Photo by Ron Sinfelt

If you're searching for some fast-paced trout fishing action, then look no farther than the Mountain State. West Virginia features a ton of fantastic trout-fishing opportunities, and many of them come as a direct result of our state's intensive stocking program.

The state's Division of Natural Resources (DNR) annually stocks between 700,000 and 800,000 pounds of trout in the Mountain State's streams and lakes. West Virginia has one of the nation's elite trout stocking programs, and ultimately it is the anglers who reap the benefits.

In addition to regular trout stockings, over 300,000 fingerling trout are placed in our state's small streams and rivers each year. Overall, around 132 streams and 67 lakes receive coveted stockings of these treasured game fish.

Although the state has no official season, trout stockings in the Mountain State begin with limited offerings in January and February. Stocking really swings into full strength from March through May as this period characterizes the "traditional" trout season when the majority of trout are stocked in West Virginia's waters. During 2004 stockings, an all-time high of 827,434 pounds of trout were tossed into Mountain State streams, lakes and rivers.

After May, state hatcheries cease their precious deliveries until the fall when stockings resume again for two weeks in October. During the fall stocking bonanza, about 35,000 pounds of bonus trout are spread throughout the state in 26 streams and nine lakes.

The number of trout available for stockings in 2005 is directly influenced by the weather conditions in 2004. Problems arise when drought conditions limit water availability in state hatcheries, thus preventing production trout from being spread throughout the hatchery system. The result is limited growth and a reduction in the number of trout available for the following year.

Anglers will be happy to note that 2004 was not marred by any such dry conditions and last year's plentiful water supply should provide good hatchery production for 2005 stockings.

Another happy token for Mountain State anglers in 2005 will be the number of holdover trout left from last year's stockings. An adequate supply of water throughout the normally dry summer months allowed lots of trout to survive from the previous year. Such a soaring number of holdover trout will make for some dynamite early-spring fishing this year.

SLATYFORK OF THE ELK RIVER
Recent data from the DNR shows that the trout fishery on Slatyfork is the best it has ever been. Slatyfork's trout population continues to impress anglers as both natural reproduction and fingerling stockings have been contributing to the fishery.

Besides being a great place to land lunker brown trout in the early spring, Slatyfork offers exceptional late-season trout fishing, especially in its special regulation catch-and-release area.

Since January 2000, this 3.6-mile section on Slatyfork of the Elk River has been designated as a special regulations area, where all trout must be released after being caught. This catch-and-release area stretches from the junction of Big Springs and Old Fields Fork, downstream to the railroad bridge.

Access into the catch-and-release area is by foot only, but don't worry about getting lost because an old railroad grade provides an easy to follow path along the river. To find the Slatyfork catch-and-release area, turn off U.S. Route 219, about 15 miles north of Marlinton, onto a gravel road at the Beckwith Lumber Company mill. After traveling about one-quarter of a mile through the lumber company's facilities, the road dead-ends at a West Virginia DNR angler access site.