O'Brien Lake

Jackson County, West Virginia

O'Brien Lake is a 197 acre lake at Staats Mill in southern Jackson County, about 10 miles south of Ripley. It is known for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish.

Air temp in Given, WV Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at O'Brien Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area197 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline12 mi

Boat motors10 hp

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.

Crappie●●●○○

Both black and white crappie are reported

Bluegill●●●○○

Weed beds and shallow flats in late spring.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

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

Boat launches

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

Staats Mill Road Bridge rampRamp
Single-lane concrete ramp with paved parking, mid-lake on the east side at the south end of the bridge.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WV DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Largemouth Bass Only one of the six may be over 16 inches	See West Virginia rules book ↗	6 black bass combined
Smallmouth Bass Only one of the six may be over 16 inches	See West Virginia rules book ↗	6 black bass combined
Spotted Bass Only one of the six may be over 16 inches	See West Virginia rules book ↗	6 black bass combined

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at West Virginia Division of Natural Resources ↗

Verified October 2026. 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.

Vance's General Store, Bait and TackleNearby
3104 Charleston Rd, Ripley, WV 25271304-377-2409 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near O'Brien Lake ↗

Local tips

The ramp is mid-lake on the east side, so you can work either arm from it.
Bass limit is six with only one over 16 inches.
A 10 hp limit applies, so a small outboard or electric motor is all you need.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

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.