Best rainbow trout lakes in West Virginia
35 West Virginia waters hold rainbow trout, 34 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, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
- Monongahela River — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Sleepy Creek Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Sherwood — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Jennings Randolph Lake — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Moncove Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Curtisville Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Warden Lake — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Thomas Park Lake — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Huey Run Lake — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- New Creek Dam 14 — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Teter Creek Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Krodel Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Dunkard Fork Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Rollins Lake — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Pedlar Mason Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Pendleton Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Deegan Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Bear Rock Lakes — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Ridenour Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Spruce Knob Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Brushy Fork Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Rock Cliff Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
…plus 10 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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