Fishing Report For Hickory Lake, NC

By Rick Seaman

December 28, 2024

Popular Fish Fishing Reports
Hickory Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Marinas
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Hickory Lake

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Hickory Lake, NC

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

Currently, largemouth bass are thriving in Hickory Lake. Fishing for largemouth bass with crawfish-imitating lures has been very successful for the last few years. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap, and deep divers off-shore. Around grass use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits.

Striped Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Striped bass are popular with locals at Hickory Lake. From March to May, stripers migrate upriver to spawn, so the area from Geitner Park to the Rhodhiss Dam is a good area to start. Successful striper fishing often begins with locating schools of bait. Shad-imitating jerkbaits, swimbaits and Alabama rigs all work well here.

Black Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing is on the rise in Hickory Lake. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Docks, brush, wood, vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4-pound line is ideal. Locals report good success using fish finders to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, bream and striped bass at Lake Hickory in North Carolina.

Lake Hickory, located in North Carolina, is a popular destination for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. This 4,200-acre reservoir offers a variety of fishing opportunities and is known for bass, striper, crappie, catfish and sunfish fishing.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Click here for fishing boat rentals available at this lake.

Marinas

Find marinas Hickory Lake

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a North Carolina Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".