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Marlinton to Alderson. The longest free-flowing river in the East; smallmouth and goggle-eye. The river tops out around 8 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 4,384 acres wrapped in 165.7 miles of bank, with 24 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 17.9) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 45.4 mi, about 9.2 mi across. It sits in Greenbrier County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lake Sherwood, is 20 mi to the east.
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 37.8) — rock pile, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 14.3) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 14.3) (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, rock bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Riffle & run (mile 37.8) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring rock bass. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Early season muskellunge use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. Put Riffle & run (mile 37.8) first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.2) (4 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 1.2) (4 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 37.8) (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 1.2) (4 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Spring channel catfish on Greenbrier River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 6 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.2) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) |
31 pieces of structure are mapped here — Dam tailrace, around 7 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for West Virginia waters are set by the West Virginia DNR — and special regulations can apply to Greenbrier River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Greenbrier River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rock bass, muskellunge, channel catfish on Greenbrier River.
Riffle & run (mile 37.8) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Greenbrier River is regulated by the West Virginia DNR. Check the official West Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Sherwood 20 mi · Lake Moomaw 23 mi, VA · Moncove Lake 24 mi · Big Ditch Lake 32 mi · Summersville Lake 33 mi · New River (Gorge) 35 mi · Hawks Nest Lake 42 mi · Lake A. Willis Robertson 43 mi, VA · Carvins Cove Reservoir 46 mi, VA · Elkwater Fork Lake 46 mi · Plum Orchard Lake 46 mi · Sutton Lake 50 mi
See how Greenbrier River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in West Virginia · best muskellunge lakes in West Virginia
Browse all West Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.