Fishing Report For Sutton Lake, NC
By Rick Seaman
May 22, 2025
Fishing Reports
Popular Fish Species Sutton Lake, NC
Largemouth Bass




Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good
Water discharged from the power plant has kept the lake water warm all winter long, and keeps the bass active year round. The water temperature is in the low 70's, and the bass are aggressively feeding. As a result they grow big, quicker than at other lakes without this heating system. A wide variety of lures are catching nice largemouth here, including vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, stick worms, and virtually any lure in your tackle box
Flathead Catfish


Current Report: Good
Outlook: 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. Successful anglers are fishing with cut bait, or live sunfish caught in the lake, around any kind of structure in the moving water. Fishing late in the day until midnight often produces the best fishing activity as this is prime feeding time for channel cats. Submerged road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup.
Black Crappie



Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good
Crappie fishing has been good in Sutton Lake, all through the Winter. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Expect to find crappie shallow water. Rocky areas and vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Once the spawn is over, crappie retreat to deeper water. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal.
Fish species to fish for...
Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, flathead catfish, black crappie, bluegill and redbreast sunfish at Lake Sutton in North Carolina.
Fishing Video

Sutton Lake is a 1,100-acre fishing lake with about 40 miles of shoreline. There is access for fishing from the bank. Anglers are catching bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie. The lake is popular for numerous fishing tournaments held annually.
Primary fish species to catch
Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.
Today's Weather & Forecast
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".

Contact Information
Sutton Lake
NC Wildlife
Cape Fear, NC 28401
252 548-4938
Fishing lakes in each state.
052225
Sutton Lake, North Carolina Report
NORTH CAROLINA


Fishing for bass, catfish and crappie in southeast NC