FRANKLIN — Two Pocohontas residents are among the winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ 2025 West Virginia Gold Rush giveaway.

2025 marks the Gold Rush’s eighth year, which continued a popular spring tradition that celebrates the state’s golden rainbow trout and encourages families and anglers of all ages to enjoy West Virginia’s fishing opportunities.

“We want to congratulate our winners and thank every angler who participated in this year’s Gold Rush,” WVDNR Director Brett McMillion said in a release. “Stocking events like Gold Rush not only bring people together in the outdoors, they also help us protect and promote West Virginia’s world-class trout fisheries for future generations.”

Out of the 50,000 golden rainbow trout stocked during Gold Rush, 100 received a numbered yellow tag, WVDNR said in its release. Eligible anglers who caught a golden trout with one of these tags and reported the tag number to the WVDNR were entered into a random drawing for a West Virginia resident lifetime fishing license, one-night stay in a state park lodge or a $25 state park gift card.

In Pocahontas County, Stephen Miller of Franklin was one of the winners of a state park lodge stay and Aaron Hamilton of Dunmore was one of the winners of a state park $25 gift card.

Other winners of a state park lodge stay include:

* Jeff Chisler of Fair

* Cassandra Cutlip of Princeton

* Derrick Fox of Berkeley Springs

* Kevin Snyder of Moundsville

Other winners of a $25 state park gift card include:

* John Bruckey of New Creek

* Michael Sayre of Hometown

* Barbara Vanatta of Rushville, Ohio

* Teddy Workman of Holden

Mark Reed of Hinton won the resident lifetime fishing license.

For more information about trout stocking locations, the WVDNR says anglers should check pages 6-7 in the 2025 Fishing Regulations Summary, available to download at WVdnr.gov/fishing-regulations.

All anglers 15 years and older are required to have a West Virginia fishing license and a valid form of identification while fishing in the state of West Virginia. Trout stamps are required for those fishing for trout.

The WVDNR also encourages anglers to upgrade their fishing experience by opting for a collectible license card. Licenses and stamps may be purchased online at WVfish.com.