Yadkin/Pee Dee River Reservoirs
High Rock Lake
Maynard Edwards (Yadkin Lakes Guide Service, Extreme Fishing Concepts, 336-249-6782) said crappie should head for the beds in April.
On any piece of brush and after they get off the brush, they head to the rocks. Use minnows or jigs, casting to the bank and swimming it back. A green curly tailed grub on a jig head is a good bet. For fishing the brush, dunking minnows on float rigs is a better tactic.
Stripers will be upriver if the water is high. By late May, they will move back down the lake. Fishermen should head for the high spots and flats in the river and slow troll live baits.
Bass will be in the pre-spawn mode at the corners of the covers. Shallow to medium crankbaits cast to the banks will entice them to strike. The first part of May they will be easy to catch because they will be on the beds. By Mother’s Day, they move out to the secondary points in four to 10 feet of water and they form hungry schools so anglers should be able to make multiple catches at one location.
Big catfish will move into the shallows to spawn. Cut perch and shad are the best baits for catfish.
Tuckertown Lake
Maynard Edwards (Yadkin Lakes Guide Service, 336-249-6782) said grass beds are key to catching fish at Tuckertown.
“The crappie get close to the grass,” he said. “Riles Creek is a good place to fish because it has a deep channel with lots of turns, humps and other structure. Trolling the channel with jigs and minnows in April and when they move shallow is a good way to catch them. When they go to the grass, just drop a float rig baited with a minnow in the edge of the grass.
Tuckertown is one of the best bass lakes in the Yadkin chain. The fish are relating to any green grass, so anglers should avoid fishing the dead grass beds. Flipping a jig, ripping a spinnerbait, or rippling a floating worm over the top of the grass will entice lots of bass.
Stripers will head for the dam. While there are not a lot of stripers, they are big fish.
Badin Lake
Maynard Edwards (Yadkin Lakes Guide Service, Extreme Fishing Concepts, 336-249-6782) said Badin’s crappie fishing would be good.
“The crappie will go to the banks to spawn,” he said. “There are not as many crappie as in the other lakes, but they are bigger. They are also in deeper water because it’s clearer.”
Crappie fishermen should fish jigs in eight feet of water. By May, after they spawn, crappie will head to the middle of the coves.
Bass will be at the shallow points. A crankbait such as a Shad Rap is a good lure.
Stripers will move upriver to Tuckertown Dam in April. Most of the fish will be in the river channel and anglers should fish around the baitfish concentrations. By May stripers anglers should be fishing within sight of the dam, trolling or casting bucktail jigs tipped with grub tails, spoons, Alabama rigs and crankbaits.
Catfish will move upriver. Anglers can catch them with cut baits and live baits fished on the bottom.
Lake Tillery
Joe Aldridge (Joe’s Bait & Tackle, 704-982-8716) said crappie action would be good along the banks.
“Jacob, Mountain and Woodrun creeks on the upper lake and Horseshoe Bend and Randall Church at the lower end are the best place to catch crappie,” he said. “Docks and brush piles will hold the fish. Drifting techniques work better in April, before the fish move shallower to spawn. Good jig colors include acid rain, yellow jacket, John Deere green and black/chartreuse tail.”
Bass fishing will be good along the banks. Anglers should fish crankbaits along the shoreline, around the docks and at the grass beds. Spinnerbaits are better lures later in the day. By the end of May, casting buzzbaits and other topwater lures is a good tactic.
Catfish will strike cut baits in fished in deep water. Anglers should fish near the dam and in the deep channels.
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