Nothing seems to fire up anglers like big fish taken from small waters. Along with many other fishermen, I share a passion for catching trophy fish from small rivers and lakes. So, when the 9-pound rainbow on the end of my line shattered the slick surface of the calm mountain lake I happened to be fishing, everyone on the shoreline gasped, including me.

The state's premier small impoundments are capable of holding fish year 'round, but fresh stockings bring opportunities for additional trophy trout. Growing trout to trophy size is no small feat. Lakes must offer productive conditions with lots of forage. These waters must also harbor deep, cool water. Since few of our trout lakes offer these conditions, the main source of trophy trout is channeled through the DNR's trout-stocking program.

In spite of the initial screaming drag and forceful tugs against the rod, I still wasn't prepared for the sight of that monster trout exploding out of the water like an enormous whale on a Discovery Channel feature. Neither were my fellow shoreline anglers who quickly congregated by my side during my battle with the giant fish.

Unfortunately, the unwelcome audience served as more of a hindrance than a help, as folks tend to get excited when they see really big trout. And more than a few vivid exclamations could be heard in the background once the trout was landed safely in my net.

However, this big fish encounter is not an isolated incident, and the real story lies in the fact that West Virginia offers terrific trophy trout potential among its fantastic small impoundments. Many of our state's small lakes offer great opportunities to catch trout, some of which will reach huge proportions. Every year, the Mountain State's small lakes are guaranteed to hold a number of big trout, which eventually will tangle with some lucky angler.

So, as cold winter weather continues to plague us, be of good cheer, for the ice blankets that cover many of our small trout lakes will soon melt away, and the unofficial beginning of trout season will arrive. With each passing winter day, anglers anxiously await the start of another trout season, so they can once again do battle with impoundments full of hearty trout. And West Virginia's small impoundments make great avenues for such ventures.

Make no mistake, the battle is sure to renew each year. Annually, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) stocks Mountain State waters with more than 700,000 pounds of trout. In bumper years, that number grows to 800,000 pounds, and in the future there's a push to extend the current number to a million pounds of trout. Either figure will ensure that anglers continue to experience many opportunities to enjoy our state's splendid trout fishing activities.

Of the 700,000 or more pounds of trout stocked each year, a considerable portion of the DNR's trout stocking program targets small impoundments across our state. Small impoundments are defined as lakes less than 50 acres in size that support trout for at least a portion of the year. Typically, these lakes provide great access for shore-anglers, and some even allow small, non-motorized boats.

Water temperatures and seasonal fishing opportunities confine stockings on most small impoundments from initial deliveries in January and February to scheduled stockings from March through early June. Summer water temperatures prohibit stocking beyond June, although fishing opportunities continue to be vibrant throughout the year, particularly in certain small impoundments.

Trophy trout lakes are classified as small bodies of water that consistently generate trophy trout (generally larger than 21 inches or exceeding 4 pounds). West Virginia has many small impoundments that occasionally churn up trophy trout. It's the ones that do so on a regular basis that will be covered here.