Best rainbow trout lakes in West Virginia
5 West Virginia waters hold rainbow trout, 5 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — 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 · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Sleepy Creek Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
- Moncove Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
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 flathead catfish lakes · best spotted bass lakes
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