Over the past several months, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources has utilized sonar technology, field biologists and GIS teams to complete depth mapping of about 30 lakes.

 

In July, a depth study took place at Hinkle and Deegan Lakes. 

 

“Statewide, we have been working on mapping our small and larger lakes, collecting data so we can produce contour maps to provide to the public, especially our anglers, for their fishing outings,” said Dustin Smith, assistant district fisheries biologist, DNR, Division 1.

 

“Since we now have this new agreement with the City of Bridgeport, where we are stocking fish, we wanted to get out to Hinkle and Deegan Lakes, so we can publish those maps.”

 

The finished product - now available - is a map that indicates detailed depth locations and different underwater features of the lakes. Fisherman can use that information to locate deep holes, as well as shallow locations where fish may be spawning.

 

“It’s useful information, giving them a better idea of where to target areas to fish,” Smith said.

 

Pictures were taken during the process, which took about two hours per lake. Utilizing sonar – a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect objects on or under the water’s surface – the team traveled the shoreline by boat, as well as various other transects across the lake – covering as much water as possible.

 

“While doing this, the sonar records depth and with each depth recording, also records the GPS location of that depth,” Smith said. “We send all that information to our GIS team and they use that data to make an entire contour depth map for the lake. It takes the depths collected and is able to statistically guess what the depth is everywhere else.”

 

Once completed, maps are available in a couple of different formats.

 

“People can go online and download a PDF version for print and we have an interactive fishing tool that you can utilize with a smartphone or iPad that tells you where you are on the lake and the depth of that spot," Smith said. 

 

He and Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth have talked about printing poster size versions of the map to be located at the Deegan Lake kiosk.

 

Hinkle and Deegan Lakes have been stocked with trout and catfish and there are various other species in the waters.

 

“If we know just a little about their behavior and use the depth map, you can find a good location to fish. It’s pretty cool with the technology we have these days. By collecting that data, it provides so much information to our anglers,” Smith said. “It’s pretty interesting. I’m a fisherman myself and find these maps really useful for our shoreline angling and extremely useful when fishing from a boat.”

 

Print a Deegan Lake fishing map HERE and a Hinkle Lake fishing map HERE.

 

See a list of all available depth maps for West Virginia lakes and download them in various sizes HERE. 

 

Access the interactive fishing tool HERE.