Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area
Encyclopedia
Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area is a 242 acres (97.9 ha) protected area
located in Ohio County, West Virginia
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) east of Wheeling
. The terrain at Bear Rock Lakes is rolling hills covered by a combination of hardwood
forest and open fields.
From Valley Grove on U.S. Route 40, turn south on Valley Grove Road. Follow Valley Grove Road about a mile. Immediately after passing underneath I-70, turn left on Bear Rock Lane. Follow Bear Rock Lane to the wildlife area.
opportunities include rabbit
, waterfowl
, deer, squirrel
, and turkey
. The WMA contains four fishing lakes, 8 acres (3.2 ha) Bear Lake, 4 acres (1.6 ha) Rock Lake, 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) Baker Lake, and 0.5 acre (0.202343 ha) Wood Pond. Fishing
opportunities in the Bear Rock Lakes include stocked trout
, largemouth bass
, bluegill
and channel catfish
. Bear Lake has a handicapped accessible fishing trail. Boating
, with electric motors only, is permitted on Bear Lake. Wood Pond is designated for Class Q licences only. Fishing with minnows is prohibited.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
located in Ohio County, West Virginia
Ohio County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,427 people, 19,733 households, and 12,155 families residing in the county. The population density was 447 people per square mile . There were 22,166 housing units at an average density of 209 per square mile...
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) east of Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The terrain at Bear Rock Lakes is rolling hills covered by a combination of hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
forest and open fields.
From Valley Grove on U.S. Route 40, turn south on Valley Grove Road. Follow Valley Grove Road about a mile. Immediately after passing underneath I-70, turn left on Bear Rock Lane. Follow Bear Rock Lane to the wildlife area.
Hunting and Fishing
HuntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
opportunities include rabbit
Cottontail rabbit
The cottontail rabbits are among the 16 lagomorph species in the genus Sylvilagus, found in the Americas.In appearance, most cottontail rabbits closely resemble the wild European Rabbit...
, waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, deer, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
, and turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
. The WMA contains four fishing lakes, 8 acres (3.2 ha) Bear Lake, 4 acres (1.6 ha) Rock Lake, 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) Baker Lake, and 0.5 acre (0.202343 ha) Wood Pond. Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
opportunities in the Bear Rock Lakes include stocked trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
, largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
and channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
. Bear Lake has a handicapped accessible fishing trail. Boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, with electric motors only, is permitted on Bear Lake. Wood Pond is designated for Class Q licences only. Fishing with minnows is prohibited.
See also
- Animal conservation
- List of West Virginia wildlife management areas
- Recreational fishingRecreational fishingRecreational fishing, also called sport fishing, is fishing for pleasure or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is fishing for profit, or subsistence fishing, which is fishing for survival....
External links
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources web site
- West Virginia Hunting Regulations
- West Virginia Fishing Regulations
- WVDNR Map of Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area