Fishing Report For Sutton Lake, NC

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Water discharged from the power plant keeps the lake water warmer all winter long, and keeps the bass active year round.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending from 20 to 35 feet deep, On warm, sunny days, and around the discharge they may be as shallow as 5 feet. 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, standing timber and stumps. 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 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 1 to 4 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 10 to 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 2 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 10 to 22 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

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 6 to 15 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 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Report: Good

Plenty of big flathead catfish are being caught here, primarily in the Catfish Creek area of the lake. Fishing for flathead catfish has been good for some time now, and these flatheads are growing to bragging size.

WINTER. In Winter, the flatheads go virtually dormant, especially if water cools into the low 40's. They hole up in pockets 12 feet deep and deeper, and await warmer water. Anglers with boats are getting ideal access to these river channels, but anglers fishing from the bank are still catching a few.

SPRING. In Spring, when water temperatures rise into the mid 50's, flathead catfish start their migration up river. They hold, and feed aggressively, around relatively shallow cover until water warms into the mid 70's, at which time they begin the spawning ritual. The spawn runs from May to June. Slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs are all working well, with enough weight to keep the bait close to the bottom, especially in current.

SUMMER. In Summer, slow-moving water, at the river end of the lake has been particularly good. Flatheads are feeding relatively shallow during the day, slightly deeper at night. Successful anglers are using cut bait, shrimp, or live shad and sunfish caught out of this lake. Expect to find them in 10 to 25 feet of water. Night fishing has delivered many of the larger cats, as this is prime feeding time.

FALL. Fall is one of the best times of year for catching big flatheads. Along the edges of deeper channels are where most big flatheads are being caught. They remain in 8 to 20 feet of water, and feed aggressively.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing has been good in Sutton Lake, for several years.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the mid 30'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 10 to 18 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, points, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. 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 14 feet of water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 12 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 3 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 6 to 12 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 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 10 to 18 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around deep stump fields along old creek channels and deeper ditches piles. 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 8 to 15 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 14 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.