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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
30 miles from New Cumberland Locks and Dam near Stratton past Toronto, Steubenville, Weirton and Wellsburg down to Pike Island Locks and Dam above Wheeling. Sauger, smallmouth, hybrid stripers and channel catfish. The river tops out around 40 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 4,249 acres wrapped in 62.1 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 41% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 27 mi, about 4.1 mi across. Jefferson County claims this one. If the bite dies, Jefferson Lake is 12 mi to the northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: sauger in 4 to 18 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 12 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4), a creek channel in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (20 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) (30 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 40 ft. Put Current seam (mile 2.5) first on the milk run — a current seam near 22 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (22 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (22 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (22 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 2.5) (22 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring largemouth bass on Ohio River - Pike Island Pool hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 32 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring channel catfish on Ohio River - Pike Island Pool hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) — creek channel, 30 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) (30 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) (30 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) |
Spring flathead catfish on Ohio River - Pike Island Pool hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 40 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 9.9) (20 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) (30 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: blue catfish sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-channel hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 32 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) (30 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) | |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (32 ft) |
Ohio River - Pike Island Pool also holds white bass & hybrids (10 to 30 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Ohio River - Pike Island Pool carries 16 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Main-channel hole (mile 0.6), about 32 ft down.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Ohio River - Pike Island Pool specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Ohio River - Pike Island Pool is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target sauger, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white bass & hybrids, crappie, freshwater drum, common carp on Ohio River - Pike Island Pool.
Outside-bend hole (mile 12.4) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For sauger, 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 Ohio River - Pike Island Pool is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Jefferson Lake 12 mi, OH · Castleman Run Lake 13 mi, WV · Tomlinson Run Lake 15 mi, WV · Bear Rock Lakes 19 mi, WV · Ohio River - New Cumberland Pool 19 mi · Middle Wheeling Creek Lake 20 mi, WV · Highlandtown Lake 22 mi, OH · Dunkard Fork Lake 27 mi, WV · Tappan Lake 28 mi, OH · Belmont Lake 28 mi, OH · Leesville Lake 29 mi, OH · Clendening Lake 30 mi, OH
See how Ohio River - Pike Island Pool stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ohio · best sauger lakes in Ohio · best crappie lakes in Ohio
Browse all Ohio fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.