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  1. #1
    Moderator wvbassmaster's Avatar
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    Jun 2004
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    kanawha river misery

    I have been fishing the Kanawha since the mid 90's and I think its the worst ive ever seen it. I use to spend a lot of time on that river but over the past couple years I have just about quit going. I've made it out there twice this year and caught one 8" spot. Saturday I never even got a bite. I understand we are in the heat of summer but I don't think it matters. weights have been down for a while now and catching a limit is a very hard thing to do.2-3 pounds winning evening tournaments. at this point I really question the amount of fish in the river. I have talked with a lot of people say the floods are the reason. I am sure it hasn't helped but the trash fish seem to be thriving so I call BS on that. I seen balls of shad everywhere and nothing touching it. I think the river has hit rock bottom. I have just about written it off. ill drive 2 hours to Summersville or Yatesville. I at least know there are fish there. fishing cost to much to waste on that river!!!

  2. Member WVBullet's Avatar
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    #2
    Most of this year, the Kanawha and Ohio has been messed up. But I agree, river fishing has sucked for few years.

    2008 BULLET 21XD 2007 Merc 300xs


  3. Member
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    Sep 2013
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    Williamstown, WV
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    #3
    You know how it goes, nobody cares to stock and help the rivers out like our tax money does for trout.. River up here near Parkersburg is terrible. I am right with you wvbassmaster, if I want to go and catch fish I drive to OH or KY. I haven't tried to find out if the DNR has stocked any bass or gamefish in the Ohio but they need to do something. If they did tomorrow were still 3-5 years out from seeing it recover. I definately thing the high water during the winter up here for the past several years has hurt survival rates. If they would at least stock each of the pools to help a lot.

  4. Member WVBullet's Avatar
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    #4
    I live about 5 min from the R.C. Byrd locks and dam where a hatchery is. Was originally told plenty of bass was going to be hatched there. Well, the only thing I’ve heard since it’s opening is catfish, sauger and walleye. With all of our tax dollars that goes to these facilities, you’d think we have some say in the type of hatchlings being produced. WV needs to wake up and get a good LM/SM stocking program!

    2008 BULLET 21XD 2007 Merc 300xs


  5. Member
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    Charleston, WV
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    #5
    Wonder how many limits there will be sat. with a 10" minimum?

  6. Moderator wvbassmaster's Avatar
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    #6
    Guys I don’t understand. Our dnr could care less about our big bodies of water. I was told they are doing a study on the kanawha but then was told it was for catfish. I don’t know if this is true or not but it sounds about right. I don’t understand why we can’t have a stocking program. They say the fish in our waters can do more than they can. If that’s the case why do other states stock and the end result is good fishing. It comes down to they just don’t care about our style of fishing. I emailed back and forth a couple years ago to a wvdnr biologist over these same concerns and in a nutshell he basically said I needed to learn to fish and if my Dream was to run around in a fancy bassboat and catch 5 pounders that it just wasn’t going to happen. It’s really a shame as to what the river has become and our lakes isn’t much better. There is just no return on our investment here. It’s sad we have to go out of state to fish better waters but that’s what it comes down to!

  7. Moderator wvbassmaster's Avatar
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    Wonder how many limits there will be sat. with a 10" minimum?

    Someone will have one. They always do. Someone always figures them out. But it will be a big fall off between finishes. You couldn’t pay my entry and expenses to make me set out there another day!

  8. Member
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    May 2018
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    Winfield, West Virginia
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    #8
    I live within two miles from a boat ramp on the kanawha, fished the river twice this year, caught a few, nothing over 11 inches. I have moved on from fishing here in WV. I fish in KY, OH ,VA and FL. I have catching a bunch in VA, I hate the drive but hell, atleast we are catching decent fish.

  9. Member
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    Jul 2010
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    Kenna, WV
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    #9
    I plan to fish the tourney Saturday just to help the Make a Wish foundation. I think it'll be the second time this year on the river. After catchin nice fish in Tennessee and New York I'm ok with couple trips a year and leavin the river alone