The West Virginia Legislature adopted the brook trout as the official state fish on March 23, 1973. Jack E. Foltz holds the record for the longest brook trout ever caught in the state: 23.5 inches (1981). Harmon Cozort caught the largest brook trout: 7.19 pounds (1997).

For food and clothing the first settlers went fishing and hunting as necessities of life. Today those traditions continue as West Virginians remain strongly tied to the land. This wood fishing pole dates from the mid 1900s. Mu 76-743