Tug Fork Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located about 10 miles northwest of Welch, West Virginia in McDowell County. A recent cleanup effort on a half-mile stretch of the river at Williamson turned up more than 2,000 discarded automobile tires. This has made the Tug River a destination for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. “The river is great for kayak fishing,” he said. But any argument over whether it's a fork or a river itself is usually overshadowed by the term "tug" itself. A river tied to history from flooding as early as 1901, to a pig swimming the river, playing a part in starting the Hatfield & McCoy feud. They are after the two most popular game fish that inhabit the Tug River, Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. Pete started fishing on the Tug Fork in the 1990s when he bought a boat so he could take his sons fishing. One year after that, Runyon founded the Friends of Tug Fork page on Facebook, with the idea of creating a community of anglers and other people interested in improving the river’s recreational potential. 674 views 9 years ago 2:10 Aaron and Justin's Day of Play - Duration: 2 … Click here to stay informed and subscribe to The Charleston Gazette-Mail. Tug Fork River - Maher Stream Tug Fork River Site Maher Directions Off U.S. Rt. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Cold, slightly alkaline drainage from abandoned coal mines has dramatically changed the Tug’s water quality. MATEWAN — For years, West Virginia’s Tug Fork River has been home to one of the state’s better smallmouth bass fisheries. In Williamson, we got 150. This Facebook Page is dedicated to the recreation that is available on the Tug Fork River between West Virginia and Kentucky. Some 159 miles long, some call it the Tug River or the Tug Fork River. “The people who live here will access the river the way they always have,” Hafley added. Thank you for Reading! Any waters along the Tug Fork River is eligible to be fished by bank or wade fishing or by any eligible watercraft. Occasional light rain tapering to a few showers late. If you have a subscription, please Fishing in the Pinedale, Wyoming area? Chance of rain 70%. “I fish in them, above them, and below them. A similar trail has been established along the Coal River in Raleigh, Boone, Lincoln and Kanawha counties, and it has triggered a significant increase in the number of anglers and recreational boaters. With over 100 miles of the Tug River bordering Kentucky, the upper 65 miles according to Ky Dept Fish and Wildlife has the best Smallmouth Bass fishing. Some were owned by private citizens, others by the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The Tug Fork is a tributary of the Big Sandy River, 159 miles (256 km) long, in southwestern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and eastern Kentucky in the United States. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Tug Fork is a stream located just 3.5 miles from Ripley, in Jackson County, in the state of West Virginia, United States, near Salt Hill, WV. Tug Fork River watershed selected for TMDL development, effort includes re-evaluation of previous EPA TMDLs for Fe, pH, Mn. The map on Join us as we discuss the West Virginia Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. In Matewan, we got 110. A recent tire cleanup on a half-mile stretch of the Tug near Williamson turned up 2,321 discarded automobile tires, some of which had been mired in the riverbed for decades. “Twenty-inch smallmouth are pretty common,” he said. From their confluence downstream, smallmouth bass dominate. 52, 1 mile east of Naugatuck Access Type Boat Slide Access For Small Boats Other Site … “When they first started their studies, 30 years ago, they might collect 10 to 15 fish at a site,” Runyon said. “Not a lot of people realize how beautiful this river is, and what a great fishery it has become.”. “Prior to that time, I had never realized just how good the fishing (at the river) was,” says Pete. West Williamson Fishing Pier - Tug Fork River - Find info about paddling launch sites including directions, ammenities, & fees to plan your next paddling… Parking Info & Fees No information on Parking & Fees has been added yet for Pete Runyon heads up the group ‘Friends of the Tug River’ and he says the proposed new water trail will bring many more anglers to the area. During early spring and summer the Tug River comes alive with fisherman on its banks or slowly floating in their kayaks, canoes and river pontoons, casting as they drift. He said it was as pretty a place as he’d ever been.”. That situation changed in 2015, when a reciprocal agreement finally went into place. The tug Fork of Big sandy River, which forms part of the boundary between Kentucky and West virginia, flows through this maze of steep ridges. Tug Fork WMA is located on 2,165 acres (876 ha) of steep terrain along hills above the Tug Fork River. Runyon started fishing on the Tug Fork in the 1990s when he bought a boat so he could take his sons fishing. “We’re trying to create an official West Virginia Water Trail,” said Pete Runyon, leader of the Friends of Tug Fork. Find the most up-to-date Green River and New Fork River fishing report here. Engineers from the Thrasher Group had identified 124 locations along the stream where access might be possible. “Most of the smallmouth are 16 inches or less, but there are enough nice fish to keep things really interesting.”. options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. 232 W Pine Street PO Box 1218 Pinedale, WY 82941 There was a problem saving your notification. The Tug Fork River with borders that connect parts of West Virgina, Virgina and Kentucky finds it's beginnings McDowell County in southeastern West Virgina. Fly Fishing on Colorado’s Roaring Fork River This is a promotional video from Colorado Tourism, but it’s beautifully shot and focuses on the great fishing in the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan River. Winds light and variable. The mouth of the Dry Fork into the Tug Fork is located at Iaeger. “We were praying to get 35 people to show up. The Tug Fork’s water quality has improved over the past few decades, and lately volunteers have taken it upon themselves to remove man-made debris. Fishing Regulations January to December 2005 Tug Fork River bordering Kentucky Special Regulations Species Daily Creel Limit Minimum Size Possession Limit Frogs Regulation: Season: Noon, May … The river’s two main headwater tributaries, Elkhorn Creek and the North Fork of the Tug, harbor wild trout. That might soon change. Once he saw how much the river had to offer, it became his favorite spot. Most fish are 12- to 15-inches long. The river is located in McDowell County, West Virginia, and Tazewell County, Virginia, in the United States. It is also known as the Tug Fork River. Problem was, not … For our guests, please look around the site to learn more about the chapter and what some of our activities are, and enjoy the Picture Gallery and the The Tug Fork River Band-Gravedigger Live at The Emerson - Duration: 4 minutes, 27 seconds. “He came back this summer, and I took him up the river to fish. “We look at tourism as a low-hanging fruit for economic development,” Bailey added. Paddling the eastern borderlands in search of big fish and rich history – Written by Lee McClellan. This Facebook Page is dedicated to the recreation that is available on the Tug Fork River between West Virginia and Kentucky. Labor uprisings and notorious family feuds define the area’s rich history. The WMA is heavily forested, primarily with mixed hardwoods and yellow poplar/black cherry forests in the coves. “The Hatfield-McCoy [ATV] Trail is great, but we need other things. Via the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. Winds light and variable. “Within a year, we were getting together to have a meeting,” he recalled. Click #isupportlocal for more information on supporting our local journalists. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Some had riverbanks too steep for boats to launch. Crappie are abundant with good size structure Pete Runyon, who heads up the Friends of Tug Fork, believes a proposed water trail will allow other anglers to catch smallmouth bass like the one he landed near the water treatment plant in Williamson. He was amazed. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Also known as the Tug Fork and Tug River, the Tug Fork River is a winding 159-mile tributary of the Big Sandy River that drains parts of the Cumberland Mountains and a small part of the Allegheny Mountains region in southern and southwestern West Virginia.