Lucas Adcock
Staff Writer
The heavy spring stocking season has wound down across Pocahontas County, but that doesn’t mean trout fishing is over for the summer.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources runs its most frequent stockings from February through May on county waters such as the Greenbrier River, Knapps Creek, the East and West Forks of the Greenbrier and Deer Creek, and most of those streams won’t see another truck until fall.
That leaves anglers with two good options for the rest of the summer: the first is chasing holdover fish – trout stocked earlier in the year that survived the spring rush and are still swimming in deeper pools and shaded stretches, particularly on the Greenbrier and Cranberry rivers. The second is looking to the county’s wild brook trout water, the native fish that thrive in the small, cold, high-elevation streams draining the Monongahela National Forest and the Cranberry Wilderness.
Several stretches of the Cranberry River are managed as catch-and-release fisheries year-round, giving anglers a reliable option even in the warmer months.
But for fishers, water temperature is the deciding factor this time of year. Trout, especially wild brook trout, struggle once water climbs into the mid-60s and become stressed above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Anglers are encouraged to fish early in the morning while water is coolest, to avoid fishing during afternoon heat, and to handle any released fish quickly and with wet hands to help preserve their protective slime coating. A stream that looks fine on the surface can already be too warm to safely catch-and-release, so carrying a simple stream thermometer is a smart habit. (You can pick one up for cheap on Amazon if you don’t already have one.)
A handful of streams, including the Elk River, Cranberry River and Knapps Creek, are also stocked again during the week of Columbus Day and the week after, giving fall anglers another shot before winter. In the meantime, county visitors and residents looking for a guaranteed catch may want to check current stocking reports at wvdnr.gov before heading out, since schedules can shift with weather and water conditions.
A 2026 fishing license and trout stamp are required for anglers 15 years of age and older, and are available online through the DNR or at license agents throughout the county.
Happy fishing!
Go get wet!
