This list of West Virginia State Fishing Records includes all major records of the largest fish of each species taken by hook and line in West Virginia waters. All records are obtained from official West Virginia Department of Natural Resources sources.
Records Species Year Total Length (Inches) Total Weight (Pounds) Location Angler Record ReferenceLargemouth Bass199424.812.28Pond - Grant Co.David W. Heeter Weight202526.269.85Pond - Harrison Co.Seth Spry LengthSmallmouth Bass197124.259.75South BranchDavid Lindsay Weight197625.57.5New RiverFranklin J. Elliott Length Rock Bass196413.81.75Big Sandy CreekWarren Ryan Spotted Bass198819.03.82R.D. Bailey LakeLeonard Blankenship Length -Tie 200019.04.77R.D. Bailey LakeKevin Dameron Weight Striped Bass201047.1645.70Bluestone LakeJames Brooks Hybrid Striped Bass198531.516.75Kanawha RiverRobert Honaker Weight 200032.114Kanawha RiverFrankie Harris Length White Bass198520.04.56New RiverLouis Puskas Bluegill / Hybrid Bluegill196413.752.25Pond - Fayette Co.Dennis Criss Length 198611.72.75Pond - Randolph Co.Mark Allan Lewis Weight Redbreast Sunfish20249.290.57New Creek LakeZach AdkinsRedear Sunfish202512.441.6Plum Orchard LakeJohn PlottLength202412.01.75Plum Orchard LakeJohn PlottWeightPumpkinseedBE THE FIRST (minimum of 9 inches) new category as of 2026 Bowfin199432.257.54Pond - Berkeley Co.Donald E. Newcomb, III Length202430.210.6Ohio RiverLauren Noble WeightBuffalo197641.038.0Little Kanawha RiverHobert Null Common Carp202241.245.2Summersville LakeAyden Minick Length 199839.347.0Pond - Preston Co.Gary Johnson Weight Grass Carp202054.7567.4Warden LakeJohn Miller Length 200550.7571.69Warden LakeWilliam R. TurnerWeightBlue Catfish202551.4966.3Kanawha RiverJustin ConnorLength202350.5169.45Ohio RiverMichael John DrakeWeightBullhead Catfish197722.756.1Tygart Lake HeadwatersGary R. Freeman Channel Catfish202443.5146.7Pond - Wayne Co.John Tyler Rutherford Flathead Catfish195652.070.0Little Kanawha RiverL.L. McClung Chain Pickerel201927.874.0Upper Deckers LakeMatt BornLength200127.756.19Tuckahoe LakeSteven Demma Weight Black Crappie202417.763.15Woodrum LakeDwight Priestly Length202517.73.6East Lynn LakeJerry PorterWeightWhite Crappie197119.754.05Meathouse ForkLeonard EdgellEel198344.256.27Elk RiverSteve Woods Length 197744.07.25Bunker Hill QuarryArlie R. RubleWeightFallfish197021.253.5North Fork of South BranchJames Blackwell Freshwater Drum19543725Little Kanawha RiverBill Dawkins Length 202135.5927.88Kanawha RiverJohn A. Gibson Weight Longnose Gar202353.6215.0Ohio RiverRich ChapmanLength199350.519.08Kanawha RiverMichael Shan Casey Weight Goldeye 198318.53.0Ohio RiverDelbert McWilliams Muskellunge202255.062551.00Little Kanawha RiverLucas King Northern Pike198942.622.06Dog Run LakeBoyd O. Pratt, Sr. Redhorse202524.575.75Ohio RiverJason FloydSauger198523.04.75Ohio RiverSteve Powell Length 201222.505.06Ohio RiverDavid L. VanceWeightSaugeye200627.688.73East Lynn LakeEverett Chapman Skipjack202120.153.1Ohio RiverEthan Moss Tiger Musky199449.2536.5Mountwood LakeClyde E. Beckett Brook Trout198123.54.78Lost RiverJack E. FoltzLength200422.257.64Shavers Fork of Cheat RiverGary M. Chapman Weight Brown Trout196832.016.0South BranchPaul Barker Golden Rainbow Trout198727.58.63Stonecoal LakeGerald Estep Length 202326.259.72Little Beaver LakeCharles Lilly, Jr. Weight Rainbow Trout201433.1119.40Pond - Berkely Co.Eric Files, Sr. Tiger Trout201128.710.65Krodel LakeMike Connolly Length202527.612.55Mannington LakeRobert Riggs Weight Walleye197635.015.0Kanawha FallsFred Cline Length 200430.8718.97Elk RiverJerry Rose Weight Yellow perch201015.441.20Summersville LakeCraig Hollandsworth Length 201814.52.04Summersville LakeClinton Mills Weight
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