Largemouth & Spotted) |
6 (In Aggregate)
(Except Special Areas |
None |
12 (In Aggregate)
(Except Special Areas) |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: 12-inch minimum size limit measured from tip of snout to end of tail
in effect at Barboursville, Beech Fork, Chief Logan, Conaway Run, and South Mill Creek
lakes and in Wheeling Creek. 12- to 16-inch slot limit (all 12- to 16-inch black bass must
be released immediately) at East Lynn Lake. 12-inch minimum limit, daily creel limit 5,
and possession limit 10 in effect in Jennings Randolph Lake, North Branch of the Potomac,
and Potomac rivers. Closed season for Black Bass from March 1 - June 15 on the
North Branch of Potomac and Potomac rivers. 11- to 15-inch slot limit from Dam #3 to Dam
#4 on the Potomac River. (Of the 5 daily creel limit only one 15 inches
or greater may be kept). Catch-and-Release Fishing (creel limit 0-all bass must be
released immediately) at Dunkard Fork, Elk Fork, Kimsey Run,Millers Fork Pond, O'Brien,
Rockhouse, Stonewall Jackson, Tuckahoe, Upper Mud River, and Woodrum lakes and in two
areas of the South Branch of the Potomac River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| TROUT
(Rainbow,Golden, Brook, Brown, Tiger) |
6 or
4 (In Aggregate)
(Except Special Areas) |
None |
12 (In Aggregate)
(Except Special Areas) |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: Only 4 of 6 may be taken from impoundments stocked with trout and
their tributaries, designated warmwater streams (see below) and Edwards Run. Six (6) may
be taken from Stephens, Stonecoal, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes. Daily creel
limit 5, possession limit 5 at Jennings Randolph Lake and North Branch of the Potomac
River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| MUSKELLUNGE |
2 |
30
inches |
4 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: Catch-And-Release Fishing (Creel Limit 0-all muskellunge must be
released immediately) on one area of Middle Island Creek and one area of the Buckhannon
River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| TIGER
MUSKY & NORTHERN PIKE |
2 |
28
inches |
4 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: 24-inch minimum size limit, daily creel limit 2, and possession
limit 2 for northern pike in Jennings Randolph Lake, North Branch of the Potomac, and
Potomac River. 36-inch minimum size limit, daily creel limit 1, and possession limit 1 for
tiger musky in Jennings Randolph Lake, North Branch of the Potomac, and Potomac River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| HYBRID
STRIPED BASS |
4 |
None* |
8 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: In Bluestone Lake and all rivers the daily creel limit of 4 and
possession limit of 8 applies to fish 15 inches or larger in aggregate with striped bass
and white bass. No restrictions for these fish under 15 inches. *Mount Storm, Beech Fork,
East Lynn, and R. D. Bailey lakes have a 15-inch minimum size limit. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| STRIPED
BASS |
4 |
None
|
8 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: In all rivers and Bluestone Lake, the daily creel limit of 4 and
possession limit of 8 applies to fish 15 inches or larger in aggregate with hybrid striped
bass and white bass. No restrictions for these fish under 15 inches. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| WHITE
BASS |
4 |
None
|
8 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: In all rivers and Bluestone Lake, the daily creel limit of 4 and
possession limit of 8 applies to fish 15 inches or larger in aggregate with striped bass
and hybrid striped bass. No restrictions for these fish under 15 inches. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| PADDLEFISH |
0 |
|
0 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: ALL FISH MUST BE RETURNED TO THE WATER IMMEDIATELY. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| SAUGER,
SAUGEYE & WALLEYE |
Lakes-8
Rivers-10
(In Aggregate) |
None None |
Lakes-16
Rivers-20
(In Aggregate) |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: 15-inch minimum size limit, daily creel limit 5, and possession
limit 5 for walleye in Jennings Randolph Lake, North Branch of the Potomac, and Potomac
rivers. 20-inch maximum size limit for walleye from January 1 through April 15 on Potomac
River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| CHANNEL
CATFISH |
None |
None |
None |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: In State-managed impoundments-Daily creel limit 4, possession limit
16. Does not apply to Stonecoal and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes. (See Public
Fishing Lakes and Ponds). Daily creel limit 5 and possession limit 10 on the Potomac
River. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| ALL
OTHERS |
None |
None |
None |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: 14-inch minimum size limit, daily creel limit 5, and possession
limit 5 for chain pickerel in Jennings Randolph Lake, North Branch of the Potomac, and
Potomac rivers. |
| |
| SPECIES |
DAILY
CREEL LIMIT |
MINIMUM
SIZE |
POSSESSION
LIMIT |
| FROGS |
10 |
None |
20 |
| SPECIAL
REGULATIONS: Season-9 p.m. DST, June 17 to midnight July 31. Big Sandy and Tug
Fork rivers bordering Kentucky-Season: Noon, May 19 through midnight EST, October 31. |
DESIGNATED WARMWATER STREAMS
Big Sandy Ck., Preston Co.; Buffalo Ck., Brooke Co.; Clear Fork, McDowell Co.; Clear Fork,
Wyoming Co.; East Lynn (Tailwaters), Wayne Co.; Hopkins Fk., Boone Co.; Indian Ck.,
Summers Co.; Kings Ck., Hancock Co.; Laurel Ck., Clay Co.; North Fork Dam and South Fork
Fishing Ck., Wetzel Co.; Paint Ck., Fayette Co.; Panther Ck., McDowell Co.; Paw-Paw Ck.,
Marion Co; Pond Fk. and Spruce Laurel Fk., Boone Co.; Tomlinson Run, Hancock Co.; West
Fork Twelvepole, Wayne Co.; Wheeling Ck., Marshall and Ohio cos. |
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