Big rivers, small streams, sprawling reservoirs, tiny farm ponds—catfish can make themselves at home just about anywhere. In West Virginia, they have a lot of territory in which to reside.
Catfish are known for being some of the tastiest fish in freshwater, but they’re more than just table fare. Catfish are also hard fighters and some of the easiest fish to tempt with baits ranging from nightcrawlers and chicken livers to live minnows and cut bait.
In recent years, West Virginia has also shown serious potential for trophy cats. While channel catfish and flathead catfish have always been common, giant blue catfish are expanding their territory in West Virginia waters.
State records for blue cats and channels have fallen multiple times in the last decade, making West Virginia a major up-and-coming state for big catfish. Chances are, the next record will be caught in one of these waters:
Ohio River
The Ohio River forms the 277-mile border between West Virginia and Ohio. That’s a relatively small portion of the river’s 981-mile total length, but it provides some of the best catfish fishing in West Virginia.
Channel catfish are the most abundant catfish species, inhabiting each pool of the Ohio River. Flatheads are also widespread and capable of surpassing 50 pounds, though individuals in the 10- to 20-pound range are typical.
And then there’s blue catfish. For the longest time, anglers seldom caught blue cats in the Ohio River above Kentucky. But thanks to a decade-plus of stocking, blue cats are increasingly common in the West Virginia portion of the river.
A new state record blue cat came from the Ohio River in December 2023. The 69.45-pound monster marked the fourth consecutive year in which West Virginia’s blue cat record has been broken, and as these fish continue to grow and spread, it’s unlikely to be the last.
The best places to catch catfish on the Ohio River are the tailraces below its many lock and dam structures. In West Virginia, the Willow Island, Racine and Pike Island tailwaters are especially good.
Other good areas include mouths of tributaries, gravel bars, riprap banks and artificial structures like piers and barges.
Most tailwaters have excellent bank access, and the best fishing is typically around dusk and after dark from March through July.
Kanawha River
A tributary of the Ohio River, the Kanawha River flows northwest through the heart of the state for 97 miles and is West Virginia’s largest inland waterway. It’s a great fishing river for multiple species, and catfish are abundant.
A navigable river controlled by several lock and dam structures, the Kanawha fishes much like the Ohio, albeit on a smaller scale. Tailwaters below the dams are prime areas.
Fishing for catfish is excellent below the navigation dams in London, Marmet and Winfield, and all three are great for bank fishing. The dam at Winfield is the final dam on the Kanawha River, 31 miles above its confluence with the Ohio.
Channel catfish are everywhere in the river, but the Kanawha is also arguably the best river in West Virginia for flatheads. Target them from dusk until around midnight on summer nights using live bluegill, shad or suckers just outside the fast water in tailraces.
Blue catfish are in the mix as well. The Kanawha River produced two state-record blue cats in 2022 since dethroned by an Ohio River giant.
The lower Kanawha River below Winfield is the best section for blues, which often fall for large cut bait.
The Kanawha is also one of the better spots in West Virginia to catch walleye, making it an all-around great place to catch a delicious dinner.
Bluestone Lake
Spanning about 2,040 acres in southern West Virginia, Bluestone Lake is one of the state’s premier channel catfish lakes. The reservoir impounds the New River and one of its major tributaries, the Bluestone River.
Channel cats weighing 1 to 3 pounds are common. Some fish tip the scales at 5 to 8 pounds, but it’s best to think of Bluestone as more of a numbers lake than a trophy catfish water.
The best fishing is generally along drop-offs to the main river channel. Though there is plenty of bank access through both Bluestone State Park and Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, the lake has limited shallow backwaters. It really pays to fish from a boat rather than the bank.
The upper end of Bluestone Lake near the confluence of Indian Creek is one of the better areas, especially in summer. The creek keeps the water aerated, attracting a lot of whiskerfish during the warmer months.
In addition to abundant channel cats, Bluestone Lake has some notable flathead catfish, too. The area around Bull Falls on the New River arm is a popular spot, and local flathead anglers favor using live rock bass as bait.
Bluestone Lake also rates among West Virginia’s best crappie fishing lakes.
Burnsville Lake
Burnsville Lake is a small, fairly shallow reservoir on the Little Kanawha River. Despite encompassing just 968 acres and having average depths of only 20 to 25 feet, it supports ample populations of channel and flathead catfish.
Channel cats have been stocked heavily, and anglers can usually fill a pail with eating-size cats under 5 pounds without too much trouble. It’s also possible to tangle with hefty channel cats up to 15 pounds.
Flatheads are less abundant, but it’s possible to catch a few in the 10- to 20-pound range and occasional giants close to 40 pounds. Focus on the lake’s deeper holes during daylight hours, then shift to adjacent shallow flats as night approaches.
Burnsville Lake Wildlife Management Area surrounds the lake and provides multiple access points with boat ramps and bank fishing. The Bulltown Camping Area at the upper end of the lake is a good place to start.
South Branch Potomac River
Often overlooked, the South Branch Potomac River is an excellent catfish river that supports primarily channel cats. Individuals over 25 inches are not uncommon.
Channel catfish are especially abundant in the Hampshire County portion of the river. DNR hoop net surveys have turned up great numbers in the Blue Ford Pool near Green Spring, just before the river meets the Potomac’s main stem at the Maryland state line.
Spring and summer are prime seasons, with many catfish moving up into the South Branch during the warmer months before heading back down to the main stem in winter.
A wide variety of baits can be effective, but cut bait does a good job selecting for channel cats. Nightcrawlers and chicken livers tend to get nibbled away by the river’s abundant bullheads.
South Mill Creek, a tributary of the South Branch Potomac River, is also noted for its large and abundant channel catfish. The creek produced back-to-back state records in 2022 and 2023, the more recent giant weighing 36.96 pounds.
The South Branch also is a very good smallmouth bass fishery.
Stonewall Jackson Lake
A great multispecies lake that’s arguably best known for bass and muskies, Stonewall Jackson Lake is also one of West Virginia’s best bets for catfish. This 2,650-acre reservoir is home to prolific populations of channel and flathead catfish.
Located along the West Fork River in north-central West Virginia, Stonewall Jackson Lake has several sprawling river and creek arms, deep channels, and shallow, muddy coves.
As a general rule, you’re better off fishing the creek arms during the daylight hours and moving to the shallows after sunset.
Most of the lakeshore is accessible to the public through Stonewall Jackson Lake Wildlife Management Area, so there’s no shortage of shore-fishing spots.
Bridge crossings are popular places to wet a line, particularly the Oil Creek Road bridge. The Vandalia Bay launch ramp is also a good spot.
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is one of the most overlooked catfish rivers in West Virginia, partly because its location in the northern part of the state simply puts it outside of most serious catfishers’ radar.
It also doesn’t help that the Monongahela hasn’t quite shaken its reputation as a polluted waterway, but the river has made a marvelous recovery over the last few decades. Channel cats are healthy and abundant.
Anglers catch some very respectable flatheads here, too, and occasional monsters weigh 30 pounds or more. Some of the best fishing is below the Opekiska and Hildebrand dams, the two uppermost dams on the river.
Shad are the most popular bait, either live or in the form of cut bait. Lively 5- or 6-inch shad account for most of the flatheads caught on the Monongahela River, along with many of the larger channel cats.
Catch More Catfish
Be sure to check our simple guide to catfish fishing techniques, tackle and best baits.