4/10 - 12 Roanoke Arm

[bodywarrior]

Fish marks have all but dissapeared in Indian and main lake around there. I only caught one pulling bait on boards in 3 days. Ran way up Roanoke to 3ft deep with current, and checked out tressel area and jumping run too. Are the majority of the fish moving down towards the dam. My wife is coming fishing with me on the 23rd. What would be a good area to trailer to down lake be in a couple of weeks, catch bait and fish nearby? Thanks for any help!
God Bless!

[johnr]

I think it’s a little early for mass movement to the dam, but surely some will be starting now. In mid April (now), I like to transition from fishing the creek backs to fishing the main lake in anticipation of their migration. Still pulling huge baits in very shallow water. As April progresses into May, I tend to focus my efforts from halesford bridge southward. Not all fish go to the dam. I’ve had some of my very best days size and numbers wise, in mid May fishing the midsection of each river arm.

One thing to consider during the April migration is the effect of structure and how it moves fish. Fish aren’t necessarily camped at one area now or going to specific areas to feed, so you’ll want to put yourself in high probability areas, areas that are likely to be used by migrating fish, prominent structures. You’re now trying to capitalize on their opportunistic feeding behavior by being in an area they’ll pass through with regularity, rather than trying to be in a traditional feeding area like the back of a creek. These structures that funnel and direct fish will reload all day long with fresh fish, and can lead to amazing fishing opportunities. Maps are key to finding these areas.

I like to find main lake points, clean shallow shorelines, coves, or shelves that fall off DIRECTLY into the old main river channel.

[piper]

Apr 13, 2021 7:20:15 GMT -5 bodywarrior said:

Fish marks have all but dissapeared in Indian and main lake around there. I only caught one pulling bait on boards in 3 days. Ran way up Roanoke to 3ft deep with current, and checked out tressel area and jumping run too. Are the majority of the fish moving down towards the dam. My wife is coming fishing with me on the 23rd. What would be a good area to trailer to down lake be in a couple of weeks, catch bait and fish nearby? Thanks for any help!
God Bless!

In my limited experience on the lake Ive found that the larger gizzards tend to hang around the bridge up and the ales dominate midlake down. Ive found gizzards in limited quantities scattered around the dam but again ales flourish fwiw.

[herringbone]

Apr 13, 2021 8:21:17 GMT -5 johnr said:

I think it’s a little early for mass movement to the dam, but surely some will be starting now. In mid April (now), I like to transition from fishing the creek backs to fishing the main lake in anticipation of their migration. Still pulling huge baits in very shallow water. As April progresses into May, I tend to focus my efforts from halesford bridge southward. Not all fish go to the dam. I’ve had some of my very best days size and numbers wise, in mid May fishing the midsection of each river arm.

One thing to consider during the April migration is the effect of structure and how it moves fish. Fish aren’t necessarily camped at one area now or going to specific areas to feed, so you’ll want to put yourself in high probability areas, areas that are likely to be used by migrating fish, prominent structures. You’re now trying to capitalize on their opportunistic feeding behavior by being in an area they’ll pass through with regularity, rather than trying to be in a traditional feeding area like the back of a creek. These structures that funnel and direct fish will reload all day long with fresh fish, and can lead to amazing fishing opportunities. Maps are key to finding these areas.

I like to find main lake points, clean shallow shorelines, coves, or shelves that fall off DIRECTLY into the old main river channel.

Newbie on this one, I would have thought that most fish were upriver or at least headed that way this time of year, not there and headed back down. Just thinking of experiences fishing the Roanoke in N.C. and timing this time of year. Only got a couple trips under my belt at SML but planning to change that for sure. Love the lake and the style of fishing.

[johnr]

Some fish will run up the river starting in late Feb, but this is in response to warming water temps and gizzard migrations into that warmer water. Some will go as far as they can upstream, and then in mid April they turn around and run to the dam to try spawning throughout May. And then by early June they’ve gone back up the rivers, quite far at times depending on how cool the water has stayed.

There will be stragglers here and there, as not all fish attempt to spawn at the dam, or even attempt to spawn at all. Some try to do it in certain creek mouths around the lake and I’m sure some stay up in the rivers to try. But the majority head to the dam area, lower basin and confluence for the month of May where they try to get it on.

[bodywarrior]

Thanks John that is a wealth of information on fish movements on the lake. Thanks for taking the time to share it.

[herringbone]

Very good info. The movement down lake to try to spawn is the total opposite of my thinking.

[piper]

Apr 13, 2021 20:39:56 GMT -5 johnr said:

Some fish will run up the river starting in late Feb, but this is in response to warming water temps and gizzard migrations into that warmer water. Some will go as far as they can upstream, and then in mid April they turn around and run to the dam to try spawning throughout May. And then by early June they’ve gone back up the rivers, quite far at times depending on how cool the water has stayed.

There will be stragglers here and there, as not all fish attempt to spawn at the dam, or even attempt to spawn at all. Some try to do it in certain creek mouths around the lake and I’m sure some stay up in the rivers to try. But the majority head to the dam area, lower basin and confluence for the month of May where they try to get it on.

These herds are a sight to be seen. Ive heard stories from back in the day in which you could "walk on water" the schools were so thick. I havnt witnessed them that large but have def. had blackout conditions a few times. Now getting them to bite when they are in the mode is a whooole different story.

[piper]

Apr 14, 2021 7:43:08 GMT -5 herringbone said:

Very good info. The movement down lake to try to spawn is the total opposite of my thinking.

The infamous "Cedar Key" mating grounds .   Watch out for the trees though.. 

[cmstower]

Good to see a few people helping out i haven't fished the keys since the die off but we did have a few really good times in there. I haven't fished the lower end of the lake but a few times since starting back. We did fish a few times last year down there in spring but really didn't do much. I normally start night fishing this time of year can't stand getting into a crowd, but last spring we didn't do much good at all. We normally don't go further than the state park. So dont count out the night bite either.

[bodywarrior]

Fished around State Park earlier this week. Bait was tough down that way. Caught one 29" Striper off of a confluence point plus 3 really big large mouth on big gizards and ales.