O’Brien Lake is a quiet warm-water bass lake in southern Jackson County, West Virginia – a wooded impoundment of the Tug Fork of Mill Creek, set in the 217-acre O’Brien Lake Wildlife Management Area near Staats Mills. Known for largemouth bass, crappie and catfish, with a boat ramp and an easy, uncrowded feel, it’s a pleasant local fishing spot south of Ripley. This guide is part of our growing West Virginia Lakes Database.
O’Brien Lake at a glance
- Surface area: a small impoundment within the 217-acre O’Brien Lake WMA
- Depth: a wooded-valley reservoir on the Tug Fork of Mill Creek
- Location: southern Jackson County, West Virginia, at Staats Mills (about 10 miles south of Ripley)
- Access: boat-launch ramp
- Top fish: largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish
Fishing O’Brien Lake
O’Brien is a warm-water lake – not a trout water – with a solid mix of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. A West Virginia fishing license is required. The daily black-bass limit on O’Brien (as on nearby Elk Fork, North Bend and Woodrum lakes) is six, with only one over 16 inches – so it’s managed for quality; check current rules. Anglers work the flooded timber and weed edges for bass and crappie and the flats for bluegill and catfish. A boat ramp provides access.
The WMA, camping and things to do
The O’Brien Lake WMA covers 217 acres of wooded valley along the Tug Fork of Mill Creek, with hunting, wildlife watching and quiet shoreline fishing. It’s an easygoing local spot for a day on the water close to Ripley and the I-77 corridor. There’s no developed swim beach.
Water level and getting there
As a WMA impoundment, O’Brien Lake holds a fairly stable pool. It’s at Staats Mills in southern Jackson County, about 10 miles south of Ripley, western West Virginia. Charleston and the Ohio River towns are within easy reach.
Know before you go
- Fishing license: a West Virginia license is required.
- Quality bass rule: six black bass daily, only one over 16 inches.
- Warm-water lake: bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish (no trout).
Frequently asked questions
What fish are in O’Brien Lake?
Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish – it’s a warm-water lake, not stocked with trout.
Where is O’Brien Lake?
At Staats Mills in southern Jackson County, West Virginia, about 10 miles south of Ripley.
Is there a boat ramp at O’Brien Lake?
Yes – the lake has a boat-launch ramp within the O’Brien Lake Wildlife Management Area.
Related: explore the small lakes of West Virginia, or head back to the West Virginia Lakes Database.
Explore more West Virginia lakes: the largest lakes in West Virginia and the deepest lakes in West Virginia.