Hawks Nest Lake

Fayette County, West Virginia

Hawks Nest Lake is a New River reservoir in Fayette County, next to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. It is known for smallmouth bass, catfish and hybrid striped bass in a deep gorge setting.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Surface area234 acres

Max depth60 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsUnlimited horsepower

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Smallmouth Bass●●●●○

Rock, gravel and points. Tubes, jerkbaits and drop-shots.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Wiper●●●○○

Hybrid striped bass are present

Channel Catfish●●●○○

Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.

Flathead Catfish●●●○○

Live bait around wood and rock at night.

Muskellunge●●○○○

Listed by the state park as present

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Hawks Nest State Park MarinaRamp
One boat ramp at the marina below the aerial tramway. Boat rentals available. Reached by the tramway from the lodge.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WV DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Hawks Nest Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Sam's Bar & Bait & TackleNearby
1309 Main St E, Oak Hill, WV 25901(304) 469-3131 Directions ↗
Fish and Hunt WVNearby
233 N Court St, Fayetteville, WV 25840(304) 640-0480 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Hawks Nest Lake ↗

Local tips

The ramp is at the bottom of the gorge, so check the tramway schedule before you go.
Fish riprap and rocky points for smallmouth bass.
Swimming is not allowed in the lake, so boat traffic is mostly anglers and tour boats.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

More West Virginia lakes

Bluestone Lake Little Blue Run Lake Tygart Lake Cheat Lake Sutton Lake Mount Storm Lake East Lynn Lake Burnsville Lake All West Virginia lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.