Fitzpatrick State Park Provides Fishing and Softball in Southern West Virginia

Fitzpatrick State Park is located in MacArthur, West Virginia and offers a variety of different outdoor activities. There are a couple of softball fields where you can play. Fitzpatrick Lake is located in the park and is a 2 ½ acre lake that has crappie, channel catfish, bass, and bluegills and stocked with trout. Trout stockings for the lake are done monthly from January to April. The lake was built in the 1960s and has an average depth of 4 foot. All fishing must be done on the bank of the lake because no boats are allowed on the lake. You can camp at Fitzpatrick Park but you must obtain a permit from the Park manager. Night fishing is good at Fitzpatrick Park and you should be able to catch some channel catfish. Fitzpatrick Park is a great day trip where you can take the family and not worry about being crowded or dangerous.

Fitzpatrick Park is on the right when you come off the main road. You'll see a waste water treatment facility before you turn left or right. If you take a left you'll come to a wide area beside the railroad track bed where you can park. If you walk about 2 miles out the railroad tracks you'll see an old pond on the left and on the right. The area on the right has some good fishing for bullhead catfish and carp. On an occasion you can pull out some bass. Live baits work well in this area. Also, in this area is what is known as the Bluehole where there's a waterfall running from the creek above. This area is known where people jump off the cliffs into the water. There's some good fishing in the Bluehole at night. The water is deep and has some large fish in the area. All the areas mentioned in this paragraph allow you to camp out.

Fitzpatrick State Park is managed by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and you should obey all laws while on the park grounds. The Bluehole is not managed by any authorities, but the DNR may visit the area to make sure everything is okay.

Fitzpatrick State Park is very close to I-64 and secluded from residential dwellings where you can enjoy the outdoors in West Virginia. The area around the waste water treatment plant is stinky at times, but most of the time the air is blowing and you will not notice it.