Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
209-acre lake near Ripley. Clear, timber-filled Jackson County impoundment whose abundant submerged cover makes it excellent largemouth habitat. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Elk Fork Lake draws 187 acres inside 4.7 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 61% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.5 mi with a 0.7-mi widest point. The water lies in Jackson County. For a second option, O'Brien Lake lies 8 mi southwest.
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 8 to 26 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 4 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 (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 26 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny 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 8 to 26 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 23 ft range, prime 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 (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Elk Fork Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 23 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 Elk Fork Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Elk Fork Lake is about 26 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Elk Fork Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Elk 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.
O'Brien Lake 8 mi · Rollins Lake 8 mi · Woodrum Lake 12 mi · Charles Fork Lake 15 mi · Krodel Lake 27 mi · Ridenour Lake 29 mi · Wallback Lake 31 mi · Veto Lake 38 mi, OH · Tycoon Lake 40 mi, OH · North Bend Lake 41 mi · Timbre Ridge Lake 43 mi, OH · Dow Lake (Strouds Run) 44 mi, OH
See how Elk Fork 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 credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.