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Fishing Report For Sutton Lake, NC

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By Rick Seaman

May 22, 2025

Fishing Report Lake Sutton, NC

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Sutton Lake, NC


Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

Jerkbait
Z-Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer
Rapala DT-6 Crankbait
Bass Pro Shops Stik-O Worm

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

Flathead Catfish

Cut Bait
Nightcrawlers

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

Fishing For Black Crappie

Live Minnows
Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged
Crappie Jigs

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 Reports

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.

Largemouth Bass Channel Catfish Flathead Catfish Black Crappie Bluegill Redbreast Sunfish

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

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".


Sutton Lake, North Carolina

Contact Information

Sutton Lake
NC Wildlife
Cape Fear, NC 28401
252 548-4938

 

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Sutton Lake, North Carolina Report

 

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Fishing for bass, catfish and crappie in southeast NC

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