West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
19 December 2007
West Virginia DNR
MONONGAHELA RIVER:
The river is above normal after last weeks heavy rains. Levels will be above normal until water is drained from Tygart Lake, probably by the beginning of next week. During high water conditions, some fish will move up against the bank and can still be caught in the slack water along the shore. Don’t let high water conditions keep you from fishing if the weather is reasonable. The shoreline below the Morgantown Lock on the Westover side of the river can be good during high water. Fishing should be good in the tailwaters after flows decrease. Saugers and walleyes become very active for about an hour at twilight. Three-inch chartreuse power grubs are a good alternative to live bait for saugers and walleyes. The mouths of tributaries are also good areas to fish when the river is high.
CHEAT LAKE:
Water levels do not fluctuate drastically at Cheat Lake since it is not a flood control lake. Therefore, fishing is not significantly affected by high water conditions. Shoreline anglers can catch channel catfish all winter which is unusual in West Virginia. The Cheat Lake Park is a convenient place for shoreline anglers. Larger yellow perch are being caught by boat anglers around the I-68 Bridge using minnows or worms with a couple of split shot fished 10-15 feet on the bottom. Largemouth bass and sunfish can be caught in the embayments by the Cheat Lake Park. Walleyes will move into shallow water at night to feed.
Recent high discharges will have caused more fish to move up to the dam from the Monongahela River. Try the tailwater fishing pier for walleye, sauger, and many other species. The pier is located entirely in West Virginia about 25 minutes from Morgantown, but you have to drive from, and park in, Pennsylvania to get there. Take U.S. Rt. 119 from Morgantown to Point Marion, PA. Turn right after crossing the Cheat River and proceed 4 miles to Cheat Dam. The pier is lighted for night fishing and is handicapped accessible.