The lake is a spring bass hot spot.". The Texas (lake) records are 41-inch reds that weighed 30 pounds.". 2017 Top North Carolina Bass Fishing Spots. Stripers seemed to be 20′ down on both lakes for over a month, you just had to find them. In the winter, when the water is colder and fish eat less, growth is slower so the rings are thinner and closer together, and look dark- colored. In the summer, when fish grow faster, the layers grow larger and wider apart, and look light-colored. Spotted bass can compete with largemouth bass for food and habitat and are unable to attain the size potential of largemouth bass. A trap net is a stationary net that is staked along the shore. "Both creeks had lots of 7- and 8-pounders," she said. Blake and I decided to make the trip down to Lake Gaston to catch some spotted bass. It states, “The largemouth bass fishery at Lake Gaston is a quality fishery with ample proportions of adult fish available for anglers and juvenile fish indicating successful reproduction. Baumann said the WRC's main goal isn't to develop a red drum fishery, but to rid Hyco Lake of tilapia. Home Schedule Results > > > > > > > > > > News About Our Club Links September 12, 2020 1st Place Ivan Morris & Janet Morris - 13lb 10oz. An Overview of the Lake Gaston Largemouth Bass Fishery (2010 2016) May 2018 Lake Gaston is a 8,215-ha reservoir on the Roanoke River, located upstream of Roanoke Rapids Lake and downstream of Kerr Lake on the . Tar Heel State fishermen have chased those two species for years from the coastal plain to the western mountains. Winds light and variable.. Clear skies. Their main functions are for detecting sounds and gravitational force to assist with hearing and equilibrium.”. Check out some of the compound bows from this year's ATA Show. Assisted by Clinton Morgan, assistant fisheries biologist for District 3, the focus of his presentation was sampling in Lake Gaston and the health of the Lake Gaston fishery. "In 2012-13 we had a ton of big bass, crappie and baitfish. There’s no clearer singer, for example, than the Motown folks in provisions of their words. Would you like to receive our daily news? "Eighty percent are greater than 14 inches (long) with 20 percent longer than 20 inches (5 to 6 pounds).". You can also find other species of fish such as white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, and sometimes walleye. The biggest problem for eastern bass has been major storms that flood rivers and tributaries and drive anoxic water (water without any dissolved oxygen in it) downstream from swamp backwaters, ultimately suffocating many fish species. North Carolina and Virginia fishing licenses are valid anywhere on the lake. I've been going to Lake Gaston for a week once a year for going on 30 years. Lake Gaston (60 fish per hour, 50 percent longer than 14 inches) rated third in D3 followed by Tar River Reservoir near Rocky Mount. Sign In Create an Account. With so many people turning to fishing as a way to escape the stress and challenges that have arisen in recent months, we've teamed up with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and the National Marine Manufacturers Association to explore some of the freshwater fish species you can target if you're just getting on board with fishing. Lake Tillery, another Yadkin River lake, yielded 100 bass per hour during the WRC's last sampling. 8 in. Spotted Bass. 3mos ago - Lake Gaston. © 2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. North Carolina anglers are lucky to have members of the family Centrarchidae — which includes largemouth and smallmouth bass — swimming in the state's waters. We can pick you up at your dock. Plastic worms, lizards, jig-and-pigs and Shaky head lures catch spawning and suspended fish. "Core Creek off the southern Neuse also has bass," Ricks said. Fontana, Lake Chatuge and Hiwassee lakes have mixtures of largemouths and smallmouths, said D9 fisheries biologist Powell Wheeler. "When they turn on the pumps in spring, fish get active and people catch lots of bass," Fisk said. Redear sunfish are delicious any way you prepare them, but this simple, traditional recipe is... A new long-range hunting contender enters the fray. With quality largemouth and a growing population of spotted bass, Gaston almost always produces impressive results. Buzzbaits, walk-the-dog poppers and other topwater lures work well at the lower Roanoke in spring. Lunker Mike Diacont - … An outbreak of Largemouth Bass Virus (2004-2010) damaged Buggs bass, but the disease has run its course, and the sprawling lake now has thousands of 3- to 5-pound fish. "Most (sample) sites had one or two bass pushing 23 inches, nice big fish," said D7 fisheries biologist Kin Hodges. “There are three different types of otoliths in fish. Subscriber Services. A bolt-action rifle starts with, well, the bolt action. "But the water has to be clear," he said. "The White Oak River is pretty consistent for bass, at least above Stella," Ricks said. The WRC will stock red drum at Hyco in 2017. Lake Gaston, North Carolina, US Fish Identification Chart. “We are looking for solutions, and one option may be to limit the gear used.”, Rundle distributed a Fisheries Research Fact Sheet entitled “Assessing Blue Catfish Population Dynamics in Lake Gaston,” published in March 2017. Largemouth bass at Sutton Lake near Wilmington ride a boom-and-bust cycle, said D4 biologist Michael Fisk, but it's still the region's best bet for lunker hunters. "The French Broad, North Toe and New River are high-quality smallmouth fisheries," Wood said. "The normal rate (for other lakes) is 30 to 60 fish per hour," he said. We are doing some genetic work to determine if indeed they are Alabama Bass at Lake Gaston, which is what I suspect. Through a series of charts and photos, the biologist illustrated that the health of the Lake Gaston fishery is very good. Lake Gaston Bass Holes Fishing Club. Fast and accurate: Crossbows from this year's ATA Show. Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. "Guys with pontoon boats used deep-riggers. 6 in. These can be counted like growth rings of a tree trunk. He explained that ear bones (and scales) grow in thin layers called circuli. The spotted and largemouth bass were thick in the mix on Gaston Lake all summer long, especially on big spinners trolled fast through the upper water column. Visible to: Everyone: Comments . Lots of creeks and places to fish plus the main lake. The study's been ongoing the last 15 years, he said. Sign in or create a free Fishidy account to view the exact location of this catch. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. We found they weren’t spotted bass, but were actually Alabama bass. Alabama Bass are confirmed to be present in Lake Gaston, Claytor Lake, Philpott Lake, Martinsville Reservoir, Diascund Reservoir, and the Chickahominy River. During the early morning, bass move into shallower water chasing pockets of baitfish and enjoy the cooler morning waters. Hobie Mirage iTrek 9 Ultralight Inflatable Kayak - TESTED! On Lake Gaston, the best places to catch summer bass our boat docks, submerged timber, weed flats, and humps. Last year I moved to VA very close to Lake Gaston which used to be known as an excellent Largemouth fishery. All types of structure for you to fish. Joe McDowell. The hardware bite has been very good for us for multiple trips now, and the live baiters are also telling of really good fishing. 3mos ago - Lake Gaston. He noted 365-acre Salem Lake near Winston-Salem was drained then refilled four years ago and is "absolutely loaded with 2- to 4-pound bass.". 0 11 111K+ Catch Location. “Overall, Lake Gaston has healthy fish populations and provides a quality fishery,” said Rundle. High Rock Lake, the first of the Yadkin River's chain of lakes and in Davidson and Rowan counties, still has good bass, but D6 fisheries biologist Troy Thompson said that "catch rates are down to 58 bass per hour in 2015's last sampling. Small gizzard shad and some menhaden reach the main lake through pipes in the Cape Fear River when Sutton needs more water, but with a changeover to natural gas to create steam power, the pumps often sit idle. Error! But today was much better, we finally put together a good pattern, we caught so many Spotted Bass we lost count, and then stumbled onto the best Striper pattern I’ve seen in months at the end of the day, and had a blast with them! Signup today! The Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is conducting genetic testing to better identify the extent of Alabama Bass throughout Virginia. Northern North Carolina Roanoak River. Jordan Lake remains the state's second-ranked lake with 44 percent of sampled bass of keeper size (at least 14 inches) or longer. "It's become a big bass factory lately with fish up to 8 pounds," he said. Navigation. Low 43F. The lower Tar River also has decent-sized largemouths. We have caught numerous 5 and 6 pounders and some larger fish were caught in the finals. “They are always biting. This fact sheet may be downloaded from the agency’s website at www.ncwildife.org. “One way to age fish is to study their otoliths, or ear bones,” he said. Bank fishermen throw Senkos.". "Reds will spawn in freshwater but their eggs won't survive.". You have permission to edit this article. In these systems, any spotted bass that you catch is likely to be an Alabama bass. 30 Likes, 0 Comments - Jeffrey Davis (@jeffreydavisfishing) on Instagram: “The spotted bass on Lake Gaston are fat and hungry. Low 43F. “A consistent sampling regime allows us to track trends and determine if current regulations are adequately protecting the fishery,” he said. "It'd be three to four years before anyone could catch reds at Hyco," she said. That's probably because few large lakes exist and most bass have to fight river currents. A gill net is a fishing net that is hung vertically so that fish get trapped in it by their gill covers and/or spines. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. He also noted the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries stocks walleye in the upper end of Lake Gaston when they have a surplus. Will Winter Hot Streak Turn Into March Bass Madness? Offering full and half day guided bass fishing on Lake Gaston or Buggs Island. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! Blue Ridge foothills Lake James is more famous for big smallmouth bass. 12 oz. I've caught several fish that just like that at Lake Gaston though none of them of the size of the one in the picture. Spotted Bass with a American Tackle Bushido Jerk Bait. It forms a labyrinth-like chamber into which fish can easily enter, and crappie are the principal catch. The fisheries data collected during sampling includes the number, length, weight and age of the fish.”. "The lower Roanoke has more bass, especially in creeks such as Devil's Gut near Jamesville," she said. Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids. The condition score of Michie's bass is higher than 100. Don't think that is a good thing according to DNR. "It has a lot of beautiful fish.". However, its largemouths have been overwhelmed by spotted bass — or what people thought were spotted bass. The Roanoke and Cashie rivers' best bass areas are at Jamesville and below Plymouth, particularly Conaby Creek. "They get up to 6 1/2 pounds.". We collect our own brood fish for the fish we stock.”. Hiwassee, Fontana and small lakes such as Glenville in Jackson County have 16- to 17-inch bronzebacks. 3mos ago - Lake Gaston. It may be 125 years old, but the .30-30 Winchester retains its status thanks to modern loads. It states, “The presence of spotted bass, however, is a major concern. Lake Gaston. Anglers regularly target red drum in salt and brackish water at North Carolina's coast, but few would've imaged this species would thrive at an inland freshwater lake. 14 oz. Body condition for the majority of fish sampled were good to excellent indicating plenty of forage available.”. 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Wildlife Resources DWR! Were good to excellent indicating plenty of forage available. ” over the existence of spotted bass, most my! Into March bass Madness Carolina Wildlife Resources ( DWR ) is conducting genetic testing to better identify extent. Healthy numbers of bass, with many large fish available morning, bass feed and congregate in different places —! Location of this catch condition value of Jordan 's 14- to 15-inch range. `` fishery, the. But just looking at them, you could n't tell them apart. `` available! Mill Creek on the VA/NC border we stock. ” fishery for years from the plain! Person County 's Lake Mayo has a bass population that 's worked for years the...