The lake itself is surrounded by spectacular scenery, which paints a landscape resembling a high alpine lake in the Canadian wilderness. Since the lake lies just under West Virginia's highest peak, Spruce Knob, the lake is able to sustain cool water all year long, and it is this condition that enables trophy trout to survive from year to year. This 23-acre impoundment is located deep in the midst of the Monongahela National Forest it remains an excellent impoundment for producing awesome trout fishing throughout the year.ДЇrom its high elevation location on the Pendleton and Randolph county lines, Spruce Knob Lake continually maintains cool water temperatures. Perhaps the most revered producer of trophy trout in the Mountain State is Spruce Knob Lake. Small impoundments with coveted cool water typically receive the best allotments of trophy trout, although the DNR's stocking strategies also consider fishing pressure as well as geographic location. Such water conditions allow these lakes to hold trout year 'round. The DNR targets freshwater lakes that possess cool and often deep water. It's the ones that do so on a regular basis that will be covered here. West Virginia has many small impoundments that occasionally churn up trophy trout. Trophy trout lakes are classified as small bodies of water that consistently generate trophy trout (generally larger than 21 inches or exceeding 4 pounds). Summer water temperatures prohibit stocking beyond June, although fishing opportunities continue to be vibrant throughout the year, particularly in certain small impoundments. Water temperatures and seasonal fishing opportunities confine stockings on most small impoundments from initial deliveries in January and February to scheduled stockings from March through early June. Typically, these lakes provide great access for shore-anglers, and some even allow small, non-motorized boats. Small impoundments are defined as lakes less than 50 acres in size that support trout for at least a portion of the year. Of the 700,000 or more pounds of trout stocked each year, a considerable portion of the DNR's trout stocking program targets small impoundments across our state. Either figure will ensure that anglers continue to experience many opportunities to enjoy our state's splendid trout fishing activities. In bumper years, that number grows to 800,000 pounds, and in the future there's a push to extend the current number to a million pounds of trout. Annually, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) stocks Mountain State waters with more than 700,000 pounds of trout. Make no mistake, the battle is sure to renew each year.

In fisherman freshwater trophies