Satisfaction from the day's fishing brought a smile to my face as I continued to study the glistening line where it plunged beneath the water's surface. I watched intently for signs of a strike that might indicate the presence of another walleye on this brisk March afternoon. The warming sun was shining down on the reservoir's bare banks as it slowly heated the shallows. This alerted walleyes from the deep to seek out the rare warmth.

Four marble-eyes destined for my dinner table already crowded the livewell; this is half of a legal limit. One of the specimens, a 24-inch trophy was the highlight of the day, but there was still plenty of time remaining to put additional walleyes in the well.

Such a trip exemplifies a typical day of walleye fishing on Mountain State reservoirs: enough walleyes to make fishing interesting and the chance for a trophy to boot.

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) has been making efforts to boost walleye fishing in the Mountain State since the agency switched from stocking fry to larger fingerlings. A concerted effort to stock walleyes more effectively fuels the DNR's plan to produce better walleye fisheries. Several research studies are underway that could very well contribute to enhancing West Virginia walleye fisheries.

One of the main obstacles has been the annual variability of state hatcheries to consistently meet strategic management goals. For example, 2007 was a banner year, as the DNR stocked more than 240,000 fingerling walleyes across the state. However, in 2008, only 48,000 walleye fingerlings were available for stocking purposes from state hatcheries. Intermittent stocking makes it challenging to maintain consistent walleye populations in Mountain State waters.

Despite management challenges and geographic limitations, the DNR remains committed to creating better walleye fisheries. That means Mountain State anglers should be able to see visible improvements to West Virginia's walleye fishing in the near future. Let's take a look at some of the already established walleye fisheries.

JENNINGS RANDOLPH
Of all the walleye waters in West Virginia, Jennings Randolph remains the most mysterious. Perhaps the lack of notoriety lies in the fact that Jennings Randolph sits in the Eastern Panhandle sharing a common border with Maryland.

Anglers who fish this 952-acre impoundment on the North Branch of the Potomac River know the lake is capable of producing really gigantic walleyes. Additionally, fishing pressure on marble-eyes in Jennings Randolph remains very limited.

Jan Gonzales, former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project leader for Jennings Randolph Lake, acknowledges the lake's walleye potential, "We see some real trophies caught from the lake by die-hard anglers who have figured out how to catch those giant walleyes. Although we occasionally hear of anglers limiting out, the lake seems to be geared toward trophy fish rather than quantities of walleyes."

Like many Mountain State reservoirs, Jennings Randolph experiences a significant drawdown in lake elevation during the cold season. In October, the lake is lowered 35 feet to its winter pool, and remains there until April when the lake refills to summer pool elevation. Anglers can call the lake information hotline at (304) 355-2890 for current conditions on the lake.

Once crippled by severe acid mine drainage, the water quality in the North Branch of the Potomac has improved dramatically, thanks to multiple treatment facilities within the Jennings Randolph Lake watershed. Still hampered with low alkalinity, the system still has room for improvement, though it continues to develop into a quality fishery and certainly one known for producing trophy fish.