Fishing & Camping in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia

The Northern Panhandle of West Virginia is a mostly rural landscape, with lush hills and valleys crisscrossed by streams and dotted with small towns. The region offers an abundance of fishing and camping opportunities. State parks and privately-owned campgrounds provide numerous places to pitch a tent or park an RV, and a productive fishing hole is seldom far away.

  1. Tomlinson Run State Park

    • Nestled in the Panhandle's northernmost tip, Tomlinson Run State Park is home to Tomlinson Run Lake as well as a campground with more than 50 shady, secluded campsites. Electrical hookups are available at 39 of these sites, while the rest are non-electric. Each campsite includes a picnic table, campfire grill and access to drinking water, restrooms and showers. Reservations are available by phone or mail or in person at the camp office. The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stocks 30-acre Tomlinson Run Lake every spring with trout, and native populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and channel catfish provide excellent fishing during the summer months. Shore access is provided, and boats are restricted to electric motors and non-powered craft only.

    Camping and Fishing on the Ohio River

    • The Ohio River may be the Northern Panhandle's single greatest fishing resource. Forming West Virginia's western border, the wide, muddy river is particularly well-known for its giant catfish, but largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye and numerous other game fish are also available. Numerous parks, public access sites, boat ramps and marinas provide access to the river. Riverside camping is available in Paden City at Paden City Park. The park includes 12 campsites for tents and RVs with water and electricity as well as easy access to modern restroom and shower facilities. Other campgrounds near the river include Mullet's Campground in New Martinsville, Echo Valley Campground in Glendale and Smiths Landing Campground in Chester.

    Other Options

    • If you look farther inland along the panhandle, you can find several additional camping and fishing options. The Mount Herman Campground, located near the community of Kodol, has a wide variety of accommodations ranging from tent and RV campsites to rental trailers and furnished cabins. The campground is spread across 80 acres and is only a few miles from several productive trout streams, including Little Fishing Creek. The Lewis Wetzel Wildlife Management Area, maintained by the DNR primarily as a hunting ground, also includes a group of primitive backwoods campsites and access to several fishing streams.

    Considerations

    • A current West Virginia fishing license is required to fish anywhere in the Northern Panhandle or elsewhere across the state. You can purchase a license through the West Virginia DNR website or at most bait shops and sporting goods stores across the state. Be sure to also pick up a free copy of the annual Fishing Regulations Summary, a complete guide to limits, seasons and other fishing regulations that can be found online and anywhere licenses are sold.