Paddle Groups of the Monongahela Watershed

The flatwater rivers of North-Central West Virginia provide excellent paddling opportunities. The major tributaries (West Fork, Tygart Valley, Buckhannon, and Cheat Rivers) and the Monongahela River are a hot-spot for water based recreation.

Community members in Fairmont and Morgantown started their own social paddle groups to take advantage of the abundant recreational opportunities. The Fairmont Flotilla and the Morgantown Area Paddlers have both attracted numerous members since their inception, helping people get on the water and sharing the beauty of nature while also getting healthy exercise.

Bruce Slabaugh says he and other friends founded the Fairmont Flotilla in 2019 as a way to get on the water. The social group even has its own logo, featuring a great blue heron and Fairmont’s Million Dollar Bridge that crosses the Mon River. Bruce says, “The group expanded through the years due, in no small part, to the Facebook page “Fairmont Floatilla” pioneered by Kymberly Byers. The page now has 440 members! The group has paddled many lakes, streams, and rivers in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The group loves the natural beauty of the rivers and wildlife such as bald eagles, osprey, beavers, and even gar. Overall, the group has been a great way to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.”

The group even helps pick up trash as they float, leaving the river better than they found it.

The Fairmont Flotilla meets every Tuesday at 6PM at Prickett’s Fork, as well as hosts Moonlight paddles on the Mon at Palatine Park. All are welcome to join the group!

These local paddle groups inspired members of the Guardians of the West Fork to start their own paddle group in Clarksburg. The group meets every week at the Veterans Park Boat Ramp in Clarksburg at 6PM. We float upstream and downstream on the calm waters of the West Fork making new friends and enjoying the beauty of the river. Come out and join us this summer!

Check out these groups on Facebook for more information on community paddle groups:

Monongahela River – Morgantown Area Paddlers

Monongahela River – Fairmont Flotilla

West Fork River – Guardians of the West Fork & West Fork Water Trail

Tygart River – Save the Tygart Watershed Association

Buckhannon River – Buckhannon River Watershed Association & Buckhannon River Paddlers

By Jessica Bryzek

Speckles in the Night

In the midst of summer when dusk arrives and the coolness brings relief to the hot day-time temperatures, glowing speckles of light emerge out of the darkness.

Known as fireflies, lightening bugs, or glowworms, these small critters are a favorite summer past time.

Did you know there are different types of fireflies, each with their own pattern and color of flashing? Just as there are different breeds of dogs, there are many types of fireflies.

Fireflies display their light pattern among the dark night.

Interestingly, not all fireflies light up at night. To be considered a firefly, a species must illuminate at some point in their life. Some species glow in their early life stage as larvae, while other glow as adults.

There are at least 25 species of fireflies found throughout West Virginia, but because new species are continuously being documented and others are threatened, we are unsure how many species are in West Virginia. Many firefly species are declining due to habitat loss, light pollution, pesticide use, and other environmental changes.

The most common firefly is the big dipper firefly (Photinus pyralis). This species is found in lawns and yards throughout the state. Other types of fireflies prefer forested areas or other habitats such as wetlands, meadows, or near streams.

Check out the resources below to learn more about fireflies of West Virginia and how to identify them based on their habitats, flashing pattern and color, and the time of year they are present.

Light Up West Virginia – WV Division of Natural Resources

West Virginia Firefly Website – descriptions and animations to identify fireflies

Please send any related questions to westvirginiafireflies@gmail.com.

By Jessica Bryzek

Upcoming Events

Join the Guardians of the West Fork for our upcoming events this week!

– Thursday Pop-Up Paddle – happening every Thursday at 6pm at the Clarksburg Veterans Park Boat Ramp!

– Worthington to Monongah – Saturday July 15 at 10 AM, we will meet at Worthington City Park for a casual 5 mile float.

Both events are beginner friendly! We welcome all friendly faces to join our group of river folks. Come on out, make new friends, and enjoy the beautiful waters of the West Fork River!

Fish Tales from the Fork

By Matt Boring

The West Fork River is some of the best small mouth bass fishing in the state.

When people ask why I fish the river so much, I simply reply you never know what you’re going to catch.

I have caught musky, small mouth, drum, catfish, rock bass, largemouth, and carp all in one day.

There isn’t one stretch of river I haven’t caught fish in from Good Hope to the Monongahela.

The sights, the sounds, and the pure adrenaline from catching a 20 pound musky in a kayak is unmatched.

If you looking for great fishing in your backyard look no further than The West Fork, grab a kayak and a pole and float a few miles of this beautiful river.

You will not be disappointed.

Interested in submitting a blog post? We are always looking for community members to share interesting stories related to local history, fishing, paddling, or wildlife along the West Fork. Feel free to contact us at admin@guardiansofthewestfork.org

United Way Day of Action Event Recap

By Jessica Bryzek

The Tygart Valley United Way hosted 35 volunteer projects as part of the annual United Way Day of Action. The Fairmont Floatilla, a recreational paddle group based in Fairmont, hosted a stream clean up on the Monongahela River near Palatine Park. 

Members from the Floatilla, along with members from the Morgantown Area Paddlers, the Guardians of the West Fork, WV Department of Environmental Protection staff, Manchin Law Group staff, and other community members joined in the fun. 

Volunteers pulled an assortment of items out of the river including tires, plastic chairs, and a hedge trimmer. 

When we love our local rivers for recreation and personal enjoyment, we are more likely to care about their quality and become involved in environmental stewardship = kayakactivism!

Thank you to the volunteers that dedicated their time and energy to improve the integrity of the Mon River.

Did you know Palatine Park is the official end point of the 75 mile West Fork Water Trail? Check out the Water Trail interactive map to plan your next paddling trip along the West Fork.