The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will be stocking more than 4,000 catchable-size channel catfish during the week of May 18, 2015. This popular program provides fishing opportunities at user-friendly lakes at DNR wildlife management areas and state parks, as well as at several county- and city-owned impoundments.
Lakes to be stocked in May are: Anawalt Lake (McDowell Co.), Barboursville Lake (Cabell Co.), Berwind Lake (McDowell Co.), Cacapon State Park Lake (Morgan Co.), Cedar Creek State Park Lake (Gilmer Co.), Chief Logan State Park Lake (Logan Co.), Coonskin Park Lake (Kanawha Co.), Edwards Run Pond (Hampshire Co.), Fort Ashby Lake (Mineral Co.), French Creek Pond (Upshur Co.), Indian Rock Lake (Nicholas Co.), Laurel Lake (Mingo Co.), Little Beaver State Park Lake (Raleigh Co.), Mason Lake (Monongalia Co.), Mountwood Lake (Wood Co.), North Bend State Park Pond (Ritchie Co.), Pipestem State Park Lake (Summers Co.), Tomlinson Run State Park Lake (Hancock Co.), Wallback Lake (Clay Co.), Watoga State Park Lake (Pocahontas Co.), and Wirt County Farm Pond (Wirt Co.).
Tagged channel catfish will be stocked into seven state park lakes in May as part of the Catfish in the Parks Program, according to Chris O’Bara, DNR fishery biologist. These lakes are: Cacapon, Cedar Creek, Chief Logan, North Bend, Pipestem, Tomlinson Run and Watoga. In addition, tagged channel catfish will be stocked into Mountwood Lake (Wood Co,) as part of an ongoing study.
Anglers who catch a tagged fish are asked to return the tag or the tag number along with information on the date of capture, whether the fish was kept or released, and the name and address of the angler to WVDNR, 2311 Ohio Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26101. Anglers also can call in the information (304-420-4550) or provide the information via email at dnrfishtags@wv.gov. Additional information about the tagging programs can be found at http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/Fish_Tagging.shtm.
