Deepest lakes in West Virginia: 4 lakes ranked by depth

Deepest first

1. Summersville Lake

At 2,700 acres of water, Summersville Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. It holds smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye and catfish. The deepest water is around 327 ft.

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

2. Jennings Randolph Lake

At 950 acres, Jennings Randolph Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. The lake is near Westernport. The usual West Virginia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. At about 296 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. 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

3. Sutton Lake

Sutton Lake spreads over some 1,520 acres. You will find it near Sutton. Sutton Dam holds it on the Elk River. 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

4. Mount Storm Lake

Mount Storm Lake is a reservoir of 1,200 acres. You will find it about 53 miles southeast of Harrisonburg. The usual West Virginia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. It goes down to about 120 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Mount Storm Lake is a cooling pond for the Mount Storm power station, which keeps its water unusually warm year-round.

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

Fishing deep water

In summer a deep lake splits into a warm top layer and a cold bottom; fish hold near the line between them, often 20 to 40 ft down. A depth finder, a slow troll or a jig dropped straight down finds them.