By Associated Press - Tuesday, May 20, 2014

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A Martinsburg man has snagged a West Virginia record rainbow trout.

The Division of Natural Resources says Eric Files Sr. caught the 33-inch, 19-pound-plus fish in a private pond in Berkeley County on April 30. He was using a nightcrawler while fishing for sunfish.

The catch exceeded the previous record length and weight of a rainbow. The weight record was just over 17 pounds, and the fish was caught in the same pond where Files got his. That record was set last year.

The previous length record had stood since 1993. It was 31-plus inches.

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Story Topics

Please read our comment policy before commenting.