[Home Wood]

Greetings all. I just found this site and look forward to spending time on here. Let me start off by saying that I am not new to fishing, but I am new to fishing down here. I am from Massachusetts and have been here for 6 years and finally got back into doing a lot of fishing. A few weeks ago I bought a 16' Tracker and have been to Falls Lake twice and Lake Wheeler once. I have not had great luck at Falls and not much better luck at Wheeler. I'm mainly interested in Bass and Cat's. Anyway, looking forward to chatting. - Home Wood

 

[backlash]

Welcome to NCangler and a belated welcome to NC. Hopefully we'll have your luck turned around in no time flat.

 

[Home Wood]

I hope so too. Thanks. Here is a pic of my first boat. So far I love it!

 

[Topsail Angler]

Hey Home Wood - welcome to NC Angler. I'm a native of NC but fish mainly on the coast so I can't help you much. I did spend 6 years up in Mass. back in the 90's - did a bunch of bass fishing in some of the small lakes up there so I know what you mean about finding a lily pad and holding on.

 

[backlash]

That's a nice looking ride , Home Wood.

 

[Home Wood]

Sadly, I have never been salt water fishing and I would love to try it down here sometime. I'd like to get some guys together at work and do a charter. Good way to try for a first timer I would think. Thanks for the friendly welcome

 

[d-el]

Hey Home Wood. All right, a fellow New Englander! I am from Maine.

We have similar stories, I have been living in the great state of NC for about 4 years now and have just recently picked up fishing again. My only advice to you about Falls Lake is what others tell me, take a Wednesday off from work and go then Falls gets some serious fishing pressure on the weekend and that can lead to slooooow days until you become more familiar with the lake.

 

[Topsail Angler]

I'd like to get some guys together at work and do a charter. Good way to try for a first timer I would think.

Yup - that would be a great way to start!

 

[Home Wood]

Sounds like a great idea to me d-el. Nice to meet a fellow New Englander also, we are those "darn yankees" I guess, you know, the ones that won't leave . My grand parents live on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH and that's where I've done most of my fishing during my life. I also go up every February to go ice fishing and participate in a state wide ice fishing derby. Always a blast!

 

[Jeffonc]

Welcome to our home, Home Wood! Hope you'll make it yours too.

I've caught most of my bass at Falls in the early morning, weekdays (which is when I've done most of my fishing, not so coincidentally). My favorite tactic starting about this time of year is to cruise some of the open water areas in the lower part of the lake looking for surface feeding schools. Try around the island at the mouth of lower barton creek, between the 1&2 mile markers and in front of the Dam. Also around the mouth of New Light creek. Keep a jigging spoon tied on - you can cast it a mile into a splashing school. Just pull t back through them a foot or two below the surface. After they've gone back down, cast it out and use a pump & drop retrieve through the top half of the water column, or swim a white finesse worm on a small jighead through the middle of the water column where they've been active. While I'm watching for the schools I'll usually sneak into nearby coves and throw topwaters around any cover I can find.

Another good spot is the bridge pilings - any of them. Try a weightless senko or a finesse worm on a jighead dropped all around the pilings.

My bigger fish have come from just grinding away the hours with soft plastics on laydowns in 4-10 feet of water. Drives me nuts to fish that way, but it works. As does the carolina rig - find a well defined point and drag, drag drag. Some nice C-rigging water on the upstream intersection of ledge creek and the main channel (around the 12 mi marker, I think), across from the camping beach near new light road, and the eastern shoreline above and below the hwy 98 bridge.

I never took my big boat above the 13 mile marker into the eno section, but have launched from the eno ramp in my kayak once. Looked like pretty good bassing water in some of the side creeks (flat river, maybe?) when the water was high, not sure what its like at normal pool but its about time to get back up there and find out.

 

[Home Wood]

Barton Creek is where I launch from. It's the most convenient ramp for me and I think I know the island you're talking about. It's right across from the wildlife office (big house looking place), right? Fantastic sounding advice, much thanks!

 

[Jeffonc]

Barton Creek is where I launch from. It's the most convenient ramp for me and I think I know the island you're talking about. It's right across from the wildlife office (big house looking place), right? Fantastic sounding advice, much thanks!

That's the one.

One thing I've never done well with is fishing the standing timber in the back of upper barton (or any of the major creeks for that matter - lower barton, new light, ledge, lick all have timber). Should be full of fish, but I've never caught a thing. I sort of stayed out of there after we tore a shear pin on a buddy's boat, but those times that I have eased my way back in there I've never caught anything.

Forgot to say one thing - Good Luck! Let us know how you do...

 

[sinker man]

Welcome Aboard! It sounds like you got some good tips and advice. I hope it all works for you. Good luck.

 

[Home Wood]

Thanks sinker, I can tell that this is a good site.

Jeff, I go under Six Forks Rd and fish those two big coves hard. They look like they would hold monster bass and the biggest one of the three I got there was 1.5 lbs. I guess it's not just me then who was dooped into fishing there. I don't think I will spend much time there any more. Maybe there's a reason I never saw anybody else there, haha. Live and learn. I was told by some guys to fish the points and fallen trees around the edge. That's where I saw every other boat fishing last week during that little tourney. I should have taken that as a clue.

 

[Slowriser]

Hello Home Wood. Welcome to NCAngler and NC. This state has it all if you are able to get out and move around a bit. Kerr Lake host crappie, cats, bass, stripers, and bream. Lake Gaston the same. Eno river, Cape Fear, New River, Chowan river, Roanoke River, Tar River (towards Little Washington), Lake Norman, Lake Tillery, Badin Lake,...etc. all provide good fishing. You can also head west to the Mountain Lakes for smallies, walleyes, muskies, and trout. What a blessing we all enjoy here. Fly Fishing, Salterwater, freshwater, and everything in between. Loads of good info from young to not as young guys. Oh! you also have Harris Lake, and Jordan Lake right around the corner from you. I'd try them before falls, and I know that Wheeler gets turned up with recreation boats and speed boats during the summer. Good Luck.

 

[Home Wood]

Thanks slowriser. The mountain fishing sounds awesome.

 

[Slowriser]

My Mt. fishing is Fly Fishing for bows, browns, and natives. I love the mountains, I love the coast, and all points in between. I've been tying flies to do the salty fly fishing this summer. Could also use them for stripers on Kerr Lake. How long have you lived in Wendell? Just curious... I drop thru there from time to time. Especially in the fall and winter during hunting season. Perry's is a great place for hunting gear.

 

[Home Wood]

I've lived here for 3 years. Fly fishing looks like fun, never done it.

There is a small lake that you can see off of 64 with houses and boats on it. It's just past Zebulon going east. What lake is that? Is it private or can you launch some where?

 

[backlash]

Home Wood- I believe the one that you're referring to is called Bunn Lake. I'm not sure but I think that it's private.

 

[Slowriser]

Home Wood, Backlash is exactly right. That is Bunn Lake at the exit of 64 and 39 to Louisburg. It is private, very shallow, and it is often drained down to the mud (not sure why). Years ago Hurricane Floyd dumped so much rain that the dam at the far end broke and flooded the area behind it. Mostly used for aesthetic setting and some skiing. That is on the south side. As for the North side, it looks like a bass fishing haven. Dead trees, stumps, fallen timber, and it just plain looks like it would be full of fish. Just don't know how to get there. Maybe a good reason to do a little recon. It is only about 20 min from my house. I may just do that today. I'll let you know what I find.