Best fishing lakes in West Virginia: 9 lakes and what bites

The lakes at a glance

1. Summersville Lake

At some 2,700 acres, Summersville Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. Expect smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye and catfish. It goes down to about 327 ft. Its bed shows two point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Summersville Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Stonewall Jackson Lake

Stonewall Jackson Lake covers some 2,630 acres. You will find it about 2.4 miles north of Weston. Stonewall Jackson Dam holds it on the West Fork River. The fish here are largemouth bass, crappie, walleye and bluegill. The lake bed gives you two sheltered coves and a point drop-off to work. Stonewall Jackson Lake is West Virginia's largest lake.

Stonewall Jackson Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Forest City Lake

Forest City Lake covers about 5,920 acres. It lies right by Sistersville. The usual West Virginia mix applies: largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start.

Forest City Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Cheat Lake

Cheat Lake covers 1,730 acres. The lake is next to Cheat Lake. Lake Lynn Dam holds it on the Cheat River. Like most lakes its size in West Virginia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Cheat Lake, near Morgantown, was originally named Lake Lynn before being officially renamed in 1976.

Cheat Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Mount Storm Lake

Mount Storm Lake is a reservoir of 1,200 acres. You will find it near Petersburg. The usual West Virginia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. It goes down to about 120 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Mount Storm Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Tygart Lake

Tygart Lake spreads over 1,750 acres of water. The lake is near Grafton. It is the Tygart Valley River behind Tygart Dam. Like most lakes its size in West Virginia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Tygart Lake was created by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam built in the 1930s that is noted for its Art Deco architecture.

Tygart Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Jennings Randolph Lake

Jennings Randolph Lake spreads over 950 acres of water. You will find it about 5.5 miles northeast of Westernport. Like most lakes its size in West Virginia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. It goes down to about 296 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Jennings Randolph Lake straddles the Maryland-West Virginia border and was originally named Bloomington Dam.

Jennings Randolph Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Sutton Lake

Sutton Lake is a reservoir of 1,520 acres of water. It lies about 1 miles west of Sutton. It is the Elk River behind Sutton Dam. The usual West Virginia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. It goes down to about 125 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has two sheltered coves and a point drop-off: good places to start. Sutton Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir on the Elk River in Braxton County.

Sutton Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. East Lynn Lake

East Lynn Lake spreads over 1,000 acres. It lies about 6.1 miles northwest of Wayne. Like most lakes its size in West Virginia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The lake bed gives you two sheltered coves and an upper arm to work. East Lynn Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir in Wayne County, West Virginia.

East Lynn Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

West Virginia lakes by fish

A lake appears under a fish when it holds it, by the record or by the type of lake.

• Bass: Summersville Lake, Stonewall Jackson Lake, Forest City Lake and Cheat Lake
• Walleye: Summersville Lake, Stonewall Jackson Lake and Forest City Lake
• Crappie: Stonewall Jackson Lake, Forest City Lake, Cheat Lake and Mount Storm Lake
• Pike and muskie: Stonewall Jackson Lake
• Catfish: Summersville Lake, Stonewall Jackson Lake, Forest City Lake and Cheat Lake

Season by season

• Spring: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
• Summer: walleye are usually fair. Warm surface. They go deep in the day; try evenings.
• Fall: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
• Winter: walleye are usually at their best. Good cool-water bite, best at dusk and after dark.

Before you go

Buy a West Virginia fishing licence before the trip and read the state's rules for each lake: seasons, size and bag limits change from water to water. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.