List of West Virginia State Fishing Records

This list of West Virginia State Fishing Records includes all major records of the largest fish of each species taken by hook and line in West Virginia waters.{{Cite web |title=West Virginia State Fishing Records|url=http://www.wvsportsmen.com/statefishingrecords.cfm|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WVSportsmen.com}}{{Cite web |title=Record fish caught in West Virginia|url=https://www.wboy.com/wv-outdoors/record-fish-caught-in-west-virginia/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WBOY|date=October 22, 2022}}{{Cite web |title=West Virginia Fishing Records

|url=https://wvdnr.gov/fishing/state-records/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=West Virginia DNR}}{{Cite web |title=West Virginia Fishing Records |url=https://www.landbigfish.com/staterecords/records.cfm?state=Westvirginia |access-date=August 25, 2024 |website=Land Big Fish}}{{Cite web |last=Kirk |first=Sam |date=January 10, 2024 |title=West Virginia DNR creates 5 new state fishing record categories |url=https://www.wvnstv.com/outdoors-wildlife/west-virginia-dnr-creates-5-new-state-fishing-record-categories/?nxsparam=1 |access-date=August 25, 2024 |website=WBOY}}

Records

class="wikitable sortable"
Species ! Year ! Total Length (Inches) ! Total Weight (Pounds) ! Location ! Angler ! Record ! Reference
Largemouth bass \|1994 \|24.8 \|12.28 \|Grant County \|David W. Heeter \| Weight \|
Largemouth bass \|2001 \|25.75 \|9.62 \|Dog Run Lake \|Eli Gain \| Length \|
Smallmouth bass \|1971 \|24.25 \|9.75 \|South Branch \|David Lindsay \| Weight \|
Smallmouth bass \|1976 \|25.5 \|7.5 \|New River \|Franklin J. Elliott \| Length \|
Rock bass \|1964 \|13.8 \|1.75 \|Big Sandy Creek \|Warren Ryan \| \|
Spotted bass \|1988 \|19 \|3.82 \|RD Bailey Lake \|Leonard Blankenship \| \|
Spotted bass \|2000 \|19 \|4.77 \|RD Bailey Lake \|Kevin Dameron \| \|
Striped bass \|2000 \|47.16 \|45.69 \|Bluestone Lake \|James Brooks \| \|
Hybrid striped bass \|1985 \|31.5 \|16.75 \|Kanawha River \|Robert Honaker \| Weight \|
Hybrid striped bass \|2000 \|32.1 \|14 \|Kanawha River \|Frankie Harris \| Length \|
White bass \|1985 \|20 \|4.56 \|New River \|Louis Puskas \| \|
Bluegill \|1964 \|13.75 \|2.25 \|Fayette County \|Dennis Criss \| Length \|
Bluegill \|1986 \|11.7 \|2.75 \|Randolph County \|Mark Allan Lewis \| Weight \|
Bowfin \|1994 \|32.25 \|7.54 \|Berkeley County \|Donald E. Newcomb, III \| Length \|
Bowfin \|2024 \|30.20 \|10.60 \|Ohio River \|Lauren Noble \| Weight \|{{Cite web\|last=Kirk\|first=Sam\|title=West Virginia woman catches state record bowfin \|url=https://www.wboy.com/wv-outdoors/west-virginia-woman-catches-state-record-bowfin/\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WBOY\|date=March 20, 2024}}{{Cite web\|last=Nolef\|first=George\|title=Four new record fish in three months caught in West Virginia \|url=https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/outdoors-bound/four-new-record-fish-in-three-months-caught-in-west-virginia/\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WBOY\|date=March 28, 2024}}
Buffalo \|1976 \|41 \|38 \|Little Kanawha River \|Hobert Null \| \|
Common carp \|1988 \|41 \|41.5 \|Stonecoal Lake \|Charles J. Cook \| Length \|
Common carp \|1998 \|39.3 \|47 \|Preston County \|Gary Johnson \| Weight \|
Grass carp \|2002 \|50.75 \|71.69 \|Warden Lake \|William R. Taucher \| \|
Blue catfish \|2023 \|50.51 \|69.45 \|Ohio River \|Michael John Drake \| \|{{Cite web\|title=Blue catfish state record broken for fourth straight year in West Virginia\|url=https://www.wdtv.com/2023/12/21/blue-catfish-state-record-broken-fourth-straight-year-west-virginia/\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WDTV\|date=December 21, 2023}}
Bullhead catfish \|1977 \|22.75 \|6.1 \|Tygart Lake Headwaters \|Gary R. Freeman \| \|
Channel catfish \|2005 \|40.3 \|33.38 \|Patterson Creek \|Michael Sears \| \|
Flathead catfish \|1956 \|52 \|70 \|Little Kanawha River \|L.L. McClung \| \|
Chain pickerel \|2001 \|27.75 \|6.19 \|Tuckahoe Lake \|Steven Demma \| \|
Black crappie \|2024 \|17.36 \|2.85 \|Woodrum Lake \|Craig Webb \| \|{{Cite web\|last=Lynch\|first=John\|title=Two West Virginia fishermen catch record-breaking fish the same day within hours of each other\|url=https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/two-west-virginia-fishermen-catch-record-breaking-fish-the-same-day-within-hours-of-each-other/#:~:text=Officials%20say%20Lindell%20Marker%20of,pounds%2C%20also%20held%20by%20Webb.\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WBOY\|date=August 23, 2024}}{{Cite web\|last=Lynch\|first=John\|title=Two West Virginia anglers catch record-breaking fish in same morning\|url=https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/jackson-county-wv/two-west-virginia-fishermen-catch-record-breaking-fish-the-same-day-within-hours-of-each-other/\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WOWK\|date=August 23, 2024}}
Crappie \|1971 \|19.75 \|4.05 \|Meathouse Fork \|Leonard Edgell \| \|
Eel \|1977 \|44 \|7.25 \|Bunker Hill Quarry \|Arlie R. Ruble \| Weight \|
Eel \|1983 \|44.25 \|6.27 \|Elk River \|Steve Woods \| Length \|
Fallfish \|1970 \|21.25 \|3.5 \|North Fork of South Branch \|James Blackwell \| \|
Freshwater drum \|1954 \|37 \|25 \|Little Kanawha River \|Bill Dawkins \| Length \|
Freshwater drum \|1989 \|35.5 \|27 \|South Fork Hughes River \|Charles Mickel Lott \| Weight \|
Longnose gar \|1993 \|50.5 \|19.08 \|Kanawha River \|Michael Shan Casey \| Weight \|
Longnose gar \|2003 \|50.63 \|16.75 \|Fish Creek \|Brian Klug \| Length \|
Goldeye \|1983 \|18.5 \|3 \|Ohio River \|Delbert McWilliams \| \|
Muskellunge \|1997 \|50.37 \|49.75 \|Stonecoal Lake \|Anna Marsh \| Weight \|
Muskellunge \|2003 \|52.7 \|38.5 \|Stonecoal Lake \|Glenn Boyd \| Length \|
Northern pike \|1989 \|42.6 \|22.06 \|Dog Run Lake \|Boyd O. Pratt Sr \| \|
Redbreast sunfish \|2024 \|9.29 \|.57 \|New Creek Dam \|Zach Adkins \| \|{{Cite web\|last=Kirk\|first=Sam\|title=Two West Virginia anglers catch record-breaking fish in same morning\|url=https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/2-west-virginia-men-break-fishing-records-by-catching-a-sunfish-and-trout/\|access-date=August 25, 2024\|publisher=WTRF\|date=March 19, 2024}}
Sauger \|1985 \|23 \|4.75 \|Ohio River \|Steve Powell \| \|
Saugeye \|2000 \|26.0 \|7.25 \|Ohio River \|Dru Beck \| Weight \|
Saugeye \|2000 \|27.1 \|6.13 \|East Lynn Lake \|Wendell Williamson \| Length \|
Skipjack herring \|2000 \|18.9 \|2 \|Ohio River \|Christian Pyles \| Length \|
Skipjack herring \|2002 \|18.4 \|2.61 \|Kanawha River \|Steve Skeens \| Weight \|
Tiger muskie \|1994 \|49.25 \|36.5 \|Mountwood Lake \|Clyde E. Beckett \| \|
Trout \|1981 \|23.5 \|4.78 \|Lost River \|Jack E. Foltz \| \|
Brook trout \|2004 \|22.25 \|7.64 \|Shavers Fork of Cheat River \|Gary M. Chapman \| \|
Brown trout \|1968 \|32 \|16 \|South Branch \|Paul Barker \| \|
Golden rainbow trout \|1987 \|27.5 \|8.63 \|Stonecoal Lake \|Gerald Estep \| Length \|
Golden rainbow trout \|1998 \|26.4 \|9.31 \|Brushy Fork Lake \|Danny Crider \| Weight \|
Rainbow trout \|1993 \|31.7 \|11.74 \|Stonecoal Lake \|John P. Arnett \| \|
Tiger trout \|2010 \|28.7 \|10.63 \|Krodel Lake \|Mike Connolly \| Length \|
Tiger trout \|2024 \|26.3 \|11.98 \|New Creek Dam \|Nathaniel Smith \| Weight \|
Walleye \|1976 \|35 \|15 \|Kanawha Falls \|Fred Cline \| Length \|
Walleye \|2003 \|32.0 \|17.82 \|Kanawha River \|Steve Skeens \| Weight \|
Yellow perch \|2008 \|15.25 \|1 \| \|Joshua D. Carr \| Length \|
Yellow perch \|1985 \|14.5 \|1.83 \|Tygart Lake \|Charles Mayle \| Weight \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Species

! Year

! Total Length (Inches)

! Total Weight (Pounds)

! Location

! Angler

! Record

! Reference

Largemouth bass

|1994

|24.8

|12.28

|Grant County

|David W. Heeter

| Weight

Largemouth bass

|2001

|25.75

|9.62

|Dog Run Lake

|Eli Gain

| Length

Smallmouth bass

|1971

|24.25

|9.75

|South Branch

|David Lindsay

| Weight

Smallmouth bass

|1976

|25.5

|7.5

|New River

|Franklin J. Elliott

| Length

Rock bass

|1964

|13.8

|1.75

|Big Sandy Creek

|Warren Ryan

Spotted bass

|1988

|19

|3.82

|RD Bailey Lake

|Leonard Blankenship

Spotted bass

|2000

|19

|4.77

|RD Bailey Lake

|Kevin Dameron

Striped bass

|2000

|47.16

|45.69

|Bluestone Lake

|James Brooks

Hybrid striped bass

|1985

|31.5

|16.75

|Kanawha River

|Robert Honaker

| Weight

Hybrid striped bass

|2000

|32.1

|14

|Kanawha River

|Frankie Harris

| Length

White bass

|1985

|20

|4.56

|New River

|Louis Puskas

Bluegill

|1964

|13.75

|2.25

|Fayette County

|Dennis Criss

| Length

Bluegill

|1986

|11.7

|2.75

|Randolph County

|Mark Allan Lewis

| Weight

Bowfin

|1994

|32.25

|7.54

|Berkeley County

|Donald E. Newcomb, III

| Length

Bowfin

|2024

|30.20

|10.60

|Ohio River

|Lauren Noble

| Weight

|{{Cite web|last=Kirk|first=Sam|title=West Virginia woman catches state record bowfin

|url=https://www.wboy.com/wv-outdoors/west-virginia-woman-catches-state-record-bowfin/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WBOY|date=March 20, 2024}}{{Cite web|last=Nolef|first=George|title=Four new record fish in three months caught in West Virginia

|url=https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/outdoors-bound/four-new-record-fish-in-three-months-caught-in-west-virginia/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WBOY|date=March 28, 2024}}

Buffalo

|1976

|41

|38

|Little Kanawha River

|Hobert Null

Common carp

|1988

|41

|41.5

|Stonecoal Lake

|Charles J. Cook

| Length

Common carp

|1998

|39.3

|47

|Preston County

|Gary Johnson

| Weight

Grass carp

|2002

|50.75

|71.69

|Warden Lake

|William R. Taucher

Blue catfish

|2023

|50.51

|69.45

|Ohio River

|Michael John Drake

|{{Cite web|title=Blue catfish state record broken for fourth straight year in West Virginia|url=https://www.wdtv.com/2023/12/21/blue-catfish-state-record-broken-fourth-straight-year-west-virginia/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WDTV|date=December 21, 2023}}

Bullhead catfish

|1977

|22.75

|6.1

|Tygart Lake Headwaters

|Gary R. Freeman

Channel catfish

|2005

|40.3

|33.38

|Patterson Creek

|Michael Sears

Flathead catfish

|1956

|52

|70

|Little Kanawha River

|L.L. McClung

Chain pickerel

|2001

|27.75

|6.19

|Tuckahoe Lake

|Steven Demma

Black crappie

|2024

|17.36

|2.85

|Woodrum Lake

|Craig Webb

|{{Cite web|last=Lynch|first=John|title=Two West Virginia fishermen catch record-breaking fish the same day within hours of each other|url=https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/two-west-virginia-fishermen-catch-record-breaking-fish-the-same-day-within-hours-of-each-other/#:~:text=Officials%20say%20Lindell%20Marker%20of,pounds%2C%20also%20held%20by%20Webb.|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WBOY|date=August 23, 2024}}{{Cite web|last=Lynch|first=John|title=Two West Virginia anglers catch record-breaking fish in same morning|url=https://www.wowktv.com/news/west-virginia/jackson-county-wv/two-west-virginia-fishermen-catch-record-breaking-fish-the-same-day-within-hours-of-each-other/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WOWK|date=August 23, 2024}}

Crappie

|1971

|19.75

|4.05

|Meathouse Fork

|Leonard Edgell

Eel

|1977

|44

|7.25

|Bunker Hill Quarry

|Arlie R. Ruble

| Weight

Eel

|1983

|44.25

|6.27

|Elk River

|Steve Woods

| Length

Fallfish

|1970

|21.25

|3.5

|North Fork of South Branch

|James Blackwell

Freshwater drum

|1954

|37

|25

|Little Kanawha River

|Bill Dawkins

| Length

Freshwater drum

|1989

|35.5

|27

|South Fork Hughes River

|Charles Mickel Lott

| Weight

Longnose gar

|1993

|50.5

|19.08

|Kanawha River

|Michael Shan Casey

| Weight

Longnose gar

|2003

|50.63

|16.75

|Fish Creek

|Brian Klug

| Length

Goldeye

|1983

|18.5

|Ohio River

|Delbert McWilliams

Muskellunge

|1997

|50.37

|49.75

|Stonecoal Lake

|Anna Marsh

| Weight

Muskellunge

|2003

|52.7

|38.5

|Stonecoal Lake

|Glenn Boyd

| Length

Northern pike

|1989

|42.6

|22.06

|Dog Run Lake

|Boyd O. Pratt Sr

Redbreast sunfish

|2024

|9.29

|.57

|New Creek Dam

|Zach Adkins

|{{Cite web|last=Kirk|first=Sam|title=Two West Virginia anglers catch record-breaking fish in same morning|url=https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/2-west-virginia-men-break-fishing-records-by-catching-a-sunfish-and-trout/|access-date=August 25, 2024|publisher=WTRF|date=March 19, 2024}}

Sauger

|1985

|23

|4.75

|Ohio River

|Steve Powell

Saugeye

|2000

|26.0

|7.25

|Ohio River

|Dru Beck