Falls Lake

[shemstreet]

Since there seemed to be a tiny bit of interest, I figured I may as well throw this out.

Dad and I finally hit our 60 day residency mark down here this weekend, so got our NC fishing licenses and a bucket of minnows yesterday. Today we loaded up the Triumph and made the drive out NC98 to the Upper Bartons Creek ramp at Falls Lake (just outside Wake Forest, NC).

Ran the five miles down to the dam and tried some drifts (very slow, no current and almost no wind) with the minnows and also threw some lures. After an hour or two, we had had no luck except for a little 8" bass I caught in the middle of a sunken tree.

Puttered over to one of the creeks about a mile upstream and tried another tree. Caught three ok (9" or so) crappie right next to the tree, two on small minnows and one on crappie nuggets. After a bit they stopped biting, so we moved on to another creek. Similar situation, only not as fishy. Got one little bluegill on the crappie nuggets. Ran even further upstream to where the lake passes under 98 and made several hours worth of drifts just around the bend in around 20 - 10 feet of water. Minnows on bottom, some light weed cover or isolated stones. Pulled around four little cats out of there before time to go home. Crappie still looked fine in the live well, so tossed them back for another day. Maybe not as productive a day as I was hoping for, but at least we are finally fishing again.

Big difference from fishing the Potomac, can get to like the calm water and warm sun, but miss my croaker, big cats, and wide open water. Will try trolling next go round, as the lake does have some striper and a very liberal limit on them and crossbreeds.

Scott, out of Youngsville, NC now .