[Capt_Culver]

I just recieved word that my company may be moving to Raliegh. Can anyone tell me if the fishing is good there? I would like to find a river close by that has a decent population of flatheads or blues. You don't have to give up any secrets.....just a yes or no is sufficent for me. Thanks guys.

 

[razorback]

There is plenty of fishing to be had in and around the Capitol area. Falls Lake and the Neuse River which feeds it are good for just about anything you want to fish for. The coast is only 2 hrs away for salt water as well. I've included a few web sites which you may find useful while in the Tarheel State..welcome brother.
www.ncparks.gov/Visit/main.php
www.ncdmf.net/ (this one deals with coastal and salt water fishing)
www.ncwildlife.org/ ( rules, regs, licenses, etc)
areas.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=NCL%26R3&CU_ID=1 (maps and stuff of some of the lakes)

Hope this helps..cheers!

 

[SUNDROP]

Raleigh puts you right in the middle of anything you could want short of those northern critters... Falls, Kerr,Jordan, Norman,Gaston lakes, Neuse River , Cape Fear river, Tar/Pamlico river Yadkin Chain of lakes and many many more within 2 hrs including all the Salties! I love NC!!!! Just dont bring that Yankee attitude with you...LOL! We like the way we do things around here and we ain't changin'! j/k

 

[todobiennc]

as for northern species, Lake Gaston and to a lesser extend Roanoke Rapids Lake both a little over an hour north does have walleyes and I've seen a few caught in the Roanoke just downstream of Roanoke Rapids Dam.

 

[Mark J]

Falls lake sucks for catfishing.
Jordan is right behind it unless you like feeding the little eaters.
You'll work for a 10 pounder out of there.

I've caught many a 30+ pound flathead in the Raleigh city limits on the Neuse below the Milburnie dam.
Caught some impressive blues in the 20-30 pound class.

Get moved and we'll go find a big flat.

 

[Arojekt]

Well, if your company's moving to Raleigh, that doesn't always mean you'd live in Raleigh. Depending on where your company is, you may end up living in Cary, Garner or Durham. I can tell you, if you're in Cary, a lot of the places to fish for cats are in the lakes that are near or in the town... to get to rivers, you'd have to drive a bit.

I reside in Cary, and I fish a lot in the Lochmere Lakes - two large man-made lakes that belong to a huge sprawling neighborhood development and Bass Lake which is about a 10-15 minute drive to Holly Springs.

If you end up living in Cary, you'd have to drive at least 30 minutes to get any where that the other guys talk about on this forum, as I found out myself when recommended other places.

Bass Lake has the most promising results, in quantity of hits and activity, than any of the other lakes I mentioned above, however, the Lochmere Lakes have bigger catfish... they just don't act up as much.

There's also Lake Jordan, which is fishable, and you can set up camp and trot lines, but still it's a bit of a drive. It's a favorite summer place for me, though. I haven't fished there yet, but I have camped and stargazed there in the past.

And lastly, there's Lake Johnson, it's technically in Raleigh, but it's so close to Cary that it isn't much a drive. It's actually right next to my high school... so yeah. People will tell you that you can fish for cats there, but I've tried on several occasions over the past 10 years I've lived here... You're not going to catch a catfish in there. It has a dam, and I haven't tried there, but every where else, no signs of catfish. It's more a bass fishing lake.

I hope this helps.