are grass or redfin pickerels found in west virginia

are grass or redfin pickerels found in west virginia

What part of West Virginia are you in? (Back to my mantra - update your profile with your location information!)

Looking at the range map in NatureServe:
http://www.natureser...dIndexes=101187
I would say that you're not likely to find either, with the possible exception of grass pickerel in a couple of drainages in the Ohio valley area in the far western part of the state.

what drainages would they be in

what drainages would they be in

Use the NatureServe Explorer:
http://www.natureser...let/NatureServe

Type in "Esox" or "Pickerel". Select "Esox Americanus". It will get you the link I provided above. Click on "Distribution". It will expand and show you a range map. There appears to be three or four HUC watersheds in the Ohio valley in West Virginia that are within the range, although it is not too clear at that small scale.

Open another tab in your browser, open the NatureServe Distribution of Native Fishes by Watershed:
http://www.natureser...Hucs/master.htm
On the clickable map, zoom in to West Virginia. You will find the following HUC watersheds contain Esox Americanus, "Redfin or Grass Pickerel", corresponding to the watersheds you saw in the less detailed map:

Big Sandy:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=5070204

Twelvepole:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=5090102

Upper Ohio - Shade:
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=5030202

Little Muskingum - Middle Island (Historical)
http://www.natureser...jsp?huc=5030201

They are known (or have been known) to exist somewhere in those watersheds. Finding them is up to you. I and/or others may even be willing to accompany you sometime. I think Parkersburg is in, or close to, Upper Ohio - Shade, isn't it? So these fish may be close to you. Look for suitable habitat in the watershed that you can access from public property (parks, state game lands, state/national forests, highway rights-of-way, etc.). Only search on private property if you have landowner permission. Good luck!