Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
55-acre lake near Cowen. The lake tops out around 14 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Big Ditch Lake runs 65 acres with 1.8 miles of edge. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Call it 0.7 mi long by 0.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Webster County. For a second option, Sutton Lake lies 18 mi north.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: muskellunge sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for muskellunge in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 14 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 14 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 14 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 14 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for West Virginia waters are set by the West Virginia DNR — and special regulations can apply to Big Ditch Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Big Ditch Lake is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, muskellunge, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp on Big Ditch Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Big Ditch Lake is regulated by the West Virginia DNR. Check the official West Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Sutton Lake 18 mi · Summersville Lake 19 mi · Burnsville Lake 27 mi · Elkwater Fork Lake 30 mi · Wallback Lake 32 mi · Greenbrier River 32 mi · Hawks Nest Lake 36 mi · Stonecoal Lake 41 mi · New River (Gorge) 41 mi · Lake Sherwood 41 mi · Lake Moomaw 45 mi, VA · Plum Orchard Lake 47 mi
See how Big Ditch Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best crappie lakes in West Virginia · best bluegill lakes in West Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in West Virginia
Browse all West Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.