Fishes of the Headwaters of Shavers Fork Bridge

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VA. watershed, five families and 14 species Annotated List of the Fishes of occur in Shavers Fork south of Cheat Shavers Fork South of Cheat Bridge Fishes of the Headwaters of Shavers Fork Bridge. All are typical, small, brook and I. TROUT-SALMONIDAE mountain stream inhabitants yet some of gairdneri iridius By Frank J. Schwartz the trout are sizable. Rainbow trout—Salmo Associated with this fauna are many This fish is distinguished by the species of aquatic insects such as dragon- conspicuous rosy stripe or bank which We wondered as we rode the zigzagging valley broadens to about a half a mile and extends down each side. The trout Cass Railroad up along Leatherbark Run flies, damsel flies, stone flies, the crayfish the stream is 20 to 30 feet wide with many Cambarus bartoni, and an occasional sala- possess an extra fleshy lobe between what type of country, stream and fishes small pools having good trout cover. the dorsal (back) and caudal (tail) fins. we would find once we hiked across Back mander, the largest of which is the hell- A short distance downstream from bender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Fig. The body is marked by small black Allegheny Mountain at 3940 feet into the Spruce, the valley narrows between heavily spots. Sizable stock individuals are headwaters of Shavers Fork. We, too, 1). The hellbender is often encountered at forested and very steep hillsides and the Cheat Bridge where it preys on small found from Beaver Creek downstream. wondered about the fate of a raindrop river, now 50 feet wide, drops only 243 A reproducing population is found in were it to fall at the summit (altitude 4839 fish, crayfish, worms, insects and a great feet in the next 10 or 11 miles. Beautiful, variety of animal refuse. the headwaters above Spruce. feet) and what it would encounter in its roaring mountain tributaries further A newly developed golden strain of 20.5 mile northerly journey to Cheat downstream such as Second Fork and First the rainbow trout has been stocked in Bridge. Fork gush in plentiful, cold spring waters. Shavers Fork. One hundred three-year Shavers Fork, a tributary of Cheat River, Tributaries entering from the west such olds were stocked in April and 1300 arises near Thorny Flat in Pocahontas as Black Run (Randolph County) are too more in October of 1963. They were County, some three miles west of Cass, sterile, pure and free of nutrients even to 14 to 18 inches long and weighed one West Virginia. The Cheat flows towards support native brook trout. to two and a half pounds. A small Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to become part Over the final five miles north to Cheat number have been stocked each sub- of the Ohio-Mississippi River complex Bridge (elevation 3557 feet) the two to sequent year and routinely a small which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. four-foot deep river, now 75 feet wide, fraction of the regular rainbow stock- Cradled in a beautiful valley between drops only 53 feet. ed are I2-inch "Golden Rainbows." Al- Cheat Mountain on the west and Back Throughout its length, the stream bottom though they spawn when three years Allegheny Mountain on the east, Shavers is strewn with large boulders, stones and old when reared in hatcheries, little is Fork is almost inaccessible except for high- gravel except at the exposed Spruce area known of their survival and biology in way U.S. 250 which crosses it at Cheat which has sandy bottoms and calm pools. nature. Bridge. A second restricted access is via the Many cascades tumble and roar all along Brook trout—Salvelinus fontinalis Elk River branch of the Western Maryland the stream with the highest (40 ft.), about This is a brightly colored fish which Railroad which meanders from side to five miles above (south of) Bemis, being side along the stream's banks from Cheat is rosy-orange ventrally. Each ventral one of the most inspiring in West Virginia. (belly) fin is orange, edged in white Bridge to Spruce, eventually reaching Web- All along the riverway, spring fed tribu- ster Springs. and black. Reddish and/or blue spots taries provide cold water to maintain a occur on the body. The dorsal fins Third entry, the way we came, is via year-round trout habitat and the high eleva- the Cass Scenic Railroad which, on its way and back have worm-like markings. tions keep the water temperatures cool. In Native populations of brook trout up to Bald Knob, passes the ghost camp of June it is not unusual to have water Old Spruce. An old abandoned railroad to six inches abound in the extreme temperature as low as 48°F and it is not headwaters south of Spruce, in most grade, denuded of rails and ties, leads from uncommon to see snow on the banks in the old lumber campsite one and a half smaller tributaries and the headwaters mid-June. In winter the river freezes over of the larger tributaries. Individuals miles to the ghost town of Spruce where often as deep as two feet and snowfall is not a single building remains of the once downstream are common, however, heavy, averaging two to three feet with they must compete with many other flourishing community. drifts up to eight feet. Anchor ice is com- Fig. 1 Except for a few houses at Cheat Bridge, fish including stocked trout for the mon and spring torrents cause heavy ice limited food. Larger native brook trout the area between there and Spruce is un- jams near Cheat Bridge. inhabited including the abandoned coal sometimes occur. An exceptionally Goldsborough and Clark made several The trouts and suckers provide good large one, 17.2 inches long, was caught mining camp at Hopkins near Snyder Knob. forays to study the fish fauna of a limited fishing. Although the many smaller fishes The Pocahontas-Randolph County line in 1965 from these waters. Unless the portion of West Virginia in 1908. Mc- are often caught accidentally, their size area is drastically lumbered over to crosses the area between Second Fork and Gavitt and Davis surveyed the water First Fork just south of Hopkins. con- prevents their being of any food value. expose the watershed, these popula- ditions of the Monongahela National Their most important role is as food for the tions should continue to maintain All of the area drained by Shavers Fork Forest in 1935 and mentioned the capture larger fishes. themselves to supply sport for the in this vicinity is over 3500 feet in eleva- of several rainbow trout near Cheat Bridge In the "good old days," only a few avid fishermen from Cass, Stony Bot- tion and runs up to 4842 at Bald Knob, as well as the acid-like nature of Black people fished these waters. Even the few tom and nearby areas. second highest elevation in the state, only and Buck Rivers near Hopkins. The upper who fished the remote reaches in the 18 feet lower than Spruce Knob, the high- Shavers Fork fish fauna remained unknown 1940's were able to catch tnany native Brown trout—Salmo trutta est point. For the first two miles, the until 1940 when Dr. E. Rainey of Cornell brook trout. Some ranged over a pound. True to its name, the brown trout stream flows at an elevation at 4000 feet University sampled at Cheat Bridge. Our Today, portions are still only moderately has a generally brown color with black or more making it the loftiest stream in the 1956 visit constituted the first complete fished. While the native brook trout are spots. The spots are larger than the state and reportedly the highest river flow- survey of the aquatic fauna of this portion generally smaller, many larger hatchery black spots in the rainbow, but there ing east of the Mississippi. of West Virginia. We entered this virgin brown, rainbow and brook trout are stock- are never any spots on the tail of the Within its first four and a half miles. area via the Cass Railroad train, then ed by rail often as far as Beaver Creek, brown trout as are found on rainbow Shavers Fork picks up small tributaries walked, and sampled fish and its many nine miles south of Cheat Bridge. Some, trout. The brown trout has some red- such as Black Run (Pocahontas County) and tributaries, to Cheat Bridge. particularly brown trout, hold over from dish to yellowish spots on its sides and tumbles down 1009 feet to Spruce. Here at Our studies showed, of seven familiesand one year to the next and are of large size is a striking yellow underneath. the abandoned lumber train junction the 50 species of fishes known from the Cheat when caught. Brown trout evidently survive warm-

29 In: Cass Scenic Railroad. West Virginia University Li rary ze

er water conditions, compete better Longnose dace—Rhinichthys cataractae will spawri in riffles. It prefers to with warm water populations, and are This black or grey, long, sleek bar- feed and swim hovering near the base less likely to be caught out at small beled minnow with a long nose may of riffles. It is an excellent bait for size by heavy fishing than other trout. reach six to eight inches in length and trout or bass. Each year a few browns in the neigh- inhabits the swiftest portions of IV. PERCHES—PERCIDAE borhood of 20 inches are caught. En- streams. It prefers to hide under rocks Sharpnose darter—Percina oxyrhyncha ough brown trout become a part of and feeds on insects that inhabit the This long snouted, perch-like slender the resident population that some na- riffles. It abounds throughout the fish, four or five inches long, has two tural reproduction is expected. area. Breeding males develop tuber- dorsal fins and long pectoral fins. It cles and the fins are orange or reddish is the rarest of all the fishes of the II. SUCKERS—CATOSTOMIDAE colored. Spawning is in late June. White sucker—Catostomus c. corner- Cheat River watershed. It is known soni Small two or three inch specimens are only from the Cheat Bridge area. Al- often confused with the blacknose dace though a member of the fish fauna of This species is conspicuous by the which are used as trout or bass bait. the Greenbrier River drainage, it has protrusible (can be protruded), papil- Southern blacknose dace—Rhinichthys been captured by the upper Cheat lose (covered with wart-like protuber- atratulus obtusus River system via Second Fork. Little ances) mouth and the many small Olive-tan or gray colored dorsally, is known of this species that was once scales covering its body. this three to four inch barbeled fish thought to be endemic (native) to the Specimens 10 inches or longer can possesses a black lateral band along upper New-Kanawha River drainage. be caught from Spruce to Cheat each side. The belly is white or cream No where is it abundant. It prefers Bridge. Smaller fish are found colored. Black-gray dots often occur riffles. throughout the remaining tributaries. along the upper sides. Spawning is an Fantail darter—Etheostoma f. flabellare Suckers are usually caught in the intricate process with both sexes swim- This small, three-inch, perch-like spring by trout fishermen. Riffle ming upward in the water of a shal- (shallow rapids) spawning takes place fish is the most abundant darter in low pool and executing a loop to re- these waters. It is an inhabitant of in April or May when adult males be- turn to near the bottom only to begin riffles. Both sexes are barred, black, come crimson or maroon colored on the process over again after a mo- and tan colored. Males have small the sides and develop vivid bronze ment's rest (Schwartz, 1958). Breeding color and tubercles (warts) on their Fig. 2 knobs on the spines of their first dor- males develop an orange-maroon color- sal fin. Breeding occurs in late June caudal and anal fins. The papillose, ed lateral band and fins and have sucking mouth is constantly searching These nests are often three or four and early July when the males hollow many fine tubercles on their head and out a small depression in the sand the stream bed for insects and other feet in diameter and two feet high body. The schools of small, black edibles. although usually smaller. They are beneath a riffle rock. The eggs are banded, light colored fish seen in the attached to the underside of the rock constructed in water up to three feet shallows are usually this species. Northern hognose sucker—Hypentel- deep where the bottom is cleared. Each (Fig. 3) and the males guard them. ium nigricans stone is carried in individually, the en- Stoneroller—Campostoma a. This sucker is another bottom feeder tire process taking a week or more. anomalum with a long protrusible sucking mouth. The eggs, as the fish spawn, sink Individuals four to six inches long It is conspicuous by its large, con- or are carried into the nests by water are common throughout the area. cave, squarish head and the five black currents over the upstream or middle Males are conspicuous by a horizontal saddle-shaped blotches which extend portion of the nest. Predators such as black bar in the dorsal fin and the down over the sides. The body is hognose suckers, minnows and darters bronze copper body coloration. Breed- golden or bronze colored. Breeding vie for the eggs. ing males develop large horny tuber-. males have tubercles on their pelvic, This fish will often bite on a live or des on the body and fins. A cartila- 4-, caudal and anal fins and sometimes on artificial worm. ginous ridge exists as the lower jaw (e. the body. Spawning is like that of the of this species. Spawning in June may white sucker. Although eaten, its food Creek Chub—Semotilus atromaculatus take place over the river chub nests, quality is poor. Another barbeled form with a con- usually near the center or posterior spicuous dark spot located at the edges of the stone pile. They feed on Ill. MINNOWS—CYPRINIDAE anterior (front) base of the dorsal fin River chub—Hybopsis micropogou insects and are rarely caught by and a blackish lateral band. The anglers. They prefer riffles but will be Reaching six to eight inches, this species may attain a length of over seen in pools possessing a moderate minnow is greenish-tan and possesses eight inches. Spawning males develop flow. a small barbel (a fleshy, sensory whis- large tubercles on the snout, body and ker) at the corners of the jaws. The pectoral (front side) fins. Spawning in Rosyface shiner—Notropis rubellus upper jaw overhangs the lower. A June or possibly July is often over A sleek, sharp nosed, three-inch dusky lateral band is often evident. the river chub nest. This fish can be species which is common downstream Winter specimens may be bluish or readily caught on flies and a great from Spruce. It is bluish colored pinkish ventrally. variety of baits. It prefers insects, above, silvery below and possesses a Spawning males develop a bulbous worms and small fish as food. Winter rather large mouth. Breeding males snout in the spring and bear tubercles specimens develop a blue or pink tint develop a rosy red color on the head restricted to the snout in the inter- ventrally. and anterior quarter of the body and orbital (between the eyes) area. It This is a very abundant fish in all pectoral fins. Minute whitish tubercles inhabits moderate to high gradient sec- but the coldest, uppermost headwaters. occupy the same areas, although less tions of the stream from Spruce to It is a vigorous competitor with the dense on the body. Spawning schools Fig. 3 Cheat Bridge. Males. in May or June. brook trout for food and space. If the are immense and spawning may take build large, stonepile nests (Fig. 2) over water warms. it will replace the brook place a foot or so above a river chub which they and other species spawn. trout as the dominant fish. nest. If deprived of a river chub nest. 30 31 so

This fish is also characterized by large Let us hope that man will neither disturb pectoral fins by which they prop this uninhabited area nor denude it of its themselves in the riffles against the forest nor strip it of its minerals. strong currents. Realistically, we must do more than V. SCULPINS—COTTIDAE hope, for the following reasons: Mottled sculpin—Cottus bairdi The "Millers Thumb" or sculpin of- I. Access should remain limited as this ten reaches five inches. It has two is one of the few really remote areas left dorsal fins, a big head and large pec- in the state. toral fin and is adapted to life in these 2. To denude it would cause erosion re- swift waters and riffles. Males have sulting in turbidity, sedimentation and an orange tipped, spiny dorsal fin, greater water fluctuation. The higher flows and a long, soft-rayed dorsal fin like would widen the banks. Materials eroded that of the fantail darter. Eggs, which from the banks and washed in sediment will males' guard, are deposited in grape- work their way through the stream forming like clusters on the under surface of deflecting bars or plug the channel causing riffle boulders (Fig. 4). Sculpins are further channel erosion. Lower summer excellent food for larger trout and will flows would have even less depth in the often bite a worm-baited hook. wider channel and be of less use to larger fish. Shallower water in the middle of the wider bed would be less shaded and would be warmer. 3. Finally, to strip it of its minerals would without doubt bring an end to hatchery trout stocking in middle Shavers Fork. This is because the moderately rich headwaters are modified by the sterile side streams to the degree that water conditions and quality just barely qualify to be stocked with hatchery trout each spring at Cheat Bridge and for 30 miles below. Though the land is in private ownership, the interested public must insist that co- ordinated planning be done to preserve this interesting and fascinating area as near- ly as possible to its present state. Shavers Fork of Cheat River from its headwaters to Bowden was recently de- signated in the West Virginia Statewide Re- creation Plan for management as a WILD RIVER AREA.

Resume and Recommendations In the extreme headwaters and smallest tributaries of Shavers Fork, the predominant fauna consists of native brook trout. sculpins, blacknose dace and an occasional darter. As one moves downstream where the stream and tributaries widen, creek chubs, darters and other trout appear. The final components of all the remaining species appear as the streams become larger. Here, all of the species mentioned are encountered and are intricately woven into the fish fauna that occupies the present Shavers Fork.