Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Hinkle Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Hinkle Lake: what the data says
7-acre lake near Bridgeport. The lake tops out around 12 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Channel Catfish fishing at Hinkle Lake
Spring channel catfish on Hinkle Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday |
Crappie fishing at Hinkle Lake
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 10 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Hinkle Lake
Spring largemouth bass on Hinkle Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 4 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 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. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Hinkle Lake
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 12 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 10 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Hinkle Lake?
Hinkle Lake is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Hinkle Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, rainbow trout on Hinkle Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot 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.
When is the best time to fish Hinkle Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Deegan Lake · Tygart Lake · Huey Run Lake · Dog Run Lake · Dents Run Lake · Stonecoal Lake
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 every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.