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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Stonecoal Lake is a 550-acre lake located in Lewis and Upshur counties between Weston and Buckhannon. The lake is an impoundment of Stonecoal Creek, a tributary of the West Fork. It is surrounded by the 3,000-acre Stonecoal Lake Wildlife Management Area. The lake was built in 1972 to provide water to the Allegheny Energy’s coal-fired power plant in Harrison County.
The lake is well-known for its fishing, with smallmouth bass, muskellunge, walleye, crappie, sunfish, rainbow trout, golden trout, brown trout, and channel catfish. In 1997, Anna Marsh set a state record for weight when she caught a 50.37-inch, 49.75-pound muskellunge in Stonecoal Lake. In May of 2003, Glenn Boyd of Weston set a new state record for length when he caught a 52.7-inch, 38.5-pound muskellunge in the lake. Fishing accommodations are available for physically disabled people, and each end of the lake has a concrete boat ramp. Boats are restricted to motors of 10 horsepower or less. Camping in the area is not permitted, although a private campground is located near the headwaters of the lake.
The wildlife management area around the lake is predominantly covered with hardwood forest, although it also includes some areas of brushland. Game species include deer, turkey, squirrel, and waterfowl. Stonecoal Lake is privately owned. The wildlife management area and the lake are managed for recreational purposes by the Division of Natural Resources.
Written by Kelly Winters