West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Fall Trout Stocking

If you're one of those folks who put their fishing poles away until next spring because you thought there weren't any trout out there, think again. There are some monster trout biting right now, right here in West Virginia.

October 26, 2005
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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"What do you reckon that is, about 4 pounds. 4-5 pounds." "Did he hit pretty hard? Yes he did."

The trout were hitting pretty hard, and a lot of folks reeled them in. A relative handful of trout for boatloads of anglers. And a couple of dockloads. This is what they want, one or two trophy trout released into Sutton Lake.

Mike Shingleton/DNR Asst. Chief says
"About 10 percent of the trout we stock are brood trout. We no longer need them in our hatchery and need the room in our hatchery for the other fish to grow for the spring stocking."

And these are some big, bad rainbow and golden trout going in this lake.

And coming out. There might not be as many fish stocked in the lakes and streams in the fall, but there are some of the biggest.

Mike Shingleton/DNR Asst. Chief says
"We do have the spring stocking which is our major stocking. We stock about 200 waters statewide in the spring. The fall season is reduced, there are about 75 waters involved and 9 small impoundments and we are stocking about 40,000 pounds. Our spring stocking is about 700,000 pounds or a little more."

40,000 Pounds is a lot of trout put in the water by the DNR. When you consider the size of some of the trout, it's no wonder some anglers can't wait for October.

"It's popular, as you can see, a lot of people look forward to it. It coincides with the opening of several hunting seasons. People will sometimes hunt in the morning and fish in the afternoon."

What a way to spend a day.