[ebogdanski]

Hi everyone,
Thanks to all who responded to my thread about launching at the public fishing area off Hwy 98. I built a kayak cart that should work there.
I think I should have asked a different question. Just where does everyone launch their kayaks at Falls Lake? I live in Wake Forest and so far have only been at the Wake Forest Reservoir shaking down my kayak for some serious fishing. (fish finder, anchor, rod holders etc)
I hope to see some of you on the water prior to the meet and greet at Fort Fisher!
Ed

 

[lefty]

Jeffo likes the Upper Barton ramps on weekday mornings... we're fortunate that our jobs often allow somewhat flexible schedules. Not sure if it's "Falls Lake" proper, but it's pretty straightforward to launch at either the Beaverdam recreation area or the site of Old Weaver Trail, if you want to paddle the no-motor area at Beaverdam.

Oh yeah, I also launched at one of the group picnic sites... with kayakingglenn... was that rollingview?? don't recall...

 

[shemstreet]

Beaver Dam is nice since you won't get waked by anyone. Now that I have tried it the boat ramp is better than the Old Weaver Trail access, but will be back to charging to get through the gate soon.

Now that the water is back up and you don't have to launch in black muck, Wake Forest reservoir is nice and has a variety of fish in it (best for ultralite though).

 

[wales]

Falls lake is fun place to fish. I just hope the water level stays up for most of the summer. My favorite places are just about anywhere. caught fish from all different launch places. off 98, by the dam, the durham part of the lake, and even beaverdam. I have yet to catch a bass out of beaverdam. Not sure why but thats just my luck. I've met lots of people that have done very very well there. Best advise, google earth and pick a place then give it a whirl.

I'll be fishin tue-friday on falls so if you or anyone else can join let me know.

 

[dmason390]

I am new to Wake forest. Took my Kayak out the public fishing area off 98 east of 50. had no idea there was the long ramp to the water so I put my gear in my yak and carried it to the water. Not a good day.. nothing but just learning the watwer I guess. I forgot my anchor and got tossed a bit by a few bass boat wakes. I think I'll take the yak out to the Wake Forest reservoir this weekend and try some fly action on the smaller water.

 

[Jeffonc]

Huh... thought I had replied on this one. (Maybe one of those maniacal moderators whacked my post... self-inflicted, no doubt!)

As Lefty mentioned, I launch most often out of Upper Barton, and mostly on weekdays to avoid the weekend crush. Its about a mile paddle out to the confluence of the river channel, Upper and Lower Barton creeks - great points, drop offs, flats & open water fishing all in that area. The schooling fish will always be somewhere around there. Another half mile puts you on the 98 bridge with the riprap and the creek on the other side. Its the closest launch to me, its open 24hrs and I consistently catch good numbers of fish there.

My all-time favorite part of the lake is the area near the Dam, but its a real challenge to Kayak launch anywhere near there. The management center has terrible hours and its more hike up and down hill from below the dam than I'm willing to try with gear. Raven Ridge is probably the best option and there's really nice fishable water on the way through that creek toward the dam. Have not tried to drop in and pull out there, but know folks who have.

There's good water near the Hwy 50 launch, but you have to deal with the limited hours all year round and the entry fee in the warm months. Same for the Beaverdam park & ramp.

The Old Weaver launch at Beaverdam is a good spot for kayak launching. Free & close to the water. That end of the lake is pretty shallow & featureless though - <10ft deep all the way from there upstream, and very undefined channel depression. Good spring bass fishing. Less than a mile to the Old Weaver bridge & riprap, and not terrible to get to the spillway and deeper water areas. I have caught some decent 4 & 5lb bass up there.

At certain times of the year and certain rates of inflow the Eno Launch is good too. Great late-winter crappie fishing and the white bass are running up to the headwaters now. There's some good looking bass structure back there, but I think the water needs to stabilize, preferably high in order to be really productive. Long drive from Wake Forest though.

Rollingview is sort of interesting - its a long way by road to get back there. There's a deepwater channel that's pinched just to the left of the launch and I've caught lots of fish on the opposite shoreline. Have only kayak launched there once or twice though, and that was last year in the midst of the drought when a lot of that pool was only a couple of feet deep and a lot was out of the water (usually 10' range).

I've been to Ledge Rock and haven't been terribly impressed There is standing timber in the shallows back there, but I've never done well in Falls' standing timber so it doesn't attract me. That area has always been reported as great spring (spawn) fishing.

Have never been to Hickory Hill - no idea what the water is like back there.

The one part of the lake I'd really like to get to is the back of New Light creek off Purnell road, but they've got hudreds of yards of no parking signs around the bridge area. You might be able to drop gear, park down the road and hike back to launch but I haven't tried it. Used to catch a lot of fish in New Light in my powerboat days.

As I'm able to get out, I'll probably focus on Beaverdam and shallow water for the next few weeks before I start hitting Upper Barton regularly for post-spawn and summertime fish.