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Best channel catfish lakes in West Virginia

57 West Virginia waters hold channel catfish, 51 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

1. Ohio River — Greenup Pool — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
2. Summersville Lake — 263 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
3. East Lynn Lake — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
4. Tygart Lake — 125 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
5. Burnsville Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
6. Greenbrier River — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge, Rock BassWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
7. Beech Fork Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Sutton Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
9. Cheat Lake — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. R.D. Bailey Lake — 143 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
11. Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Mount Storm Lake — 127 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. South Branch Potomac — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rock BassWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
14. Hawks Nest Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. North Bend Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
17. Upper Mud River Lake — 37 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. New River (Gorge) — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
19. Plum Orchard Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Elk Fork Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Ohio River — Pike Island Pool — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
22. O'Brien Lake — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Potomac River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
24. Charles Fork Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Lake Sherwood — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 32 more West Virginia waters holding channel catfish.

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When to fish channel catfish in West Virginia

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

Also in West Virginia: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best common carp lakes · best spotted bass lakes

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