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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
7-acre lake near Bridgeport. The lake tops out around 12 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, Hinkle Lake runs 6 acres with 0.6 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.8) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. End to end it runs roughly 0.3 mi. The water lies in Harrison County. For a second option, Deegan Lake lies 0 mi southeast.
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 12 ft covers summer, 4 to 12 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. 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 | open water | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 12 ft, wintering in 4 to 12 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 10 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 12 ft, and they winter in 2 to 12 ft. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The chart marks 2 structure features on Hinkle Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 10 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 Hinkle Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Hinkle Lake is about 12 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 channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, rainbow trout on Hinkle Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For channel catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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 Hinkle 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.
Deegan Lake 0 mi · Tygart Lake 14 mi · Dog Run Lake 16 mi · Huey Run Lake 19 mi · Curtisville Lake 20 mi · Dents Run Lake 20 mi · Stonecoal Lake 21 mi · Teter Creek Lake 23 mi · Pedlar Dixon Lake 28 mi · Fairfax Ponds Lake 29 mi · Pedlar Mason Lake 30 mi · Cheat Lake 35 mi
See how Hinkle Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best crappie lakes in West Virginia · best channel catfish lakes in West Virginia · best rainbow trout 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.