2026 regulation year
Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs) 2026 — West Virginia Fishing Regulations
West Virginia statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of West Virginia's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
WVDNR Catch-and-Release Trout — a 4-mile section beginning 2 miles upstream of Webster Springs (county Routes 24 / 24-3). Creel limit 0 (all trout released at once); artificial flies and lures only (no scent / bait); multiple-hook lures must be barbless; daylight hours only
Source: West Virginia special-water list
Official source
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Section publishes the authoritative 2026 West Virginia fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to West Virginia Division of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any West Virginia trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in West Virginia
- Blackwater River (Blackwater Falls State Park)
- Bluestone Lake (Three Rivers WMA)
- Bluestone River (Pipestem State Park)
- Burnsville Lake
- Cheat Lake (Cheat River impoundment)
- Cheat Lake / Stonecoal / Mt. Storm
- Cheat River main stem (Cheat Lake outflow + downstream)
- Clear Fork of the Guyandotte River
- Cranberry River + tributaries (Cranberry Wilderness)
- Director-designated impoundments
- Dogway Fork of the Cranberry
- Edwards Run (Edwards Run WMA)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs)?
- Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides West Virginia's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "WVDNR Catch-and-Release Trout — a 4-mile section beginning 2 miles upstream of Webster Springs (county Routes 24 / 24-3). Creel limit 0 (all trout released at once); artificial flies and lures only (no scent / bait); multiple-hook lures must be barbless; daylight hours only." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs)?
- Yes. Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs) is in West Virginia, so a valid West Virginia fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Section. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Back Fork of Elk River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide West Virginia rules.
- Do Back Fork of Elk River (Webster Springs)'s special rules replace West Virginia's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. West Virginia's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Back Fork of Elk River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.