Fishing Report For Lake Mackintosh, NC

Current Report: Good To Very Good

This is home to lots of big, largemouth bass. Fish over 5 pounds are common and lunkers up to 8 pounds are not all that uncommon.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 40's, and bass can be found on the bottom, or suspending from 20 to 40 feet deep, occasionally shallower on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools in 5 or so feet deeper water. They are currently being caught around deep points and humps. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites, just before, during and after, ice fishing.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 6 to 12 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 3 to 10 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 15 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 4 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 12 to 25 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around deep timber and brush piles.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 5 to 10 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 8 to 15 feet of water. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Report: Good

Crappie fishing has been excellent. Standing timber, brush piles, wood lay-downs, and deep vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Fish finders and forward facing sonar help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the high 40's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 15 to 25 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports are coming from standing timber and brush piles, in major tributary arms. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 10 to 12 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 4 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 12 to 15 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 12 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 25 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 10 to 18 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 25 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles, near deeper water.

Current Report: Good

WINTER. Now that it's Winter, hybrid stripers hang out in deeper water and feed close to the bottom. They most often feed 20 to 40 feet deep before, during and after ice over. Warm afternoons occasionally draw stripers shallower, so look for them around 15 to 20 feet deep as they feed on roaming schools of shad. In Winter, it is important to locate schools of bait, then look for wipers schooling below the bait. Hybrids concentrate along the main river channel, on deep channel ledges, and some of the deepest holes around the river channel. Nice fish are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, swimbaits, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are typically effective this time of year. Due to slower metabolism, anglers are triggering more strikes as deep as 40 feet, by making slower presentations.

SPRING. When water temperatures rise into the mid 60's now, it's the ideal time for hybrid stripers to spawn. Big hybrid stripers chase baitfish all over the lake. They are being caught up lake toward the incoming current as they feed and prepare to spawn. Expect to find hybrids in 10 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, deeper during mid day. Most schools gather around the mouths creek-channels, channel bends, humps and points. They can be found in 10 to 18 feet of water on flats and points, or around 10 to 25 feet deep along channel edges. There are plenty of hybrids averaging 2 to 3 pounds, with many 5 to 10 pound plus fish being caught. In Spring, work wind-blown points, creeks, and the upper end of the lake around Alamance Creek and Little Alamance Creek, if there is inflowing water. If they spawn, they will lay eggs in flowing water. Look for deeper holes in the river channels, as they are a good holding place for hybrid stripers after the spawn. Vertical jigging, or trolling with deep crankbaits are popular.

SUMMER. In Summer, these wipers typically hang out in 15 to 30 feet of water, as do schools of baitfish. They stay above the thermocline, in oxygenated water. Sometimes during the heat of the day they move close to the bottom. Morning often draws hybrid stripers to much shallower water, so look for them around 10 to 15 feet deep as they feed on shallow on roaming schools of shad. Channel ledges and humps in the main basin of the lake can be productive. Trolling with spoons, crankbaits, umbrella rigs or swimbaits produces a lot of nice catches in Summer. Live or cut bait can also be effective here. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is often a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of wipers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools.

FALL. In early Fall, baitfish and hybrid stripers return to shallow water preferring areas as shallow as 10 feet deep on points and flats, to 20 feet deep along channel edges. Some of the bigger fish may be slightly deeper than the average fish in the large schools. During Fall, hybrids are very aggressive when feeding. Most wipers concentrate from mid lake to the incoming-river end of the lake. Expect to find schooling activity around creek mouths, flats, main channel points, and humps. Early in the day wipers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. Mid day they move into around 10 feet of water. Later in Fall wipers are generally found in 15 to 30 feet of water. Look for structure nearby deeper sections in channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch wipers at this time of year.