Neighboring West Virginia features several quality bass lakes that fit the bill for anglers looking to explore new water that isn't too far from home.

Here's a look at two of them.

Stonewall Jackson Lake

This Army Corps of Engineers lake is well-used by both anglers and the fun-in-the-sun circle. But its outstanding largemouth bass resource makes its inclusion here a necessity.

Reaching its 21st anniversary this year, Stonewall Jackson, near Weston, W.Va., no longer is a "young" lake, the too-short period of initial fertility when bass grow fast and big. But it still harbors loads of 5-pound green bass and the chance of boating one in double digits.

What differentiates Stonewall Jackson from other reservoirs is the abundance of flooded timber that was left remaining when it was filled.

And while the lake's productivity has dropped to a more typical level, standing and submerged wood remains and continues to be the primary element that brings anglers and largemouth bass together.

Besides the woody cover, Stonewall Jackson is rich in areas of rip rap. Sunken roads crisscross the lake bottom, and decent amounts of submerged vegetation add to the cover options.

The main arm of Stonewall Jackson stretches uplake to the town of Walkersville. The Skin Creek and Little Skin Creek arms provide two other options.

While no horsepower limitations are in place, many no-wake zones are. A marina is also located in the state park, and the lake's location just east of Interstate 79 makes it easy to access.

Though many anglers shy away from the use of crankbaits, short, squat wide-wobbling baits can be fished through wood with amazing efficiency.

The key is to pick baits with a wide wobble, an action that tends to plow a protective path in front of the hooks. Square-lipped crankbaits tend to feature this kind of action.

Tygart Lake

Summer bass fishing shouldn't be limited to largemouths, and West Virginia has an abundance of great smallmouth waters.

Tygart Lake, located near Grafton, is one of the top smallie lakes in the state. It harbors plenty of the rock and boulder cover brown bass prefer.

During late summer, the lake will be at full pool, which means the fish will have shoreline-related cover options, such as boat docks. Smaller arms, fed by secondary creeks, also will be an option, as will the rocky points that guard such inlets.

A state park is located along the shores of Tygart Lake and provides boat launch areas, as well as the availability of cabins.

Tygart's smallmouth bass can be approached several different ways, depending on the bite of the day, which typically is influenced by weather and fishing pressure.

The lake's clear waters are perfectly suited for the use of a suspending jerkbait.

In the warm water, the bait can be worked aggressively and will bring bass up from rocky hiding spots several feet below.

As summer winds down and days gradually become shorter, smallmouth bass tend to spend more time feeding near the surface. This is principally true early and late in the day, which are perfect times to work a popping-style topwater like an XCalibur Zell Pop.

Not much is as exciting as having a fat brown bass blow up on a surface lure. Just be sure to wait until the fish actually eats the bait. They often miss it. Wait until you see the bait disappear or feel the pull of the bass.

The deeper rocky areas of Tygart are well-suited for a finesse-style bait like a Roboworm fished on a drop-shot rig. This is a great tactic for daytime fishing when sun and boat pressure push bass into deeper haunts.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.