Today, 12 pm–7 pmWalleye
The bite peaks at 68.
Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.
Right now
Walleye range 50–72°
From the
Sunrise 7:41 am
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Full
Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are West Virginia regulations for these waters.
No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 10–40 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: 8 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day, no statewide minimum. Several lakes and rivers protect walleye from 20 to 30".
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · West Virginia
Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye
No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: 6 black bass a day combined, no statewide minimum. Some waters add a 12" minimum or a protected slot; the New River releases bass from 14 to 22".
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · West Virginia
Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass
No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–25 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: 6 black bass a day combined, no statewide minimum. Some waters add a 12" minimum or a protected slot; the New River releases bass from 14 to 22".
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · West Virginia
Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass
No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: 30 channel catfish a day on rivers, streams, Corps of Engineers lakes, Cheat, Mt. Storm and Stonecoal; 4 a day in state-managed impoundments.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · West Virginia
Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish
No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: 30 crappie a day, black and white combined, no minimum.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · West Virginia
Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie
No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 1–15 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. West Virginia: nongame fish not listed in the regulations, carp included, have no daily creel or possession limit, except on the few waters where every nongame fish is protected.
Verified Oct 18, 2026 · West Virginia
Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp
Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works
We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. West Virginia DNR has the state’s fishing pages.
Licenses and rules: West Virginia DNR · fish-consumption advisories
A 13-mile run-of-river reservoir on the Cheat River near Morgantown, recovered from historic acid mine drainage into a productive walleye, bass, and crappie fishery. Walleye and smallmouth hold on the points and channel edges; largemouth and crappie fill the coves. Public ramps serve the lake from the Cheat Lake area.
Walleye from 20 to 30" must be released; 8 a day, only 1 over 30". Yellow perch 15 a day. Water quality has rebounded dramatically since the 1990s — the fishery is now a regional draw.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Cheat Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Cheat Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Cheat Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
Cheat Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Walleye from 20 to 30" must be released; 8 a day, only 1 over 30". Yellow perch 15 a day. Water quality has rebounded dramatically since the 1990s — the fishery is now a regional draw.
state agency regulations apply at Cheat Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
No. Cheat Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
