Sutton Lake is a reservoir in West Virginia, near Braxton County.
Sutton Lake is a 1,440-acre Corps reservoir that winds about 14 miles along the Elk River. The Corps lists a maximum depth around 125 feet at the dam and roughly 40 miles of shoreline. Bass, crappie, walleye, catfish and sunfish are the main lake targets.
The reservoir was built primarily for flood control on the Elk, Kanawha and Ohio rivers. Long narrow arms and numerous coves give anglers far more shoreline complexity than its acreage suggests. WVDNR tournament data also consistently place Sutton among the state's heavily fished bass waters.
Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs and soft plastics work around points, coves and channel swings. Crappie respond to minnows and jigs around brush and deeper cover.
Walleye use deeper channel structure and respond to jigs and live bait. Below the dam, the Elk River tailwater provides a separate trout opportunity.
Pick one cove system and fish from shallow cover toward the Elk River channel. The lake is narrow enough that a productive depth can usually be repeated without a long run.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.