Brook trout exhibit; photo by The Wild Center on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution).
Official State Fish of West Virginia
West Virginia designated brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) as the official state fish in 1973. Many states recognize a species of trout as a state symbol. All State Fish
West Virginia’s sportsmen selected the official state fish in a poll conducted by the Department of Natural Resources. The brook trout was selected almost unanimously over smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, musky, and bluegill.
The brook trout is easy to recognize with its vibrant, distinctive colors and feisty nature, "perhaps mirroring the freedom-loving Mountaineer spirit" (WVlegislature.gov). A native West Virginia species, brook trout live under water conditions that are cool, clean and pure.
