Unless you are an avid or professional fisherman or you have never heard of NASCAR, that should be the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions North Carolina. NASCAR racing! But today, we are not going to discuss racing, we are going to discuss the elusive, feisty and challenging catch known as the striped bass. Taking a short tour of North Carolina will give us a few of the best hot spots to catch striper.
In North Carolina there are 17 major river basins. 5 of them flow to the Gulf of Mexico and all the others go to the Atlantic Ocean. We all know, where there is water, there are fish! Both saltwater and freshwater fishing is available in North Carolina. So, let’s go and take our tour; locate the hot spots, best lures, rules and regulations, and recommended fishing techniques.
According to NC Wildlife website “the daily creel limit within the Roanoke River Management Area is two striped bass per angler. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches can be possessed at any time. Only one striped bass larger than 27 inches can be included in the daily creel limit”. Please go to their website for more information on the rules for catching striped bass.
There are a whopping 20 lakes in North Carolina that offer great striped bass fishing (among other fish). The state record for a striped bass was retrieved out of Hiwassee Reservoir. Some of the other popular places are; Badin Lake, Lake Hickory, Lake Norman, High Rock Lake, Mountain Island Lake, and Moss Lake. That is not even half of them in the state. You can check North Carolina fishing reports for the latest striper information, before you book your vacation.
Striped bass anglers yearn for the cooler weather in North Carolina, where other fishermen take the cooler months off to re-group. In the cooler months the striper anglers have the reservoirs all to themselves, making it easier to locate the tightly packed bait fish, when in turn will get them to those evasive striped bass. Bait fish are always going to be the most popular to catch striped bass, though other baits do/will work.
Got a rod and reel for freshwater stripers? Here’s an Uglystick!
Lake Norman
With 32,000 acres of water and 520 miles of shoreline, Lake Norman is one of he largest lakes and best areas to catch striped bass. It is easier to fish Lake Norman during he cooler months because there are a lot less boats on the lake. Boats that are out there for leisure only and tend to clog the areas and hinder the fishing process and progress.
As with a lot of the other places around the United States, early morning hours or later at night, is the best time to land a striped bass. They spend the majority of their time, during the spring, along the shoreline. that is why Lake Norman is one of the most popular. During the heat of the summer, they hang out in the deep water of Cowans Ford Dam. The best live bait for the area; gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and herring. If you are going to use herring, they are best kept and used in 70 degree water. Gizzard and threadfin are for warmer temperatures.
Your best tactics/techniques on Lake Norman, besides shore fishing (in the spring), are going to be trolling with live bait and free-lining. Free-lining is the simplest way to fish; hook and bait only. No floats, sinkers, etc. The guides in the area recommend that you thoroughly research the area(s) that you want to fish. Find out the best method, best time of year for the spot, best live bait or lure, etc. so that way you can enjoy your vacation and fishing trip instead of coming home empty handed.
Badin Lake
One of the other hot spots in North Carolina that you may want to try catching a striper at is Badin Lake. This lake is an impoundment of the Yadkin River, and is 5,350 acres. Recommended bait is 5-6 inch gizzard shad. A lot of anglers in this area will watch for feeding birds after they have caught all of their live bait. If you are in a boat you will not want to troll any faster than 1.0 mph, and you should have your line at a 20-25 degree angle and about 20 feet deep.
It is said that Badin Lake is very fertile and has a great forage base for the striped bass to feed on. You are probably not going to catch a huge trophy striper, but you will catch an abundance of them in this area. You will need/want to have a good fish finder or sonar system and be able to read it very well to fish at Badin. If you can read it very well and are very confident about that ability then you are going to have no problems finding and catching striped bass, otherwise, you could troll over a school of them and have no idea that they are even there. The most effective technique on Badin Lake is going to be slow trolling live bait, whether it is before or after spawning season. Live gizzard shad, as stated above is your go-to for this spot. Make sure you keep your trolling speed at 1.5 mph or lower.
There is one advantage when fishing at Badin Lake, that most of the other lakes in North Carolina doesn’t have. The water temperature here stays cooler in the summer, than the other hot spots. There are depth up to 180 feet and over 100 miles of shoreline, which means fishing from shore, boat, canoe, or kayak is going to be successful. There are reefs, ledges, humps and points where the fish will try to hide as they go deeper into the water in the middle of the day, to get to cooler water.
Nearby at Badin Lake you have a bait and tackle shop and a convenience store. Both of which can offer advice on fishing in the area. You will also have amenities such as a marina, boat rental, boat dock, lodging and much more.
Hey FISHMONGER – make sure to check out my FISHING RESOURCES page.
Lake Hickory
An impoundment of the Catawba River, Northwest of Lake Norman, you will find Lake Hickory. At 4,100 acres is smaller than Norman and Badin, but is much more likely to produce a trophy sized striped bass, for the avid anglers in the area. Gunpowder Creek, in the winter months, is prime for striper at Lake Hickory.
There are an abundance of 6-7 inch gizzard shad in this creek. If you go 3 miles in either direction from the mouth of the creek, you will be fishing the Catawba River Channel. It is recommended in this area in late fall and early winter to use 10 pound test line. This will make the live bait more appealing to the striped bass. Averaging 8-12 pounds on Lake Hickory, the striped bass can easily be brought to the boat if you have a quality rod and reel. With some of the striper weighing between 14-16 pounds, it may be a wise idea to bump it up to 15 or even 20 pound test line. When spring and summer roll around at Lake Hickory, you have a good chance of landing a 30+ pound striper.
If you prefer using lures verses live bait, one angler preferred choice is a roadrunner with a white body in 1/4-3/8-ounce size. The preferred time on Lake Hickory is in the afternoon. Sometimes anglers will slow troll live bait from the rear of the boat, while using a lure and slow retrieve from the bow.
There is 115 miles of shoreline on Lake Hickory with 4 access ramps for loading and unloading a boat. Lake Hickory also hosts numerous bass fishing tournaments, normally with good results. There are also boat rentals, camping, and lodging options near the lake. Spend a week or a weekend and come to Lake Hickory and enjoy some striped bass fishing.
Hiwassee Lake Stripers
You can visit Hiwassee Lake Website HERE
Surrounded by Nantahala National Forest, Hiwassee Lake is 6,000 acres with 180 miles of shoreline and is well known for trophy sized striped bass. In this area we have endless rocky bank lines and points, which are perfect for striper habitat. Jigs, tubes, top water, and drop shot lures are some of the ideal tackle box supplies for this area.
September is just one of the perfect months for catching the striped bass at Hiwassee Lake. The air is beginning to cool down, the striper are feeding in large schools on enormous bait fish schools and on average the fish are going to be 8-15 pounds. As the temperature cools, focus on the creek mouths and points. Any place where they can “hide” and prey on their meals.
My is also a great month on Hiwassee Lake, to catch striped bass. It is the start of summer, so the weather and water temperature are not too warm yet. A lot of the striper are still in their spring spawning areas, which is a plus for the anglers that are looking to get their season started early. Late afternoon or early mornings will produce the best bites this time of the year. Free-lining herring, down-lining blue back, or using a red fin lure in May is going to be your best bet to snag a striped bass. If you are going to use a lure, make sure you are around the banks of Hiwassee Lake.
Speaking of the trophy sized striped bass that have been landed on Hiwassee Lake; in 1991 a 54-pound 2 ounce striper was caught. Then, not quite a decade later, a lucky 17 year old high school student who went out fishing with some buddies, landed a HUGE striper. At first he thought it was a catfish, because he didn’t get a good look at the fish when it snagged his bait. In the end, when the official results came in the striped bass that he bagged was a whopping 66 pounder and measured 47 1/2 inches in length. So, there definitely is potential to catch the next record breaking striped bass on Hiwassee Lake, that all of you anglers have been dreaming about.
Keep an eye on the North Carolina fishing reports when scheduling your weekend trip or your vacation, as winter fades and spring begins. This is where you will get the best tips on where the striped bass are biting. Remember, you have 20 lakes to choose from in North Carolina and many professional fishing guides that contribute to the fishing reports. They are going to be the ones who know exactly where the striped bass are located and what they are feeding on at any given time of the year.
Also remember to check all of the rules and regulations for the lake that you choose, as some lakes have their own rules and regulations on top of the states rules. Most states require you to be 16 years old for a fishing license. But be sure that you know for sure just how many fish you can keep, the size that they have to be and what licenses or permits that you need for that particular area. You can also rely on most of the bait and tackle shops and a lot of the locals to provide you with the best advise and tips on where to catch the stripers, what lures to use, the best time of day and how to read the water/weather for the perfect time.
Striped bass fishing is a huge ‘sport’ in a lot of states, including North Carolina. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or a professional angler, the striper is definitely going to give you the challenge that you are seeking. Once you conquer that challenge, it is going to be something that you are going to want to do over and over again. It is a huge thrill, fun, exciting and sometimes frustrating. So, get your pole and your bait load up your boat and lets go catch the next trophy sized striped bass in one of the many lakes of North Carolina!
Next Check Out – link to 3 Fascinating Methods of Drift Fishing Striped Bass
