Kevin Yokum.

JULY
South Branch River
Smallmouths
After several years of sub par fishing, the South Branch seems to be recovering from the devastating fish kills that have plagued the river since 2002. Smallmouth fishing continues to improve each year, although the river is still hampered by mysterious fish kills.

Summertime on the South Branch generates one of our state’s best top- water smallmouth bites. Poppers, prop baits and buzzbaits generate some of the year’s most exciting fishing opportunities for South Branch smallmouth anglers.

The South Branch is also an easy river to navigate with only a few spots that would be considered hazardous. Catching one smallmouth after another while drifting along the South Branch’s gliding currents should be a highlight of any serious Mountain State angler.

An eight-mile stretch, from Welton near Petersburg to Fisher Bridge, as well as a 9.5-mile section from Romney Bridge to Blue Beach Bridge, downstream of Romney is designated a catch-and-release area for smallmouth and largemouth bass.

With nearly 20 quality access sites along its reach, the South Branch offers more public access than any other stream in the Mountain State. Pick the float that best suits you and experience smallmouth fishing on the South Branch today.

AUGUST
Stonewall Jackson Lake
Muskies
While it’s no surprise that Stonewall Jackson made the list of top places to fish in 2008, featuring muskies during August probably drew your attention.

Stonewall has housed giant muskies for years, and each year a few fish in the 50-inch range and a fair number in the high 40-inch range are caught from the lake (many of which are released).

Spring and fall are normally the times that serious muskie anglers pursue trophy specimens, but over the last few years a number of big muskies have come from Stonewall Jackson as early as August.

Anglers trolling deep portions of the lake with oversized baits catch most of these fish. Anglers theorize that muskies suspend near the thermocline (an oxygen-rich layer of cool water) and hold there during the summer months.

Trolling for trophy muskies is not an action-packed adventure. Anglers must put in a considerable amount of time before they can expect to hook into a lunker muskie or two.

The keys to success: right depth, right location, the right time (muskies are very selective during lethargic times like summer), and the commitment to spend plenty of time on the water.

Up-to-date conditions on the lake and tailwater, as well as a weekly fishing report, can be obtained by calling (304) 269-7463.

SEPTEMBER
Mount Storm Lake
Channel Catfish
Check out this Grant County lake if you like to catch catfish. There are so many channel catfish in Mount Storm Lake that the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources removed the daily creel limit a few years ago. You heard correctly, anglers can catch and keep as many channel catfish from Mount Storm Lake as they wish.

Just about every inch of the lake holds catfish, so boat and shoreline anglers have many opportunities. Boat anglers have an advantage of escaping Mount Storm’s brutal wind by moving to wind-sheltered coves, but from a fish-catching perspective, the entire lake can be productive.

Mount Storm catfish aren’t large, but decent-sized channels up to 20 inches can be caught. Most run in the neighborhood of 10 to 16 inches, and man, are they a blast to catch. If you have a child or a beginning angler you want to become hooked on fishing, then head up to Mount Storm right away.

September is a great time to be at Mount Storm because the leaves will be getting ready to change colors, and the mountaintop is always cooler than the hot valleys below.