I don't really know what you mean by "pay lakes" exactly. If you're just asking about lakes that have a good deal of catfish activity, then there's always the Falls of the Neuse... it's a dam that is in the Neuse River, and can be found in Raleigh. The calm side of the river is this huge sprawling lake. A bit out of Raleigh and Durham is Lake Jordan, near Apex off Highway Sixty-Four. It has camp grounds and trot lines are allowed here.
I hope this helps, man.