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Greenbrier River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

West Virginia’s longest free-flowing river: the Greenbrier runs smallmouth through 165 undammed miles.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
220 cfs
Air / High
82 / 92 F
Wind
WSW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 03183500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Greenbrier River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 220 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings cloud cover, wind WSW around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 92. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 86 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Greenbrier River at Alderson.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 03183500.

1,5804,1056,630220 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp82 F
High / Low92 / 70 F
WindWSW 11-21 mph
Pressure1014.0 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 9%
Sunrise / Sunset06:55 / 19:47
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 92/70 F, wind 14 mph, rain 9%

Fair or better. A 14 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Greenbrier River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Greenbrier River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Greenbrier River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 92 F, wind to 6 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 9 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 89 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

West Virginia requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

West Virginia license plus trout stamp for stocked trout. Smallmouth and muskie limits per current WVDNR regulations.

Access

Road crossings, the 78-mile Greenbrier River Trail, and public access points from Marlinton to Alderson.

About this water

A 165-mile river through southeastern West Virginia to the New River: the longest undammed river in the eastern US.

Fishing Greenbrier River: the full guide

A river without dams

The Greenbrier River flows 165 miles through southeastern West Virginia to the New River, the longest undammed river in the eastern United States. It runs clear over limestone and gravel through farm valleys and forested gorges, holding smallmouth bass, rock bass, muskellunge, channel catfish and, in the colder tributaries, trout.

Smallmouth water

The smallmouth fishery is the draw: ledges, riffles, gravel bars and deeper pools holding fish through the warm months. Tubes, small crankbaits, spinners and topwater all produce, fished by wading or floating. Fish run good size and pressure is light given the rural setting, with weekday floats often passing without seeing another angler.

Muskie and trout

Muskellunge hold the deeper, slower pools and are targeted by specialists with large baits, particularly in the cooler months: West Virginia manages the river for them. Trout are stocked in some reaches and hold in the colder tributaries, giving a cool-season option when smallmouth slow down.

Greenbrier Valley logistics

The Greenbrier River Trail, a 78-mile rail-trail, parallels much of the river and provides walking and biking access to water that roads do not reach: a genuinely useful angling asset. Marlinton, Ronceverte and Alderson are the towns along its course, with Watoga State Park nearby.

Common questions

Why is it significant?

It is the longest undammed river in the eastern United States, running 165 miles without a barrier.

How do I access remote water?

The Greenbrier River Trail: 78 miles of rail-trail paralleling the river, reaching water roads do not.

Are there muskie?

Yes: the deeper pools hold them and West Virginia manages the river for the species.

Is fishing good at Greenbrier River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Bluestone Lake15 miNew River Gorge26 miSummersville Lake37 miCranberry River39 miLake Moomaw41 miJackson River42 mi
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