W. Va. Code R. § 58-60-5 - Daily Creel Limits and Possession Limits

5.1. Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass). -- The daily creel limit is six black bass in aggregate and the possession limit is 12 black bass in aggregate, except as provided in Section 5.1.1.

5.1.1. The daily creel limit is zero black bass and the possession limit is zero black bass on Catch-and-Release Black Bass Fishing Areas.

5.2. Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Tiger, and Golden Rainbow Trout). -- The daily creel limit is six trout in aggregate and the possession limit is 12 trout in aggregate, except as provided in Sections 5.2.1. through 5.2.3. of these regulations.

5.2.1. The daily creel limit is zero trout and the possession limit is zero trout on Catch-and-Release Trout Fishing Areas.

5.2.2. The daily creel limit is zero fish and the possession limit is zero fish on Fly-Fishing-Only Areas.

5.2.3. The daily creel limit is two trout in aggregate and the possession limit is 12 in aggregate for Stephens Lake (Raleigh County).

5.3. Muskellunge. -- The daily creel limit is one muskellunge and the possession limit is two muskellunge, except as provided in 5.3.1. of these regulations.

5.3.1. The daily creel limit is zero muskellunge and the possession limit is zero muskellunge on Catch-and-Release Muskellunge Fishing Areas as provided in Section 8 of these regulations.

5.4. Tiger Musky. -- The daily creel limit is one tiger musky and the possession limit is two tiger musky.

5.5. Northern Pike. -- The daily creel limit is one northern pike and the possession limit is two northern pike.

5.6. Hybrid Striped Bass, Striped Bass and White Bass. -- Except as provided in Section 5.6.1. and 5.6.2. of these regulations, the daily creel limit is 30 hybrid striped bass, striped bass, and white bass with no more than four fish in aggregate larger than 15 inches.

5.6.1. The daily creel limit for hybrid striped bass, striped bass, and white bass is four in aggregate with a 15 inch minimum size on Mount Storm (Grant County), Bluestone (Summers County), Beech Fork (Wayne County), R. D. Bailey (Mingo and Wyoming Counties) lake, and the Kanawha River from the confluence of the Gauley and New Rivers to the Buffalo Bridge.

5.6.2. The daily creel limit is zero and the possession limit is zero for hybrid striped bass, striped bass, and white bass on Rollins Lake (Jackson County).

5.7. Walleye, Sauger and Saugeye. -- The daily creel and possession limits for walleye, sauger and saugeye are as follows:

5.7.1. The daily creel limit for walleye is eight and the possession limit is 16 on all waters except as provided in subdivisions 5.7.1.a. through 5.7.1.d.

5.7.1.a. The daily creel limit is two walleye and the possession limit is four on the Ohio River between the states of Ohio and West Virginia, the Bluestone River extending downstream from the Virginia state line to its confluence with the New River, including all tributaries, the New River extending from the mouth of the Gauley River upstream to the West Virginia and Virginia state border in Summers County including all tributaries except as provided in Section 5.7.1.b., the Coal River extending from the mouth of the Coal River upstream to the confluence of the Little Coal and Big Coal rivers in Lincoln County including all tributaries, the Elk River extending from the mouth of the Elk River upstream including Sutton Lake and all tributaries, the Gauley River extending from the mouth of the Gauley upstream including all tributaries, excluding the area between Summersville Dam and Persinger Creek, the Greenbrier River extending from the mouth of the Greenbrier River upstream, including the East Fork and West Fork of the Greenbrier River in Pocahontas County and all tributaries, the Kanawha River extending from the Winfield Dam upstream to the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers in Fayette County, including all tributaries.

5.7.1.b. The daily creel limit is zero walleye and the possession limit is zero walleye on a five-mile section of the New River from Meadow Creek public access to the base of Sandstone Falls in Raleigh and Summers counties.

5.7.1.c. The daily creel limit and possession limit is zero for walleye on Charles Fork Lake (Roane County) and Dog Run Lake in Harrison County.

5.7.1.d. The daily creel limit in aggregate for walleye, sauger, and saugeye is six and the possession limit is 12, four of which may be walleye, on the Ohio River between the states of Ohio and West Virginia and from the mouth of the Kanawha River in Mason County upstream to the Winfield Lock and Dam, provided only two of the six may be walleye.

5.7.2. The daily creel limit for sauger and saugeye is eight and the possession limit is 16 on all waters except as provided in 5.7.1.d.

5.8. Channel Catfish. -- Except as provided in Section 11, the daily creel and possession limit for channel catfish are as follows:

5.8.1. The daily creel limit is 30 for channel catfish and the possession limit is 60, except as provided in 5.8.2.

5.8.2. The daily creel limit is four channel catfish and the possession limit is eight channel catfish on impoundments designated by the director and published annually.

5.9. Crappie, black and white. -- The daily creel limit for black crappie and white crappie is 30 in aggregate and the possession limit for black crappie and white crappie is 60 in aggregate.

5.10. Sunfish, all species. -- The daily creel limit for all species of sunfish is 30 in aggregate and the possession limit for all species of sunfish is 60 in aggregate, except as provided in 5.10.1.

5.10.1. The daily creel limit for bluegill and all other sunfish species is 10 in aggregate, only five of which may be eight inches or longer, on Mason Lake (Monongahela County) and Teter Creek Lake (Barbour County).

5.11. Chain pickerel. -- The daily creel limit for chain pickerel is one and the possession limit is two

5.12. Other Game Fish. -- The daily creel limit is 30 and the possession limit is 60 for all game fish species not listed in Section 5.

5.13. Other Nongame Fish. -- There are no daily creel or possession limits on nongame fish species not listed in Section 4 of these regulations, except as provided in 5.13.1. and 5.13.2. of these regulations.

5.13.1. The daily creel limit is 30 for yellow perch with a possession limit of 60, except as provided in 5.18.

5.13.2. The daily creel limit is zero for all nongame fish species and using any fish as bait is prohibited on the following:

5.13.2.a. Confluence of the East and West Forks of the Greenbrier River upstream including all tributaries.

5.13.2.b. Gauley River upstream of the Route 55/20 Bridge (Curtain, WV) which includes the Cherry, Williams, Cranberry, and Upper Gauley rivers and all tributaries of each river.

5.13.2.c. Camp Creek and Manns Creek including all tributaries of each stream, including Glade Creek in Babcock State Park.

5.14. Bullfrogs and Green Frogs. -- The daily (noon to noon) creel limit is 10 frogs and the possession limit is 20 frogs.

5.15. Mussels. -- Possession of mussels or any parts thereof is prohibited.

5.16. Minnows and other Aquatic Life. -- A person may have in his possession no more than 50 minnows nor more than a total of 100 aquatic animal life not regulated by W. Va. Code of State Rules, Title 58 Series 73, Reptiles and Amphibian Rule, unless obtained from a licensed dealer and accompanied by a bill of sale.

5.17. Blue Catfish. -- The daily creel limit is two blue catfish, except as provided in 5.17.1. and Section 11.

5.17.1. The daily creel limit is four blue catfish, only one of which may be 35 inches or longer and the possession limit for blue catfish is eight, only two of which may be 35 inches or longer on the following waters:

5.17.1.a. Kanawha River from the mouth (Mason County) extending upstream to the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers (Fayette County.

5.17.1.b. The entire length of the Ohio River within the state's boundaries including all West Virginia tributaries within the reciprocal agreement boundaries.

5.18. Yellow Perch. -- The daily creel limit is 15 yellow perch on Cheat Lake (Monongalia County).

5.19. The daily creel limit is zero and the possession limit is zero for all fish on Dixon Lake (Monongalia County).

5.20. The daily creel limit is four, of which only one may be 35 inches or longer and the possession limit is eight for flathead catfish on the following waters:

5.20.1. Kanawha River from the mouth (Mason County) extending upstream to the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers (Fayette County).

5.20.2. The entire length of the Monongahela River within the state's boundaries.

5.20.3. The Ohio River from the mouth of the Big Sandy River (Wayne County) extending upstream to the mouth of Mill Creek (Hancock County), including all waters within West Virginia covered by the Ohio River Reciprocal Agreement with the State of Ohio.

Notes

W. Va. Code R. § 58-60-5