Best rainbow trout lakes in West Virginia
40 West Virginia waters list rainbow trout (official records or labelled estimates), 40 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.
- Summersville Lake — 263 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
- Tygart Lake — 125 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Burnsville Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Monongahela River — 42 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Beech Fork Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Sutton Lake — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Sleepy Creek Lake — 28 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Sherwood — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Moncove Lake — 22 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Curtisville Lake — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Tomlinson Run Lake — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Warden Lake — 19 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Thomas Park Lake — 17 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Huey Run Lake — 27 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- New Creek Dam 14 — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Teter Creek Lake — 22 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Krodel Lake — 9 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Dunkard Fork Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Rollins Lake — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Pedlar Mason Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Pendleton Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Deegan Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Bear Rock Lakes — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
…plus 15 more West Virginia waters holding rainbow trout.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See West Virginia waters with public access data
When to fish rainbow trout in West Virginia
- Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
- Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
- Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
- Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.
Also in West Virginia: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best common carp lakes · best spotted bass lakes
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