Catch and Release Trout Streams
Regulations
1) Fishing permitted during daylight hours only.
2) Only artificial flies and lures made of metal, wood, feathers, hair, or synthetic material may be used or possessed on "catch and release" trout streams during the catch and release season.
3) Multiple hook lures must have barbless hooks.
4) Single hook lures may have barbed hooks.
5) To release a deeply hooked or gill-hooked fish, the leader should be cut.
6) ALL fish caught must be returned to the water at once.
7) No trout shall be in the angler's possession while on stream sections designated as catch and release streams.
8) Powerbait is considered illegal under this section and may not be used or possessed on catch and release streams.
Catch and Release Waters
Year Round Regulations Apply
Back Fork of Elk River, Webster County. A 4 mile section beginning 2 miles upstream from Webster Springs and extending upstream. Access by county routes 24 and 24/3.
Blackwater River, Tucker County. A 3.5 mile section from the county Route 29/1 bridge in Blackwater Falls State Park downstream to the mouth of the North Fork.
Cranberry River, Webster and Pocahontas counties. (1) A 4.3 mile section from the junction of the North and South forks downstream to the low water bridge at Dogway Fork. Access by foot on National Forest Route 76 from the Cranberry Glades parking area. (2) Nicholas County. A 1.2 mile section from the Woodbine Recreation Area downstream to Camp Splinter (Jakeman Run). Access by National Forest Route 76 from Richwood.
Elk River, Randolph County. A 2 mile section from the Elk Springs Campground downstream to the Rose Run bridge. Access by county Route 49. off state Route 15 about 4 miles west of Valley head.
Glade Creek of New River, Raleigh County. A 3 mile section from the mouth upstream to the National Park Service foot bridge. Access by Glade Creek Road off state Route 41.
North Branch of the Potomac River, Mineral County. (1) A .75 mile section from the mouth of an unnamed tributary downstream to a red post located 100 yards above the upstream concrete bridge abutments at Barnum. Access by county Route 46/2. (2) A 4 mile section from a red post just above a pool known as Blue Hole downstream to the confluences of Piney Swamp Run. Access by county Route 46/2.
North Fork of Cherry River, Nicholas County. A 1.8 mile section extending upstream from Richwood's water supply dam to first state Route 39 bridge. Access by state Route 39.
North Fork of Cranberry River, Pocahontas County. A .25 mile section from the mouth upstream to the limestone treatment dam. Access by foot on National Forest Route 76.
North Fork of the South Branch, Pendleton County. A .75 mile section at the mouth of Seneca Creek near Seneca Rocks Visitors Center. Access by county Route 28/3 at junction of state Route 28 and U.S. Route 33 at Seneca Rocks.
Paint Creek, Fayette County. A 2 Mile section from mouth of Skitter Creek upstream to mouth of Milburn Creek. Access is by county Route 15.
Shavers Fork of Cheat River, Randolph County. A 5.5 mile section in the Monogahela National Forest, north of U.S. Route 250, from the mouth of Whitmeadow Run downstream to the mouth of McGee Run. Access by National Forest Route 92, which intersects U.S. Route 250 four miles west of Cheat Bridge.
Slatyfork section of Elk River, Pocahontas County. A 4.6 mile section from the junction of Big Spring and Old Field forks downstream to the mouth Dry Branch including all tributaries entering between these boundaries except Laurel Run. Access by foot from county routes 219/2 on north and 219/12 on the south.
South Branch of the Potomac River, Pendleton County. A 1 mile section beginning 2 miles below U.S. Route 220 at Eagle Rock and extending downstream. Access by county Route 2.
Williams River, Pocahontas County. A 2 mile section beginning 2 miles below Tea Creek and extending downstream. Access by National Forest Route 86.
Delayed Harvest Catch and Release Waters
Catch and Release Season October 1 - May 31. General Regulations apply June 1 - September 30.
Clear Fork of the Guyandotte River, Wyoming County. A 1 mile section from the R.D. Baily Wildlife Management Area manager's residence downstream to the state Route 6 bridge.
Catch and Release Season January 1 through September 30. General regulations apply October 1 through December 31, except that the daily creel limit and possession limit is 2 trout during this period.
North Branch of Potomac River, Grant and Mineral counties. A 7.5 mile section within the boundaries of Maryland's Potomac State Forest. The lower boundary of this section is approximately 6 miles above Jennings Randolph Lake. Access by Maryland routes 560 and 135.
Catch and Release Season October 1 - May 31. General regulations apply June 1 - September 30.
Middle Wheeling Creek, Ohio County. A 1.2 mile section from must above the upper limits of Middle Wheeling Creek Lake upstream to mouth of Gillepsie Run. Access by county Route 39/6.