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Best smallmouth bass lakes in West Virginia

24 West Virginia waters hold smallmouth bass, 17 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

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. Tygart Lake — 125 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
4. Burnsville Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Monongahela River — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
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. Sutton Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
8. Cheat Lake — 81 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. R.D. Bailey Lake — 143 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
10. Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Mount Storm Lake — 127 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. South Branch Potomac — 8 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rock BassWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
13. Hawks Nest Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
14. Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. North Bend Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
16. New River (Gorge) — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
17. Ohio River — Pike Island Pool — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
18. Potomac River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
19. Jennings Randolph Lake — 200 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
20. Ohio River — New Cumberland Pool — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
21. Elkwater Fork Lake — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Warden Lake — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. New Creek Dam 14 — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Spruce Knob Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

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When to fish smallmouth bass in West Virginia

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in West Virginia: best largemouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish 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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