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Lake Norman Fishing Guide

North Carolina

North Carolina's largest man-made lake near Charlotte, with stripers, spotted bass, and largemouth.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Lake Norman for largemouth bass, spotted bass and striped bass. The best months overall are Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov. In October, largemouth bass, spotted bass and striped bass are in season, and Soft Stick Bait, Ned Rig and Drop Shot are a good place to start. There are 12 shops within 45 miles (2 fly, 10 bait and tackle); the closest is Fishin' Lake Norman in Mooresville, 1 mi away.

Best Months

Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov

In October

Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass

Methods

Spin, cast & bait

Season at a Glance

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F
M
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M
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J
A
S
O
N
D

What You'll Catch

Lake Norman Species

Largemouth Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Mar to Jun, Sep to Oct

Spotted Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Feb to Apr, Oct to Dec

Striped Bass

Prime Now
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

12 picks for October. ● means in season that month.

  • Walking Topwater 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Topwater · Striped Bass, Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass · Surface blitzes.

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  • Soft Stick Bait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Largemouth Bass

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  • Ned Rig 2.5 to 3 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Spotted Bass

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  • Drop Shot 3 to 4 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Spotted Bass

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  • Bass Jig 3/8 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Largemouth Bass

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  • Spinnerbait 3/8 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Stained water.

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  • Bladed Jig 3/8 to 1/2 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Around grass.

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  • Squarebill Crankbait 1.5 to 2.5 in

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Lipless Crankbait 1/2 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Paddle-Tail Swimbait 3 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Striped Bass

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  • Bucktail Jig 1/4 to 2 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Striped Bass

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  • Live Minnows 1 to 3 in

    Bait

    Live Bait · Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass · Live shad or herring.

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Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Largemouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod, bass-taper floating line, 12 to 16 lb leader for poppers and divers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluorocarbon or 50 lb braid around heavy cover.

Spotted Bass

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 2500 reel, 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon.

Striped Bass

Fly 9 ft 9 wt rod, intermediate or sinking line, 20 lb leader. Clousers and Deceivers.

Spin / Cast 7 to 8 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000 to 5000 reel, 30 lb braid with a 20 to 30 lb leader.

Matched to These Species

Gear for Lake Norman

Soft Plastics

Yamamoto Senko 5 in

The original salted stick bait. Fish it weightless or wacky rigged.

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Soft Plastics

Zoom Trick Worm

A floating finesse worm for Texas rigs, shaky heads, and Carolina rigs.

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Crankbaits

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap

The classic lipless rattling crankbait for flats and schooling fish.

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Line

PowerPro Spectra Braided Line

Thin, strong braid for long casts, sensitivity, and pulling fish from cover.

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Rod & Reel Combos

Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo

Nearly unbreakable and sensitive enough for most freshwater fishing. A safe first combo.

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Rods

St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rod

A sensitive, lightweight rod for finesse plastics and jigs.

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Reels

Shimano Sedona Spinning Reel

A smooth, durable reel in sizes for trout through inshore saltwater.

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Reels

Pflueger President Spinning Reel

Light and smooth for its price. A favorite for finesse and panfish rods.

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Within 45 Miles

Shops Near Lake Norman