[jeff082083]

Hey all - I picked up a truck last week and will close on a boat next week, and wanted to ask a bit about falls lake since that'll be my 'home water'.

I'm a trout fisherman from NY and have no clue what I'm doing in the lakes here, but my general navigation and lake safety skills are decent at least. My fish-catching skills, however, could probably use some help. My question is about bait.

If I'm going for bass, I'm used to big soft jigs (gitzits) and spinners. Are those pretty effective here, or are drop type rigs and with plastic worms and other "life-like" baits better? Any suggestions on brands or colors for working these dirty waters? I have decent skills on Lake Erie, but I know that probably means squat here.

Also, for crappie, what's the best option for minnows? I see lots of guys on bridges with nets. I'm used to just buying minnows at the bait stores up north. We used to get "Lake Erie Shiners" delivered to our local lakes before the transport ban took effect, and they worked significantly better than local lake minnows. How effective are the local minnows vs tube jigs and such for the crappie around here?

 

[albright1695]

As for boat handling-Tis better to err on the side of caution. Boats don't have brakes and its always less damage to hit something at low speed than at a high speed. Watch the buoys and what others do and you should be fine.

Bass- Soft plastics(texas&Carolina rigged), Topwaters,crankbaits should get you going in the right direction.

Crappie- A minnow on a slip float rig is hard to beat right now.

Im sure some others will be along shortly with more suggestions. Most of all have fun!

 

[Neilslure]

For Falls Lake be sure to get a good map and make note of dangerous areas. Though alot of the lake is well marked and easily navigable, there are other parts where nothing is marked and things can go bad in a hurry if you dont know where you are going, most of that is on the upper end from Rollingview recreation area up to Cheek road and 85.

For bass on Falls, power fishing techniques usually prevail like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater, jigs and big plastics. Water color can vary depending on recent rain fall. Brighter colors for hard baits and dark colors for jigs and plastic.

The cast net throwers are probably catching shad to use for bait or are poaching eating fish. Crappie minnows that alot of stores around the lake sell are pretty much the go to for crappie in triangle area.

 

[NCfishingKing]

Hey! Welcome to the forum. Where in NY are you from? I grew up in Buffalo for 21 years. I go up there for at least 1 week every may to hammer the smallmouth and northern pike.

Falls lake is my home waters as well down here. I fish the bank a lot, but just picked up a fishing kayak 2 weeks ago, so I fish out of that a lot. For the crappie, nothing beats the simple bobber, split shot and hook with a small minnow on it. As for bass, I just throw all types of bass lures/plastics....you'll eventually caught a few. Good luck!

 

[jeff082083]

Yeah, I was in B-lo for about 10 years. Went to UB for undergrad and Niagara U for grad school, and grew up in Jamestown before then. Used to crush the steelhead and smallmouth all over WNY and PA. Looking forward to getting on the water here and doing some serious scouting. I picked up a lowrance with the down and side scan sonar and overlay features, so I gotta spend a bunch of time there mapping the lake. Hopefully I'll find a few hidden sweet spots on the chart.

So many former NY'ers here...not surprised though, it's gorgeous!

 

[spidey]

Man I am from buffalo area as well, grew up,fishing walleye and salmon and perch. I usually fish falls for crappie in spring and fall from the banks. Give me a shout sometime I know of some good spots to hit based upon discussions with folks.

 

[mdd71]

Another from the Buffalo area. I sure do miss the fishing there so many places to fish so many species to be caught. Nothing fights like a smallmouth out of the Niagara or a steelie out of 18 mile creek.

 

[jeff082083]

Aaah steelies - nothing fights quite like fresh chrome

 

[NCfishingKing]

Another from the Buffalo area. I sure do miss the fishing there so many places to fish so many species to be caught. Nothing fights like a smallmouth out of the Niagara or a steelie out of 18 mile creek.

The 18 mile (from lake erie), my favorite creek. Had a 29 fish (smallmouth bass) day there on May 14th this year

 

[regskinner]

Welcome to the area... I'm from "southern NY" aka Da Bronx. As others have said, cranks, spinners & soft plastics are the ticket for bass. I can't speak to the other species.

On your lowrance unit, if the map says there's a tree in the middle of the lake, BELIEVE it. A buddy of mine found out the hard way, bent his prop. The charts are well documented for Falls. Have fun & welcome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ppowell]

Catching your own minnows (i.e. shad) is fun and free, but the shad are fragile and don't last long in your minnow bucket or on a hook, so sometimes it's better to buy at the bait shop. The minnows sold at bait shops are very hardy compared to shad.

 

[spidey]

Minnows are cheap like 2$ a dozen. There are bait shops on 98 but I get mine at outhouse tackle in six forks it's on my way to my favorite crappie bank location.

For or bass bigger minnows, cranks, senkos or trick worms all do well. I have yet to try topwater at falls yet but may head out next week for a few night time chances given the full moon is coming

 

[jeff082083]

Yeah, I plan on paying close attention to my electronics. I got the Lowrance HDS-7 Gen 2 with side scan and all the extras, so I'm going to spend some serious time charting it before I get even the least bit comfortable out there!

Welcome to the area... I'm from "southern NY" aka Da Bronx. As others have said, cranks, spinners & soft plastics are the ticket for bass. I can't speak to the other species.

On your lowrance unit, if the map says there's a tree in the middle of the lake, BELIEVE it. A buddy of mine found out the hard way, bent his prop. The charts are well documented for Falls. Have fun & welcome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SurfRider]

Welcome to the Tarheel State. I am not from your area, but I don't think you will find a finer group of people in a public forum. Welcome to NCAngler, and good luck!

 

[Fishin Technician]

Tightlining for crappie works very well in the colder months. Try off long points extending out into the main lake. For bass- POP-R is a great topwater bait to try and this time of year the bass school alot as do the white bass. A suspending crankbait works well for this as well. I like a trick worm rigged wacky style for throwing in the tree tops and I like a variety of deep diving crankbaits for fishing points as well as a Carolina rigged french fry worm or lizard.

 

[Woffski]

Was reading this post and was admiring how many dudes from "up north" are on this site. I'm originally from Connecticut and have been here for 6 years. The bass are tricky. I have been fishing all my life and catch bass in Ct all the time. Here, its been pretty tricky...

 

[SurfRider]

Was reading this post and was admiring how many dudes from "up north" are on this site. I'm originally from Connecticut and have been here for 6 years. The bass are tricky. I have been fishing all my life and catch bass in Ct all the time. Here, its been pretty tricky...

Out of curiosity, what methods have you been trying thus far?

 

[mdd71]

I think the bass seem "tricky" because there is far, far fewer places to fish in the Triangle and they receive much pressure. Up north I fished areas for more than 20 years and never saw another person, not uncommon to catch 40-50 bass in a morning. My spots to fish were virtually limitless up north. Here it's a couple of reservoirs and a creek or two in the general area. A 45 minute wait to put your boat in the water?????? Even the New River (which I do indeed enjoy fishing) being touted as a great small mouth waterway just pales by comparison to even some of the creeks that ran directly through the city and I could walk to them!