As we pulled up to the lake, Jay asked, "That's it?" I confirmed his question with a quick "yep" as we readied our tackle for a day of bass fishing on Elk Fork Lake. "Doesn't look like much," Jay muttered in a skeptical tone. Nonchalantly, I said, "We'll see."

I knew that Elk Fork was loaded with bass, and that the lake appeared to be right in the middle of its post-impoundment "heyday," but I wasn't about to spoil the fun with my partner.

After catching and releasing 20 or so bass, I asked Jay, "How would you rate the fishing on this little lake now?" Knowing he had been bested, Jay sarcastically grumbled, "Fair to average."

ELK FORK LAKE STATISTICS
Nearly 300 acres of prime bass water emerged when Elk Fork Creek, a small but very productive tributary of Mill Creek, was impounded in 1997. Elk Fork Lake is virtually brand new. Anglers continue to benefit from the initial burst of fish production that naturally follows the creation of a new impoundment.

At 278 acres, this Jackson County impoundment may be smaller than most lakes that serious bass anglers fish, but don't make the mistake of overlooking this water. The lake's small size is a bit deceiving because just about every bit of Elk Fork Lake is capable of holding bass.

As for its physical makeup, the average depth of Elk Fork runs about 8 feet, and the lake's colored water makes an ideal place for largemouth bass to thrive. The depth, cover and water clarity combine to create plenty of high-quality fishing locations that hold fish throughout the lake.

THE FISHERY
Elk Fork primarily contains largemouth bass, and they are stacked in the lake from one end to the other. Biologist Scott Morrison said, "Elk Fork Lake has more bass per acre than any other West Virginia small impoundment."

Anglers will find a few spotted bass in the lake, but it's the largemouths in Elk Fork that really drive this fishery. "Research conducted by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) has shown that Elk Fork contains the most bass of any small impoundment, but not as many trophy bass as some of the state's other small impoundments," Morrison said.

Certainly, it would be tough for it to compete with O'Brien or Woodrum (before that lake's dewatering), or even Upper Mud Lake for trophy potential; but as bass in the lake age, Elk Fork may one day rank among the Mountain State's elite trophy bass waters.

Morrison does report sampling bass from Elk Fork up to 21 inches long, probably in the 5- to 6-pound range; and he has viewed pictures of 8- pound bass that anglers claim to have caught from the lake. Whether you're looking for numbers or size, there remains little doubt that Elk Fork has become one of West Virginia's premier bass-fishing destinations.

Elk Fork's bass have been protected by a catch-and-release regulation since the lake was impounded in the late 1990s. The regulation has served to produce more big bass by restricting harvest as these fish work their way toward trophy status. Since Elk Fork is still reaping the benefits of the nutrient surge that accompanies newly impounded waters, it's not surprising that the lake offers bass anglers both numbers and size.