Best walleye lakes in West Virginia
17 West Virginia waters list walleye (official records or labelled estimates), 15 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.
- Summersville Lake — 263 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
- Tygart Lake — 125 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Burnsville Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Sutton Lake — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Cheat Lake — 81 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- R.D. Bailey Lake — 143 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Stonecoal Lake — 84 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Mount Storm Lake — 127 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Hawks Nest Lake — 62 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Stephens — 68 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- New River (Gorge) — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
- Potomac River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
- Charles Fork Lake — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Moncove Lake — 22 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Wallback Lake — 46 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Dog Run Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
…plus 1 more West Virginia waters holding walleye.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See West Virginia waters with public access data
When to fish walleye in West Virginia
- Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
- Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
- Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.
Also in West Virginia: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass 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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