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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
70-acre reservoir near Spencer. The lake tops out around 60 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Charles Fork Lake draws 55 acres inside 4.2 miles of shoreline. The 4.1 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 47% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 1.5 mi, about 0.4 mi across. The water lies in Roane County. For a second option, Elk Fork Lake lies 15 mi west.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (21 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 52 ft range, good in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (52 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (52 ft) |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 3 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (21 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (52 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, muskellunge run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 21 ft, rated prime for summer muskellunge. Time it for the evening and early morning. You won't need more than a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (21 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (52 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 52 ft.
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 Charles Fork Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Charles Fork Lake is about 60 ft (18 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, channel catfish, walleye, muskellunge on Charles Fork Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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 Charles Fork 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.
Elk Fork Lake 15 mi · Woodrum Lake 15 mi · Wallback Lake 18 mi · O'Brien Lake 20 mi · Rollins Lake 23 mi · North Bend Lake 35 mi · Ridenour Lake 35 mi · Sutton Lake 39 mi · Burnsville Lake 41 mi · Krodel Lake 42 mi · Veto Lake 44 mi, OH · Summersville Lake 44 mi
See how Charles Fork Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best walleye lakes in West Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in West Virginia · best muskellunge 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.