| Lake Gaston is located in both Virginia and North | | | | the southside arms, especially Lees and Poe. We like |
| Carolina. It is a large lake of 20,300 acres. Many | | | | to fish these areas around the boathouses, rip rap, |
| professional and amateur tournaments are held here | | | | and laydowns with a chrome / blue Ambush Stealth |
| each year, so it receives a good deal of fishing | | | | Diver and a Terminator Colorado spinnerbait. We stick |
| pressure. This is where we competed in the Regional | | | | to the structure that is in the 5-10 foot deep water. |
| Finals for the Red Man Tournament Trail in 2000. The | | | | Bass here start to spawn around April 15th, and last |
| main species of fish in the lake are largemouth bass, | | | | till around June. The other areas that can be real |
| striped bass, and black crappie. Other species include | | | | productive are Pea Hill and Six-Pound Creeks. |
| some walleye, chain pickerel, white perch, bluegill, and | | | | Sometimes we use floating worms, and wacky-rig |
| catfish. The main forage base is composed of | | | | them for some hot action. Another method that |
| alewife, gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and herring.Lake | | | | works good in these areas is soft plastic jerkbaits. |
| Gaston has relatively stable water levels, and high | | | | During the tournament, and at other times also, we |
| quality water. There is a good population of | | | | really caught most of the better fish on these baits. |
| largemouth bass, with many large fish available. Most | | | | "Sizmic" Flu-Go's" were our top producers. Lake |
| of the bass we catch at Gaston run around 15 inches | | | | Gaston is known for a good topwater bite. You can |
| and about 1 1/2 pounds. We have caught numerous 5 | | | | really get into some decent bass in these areas on |
| and 6 pounders and some larger fish were caught in | | | | buzzbaits and poppers also. Even Lucky Craft |
| the finals. In fact, some of these fish were 8 or 9 | | | | "Sammy's" produce well at times.Later in the year, |
| pounds. The lake record is 14 pounds 2 ounces, so | | | | about June, the largemouth like to relate to classic |
| there are plenty of big bass left in Lake Gaston. | | | | bottom structure like humps, points, and stream |
| Gaston's striped bass fishery depends mainly on | | | | channels, or even large beds of hydrilla. These hydrilla |
| stocking. Many striped bass are caught each year | | | | beds produce large bass as well as numbers until |
| that weigh 3 to 8 pounds, but plenty of 20 pounders | | | | about September. We usually probe the deep |
| are taken each year. The walleyes are doing good at | | | | weedline with a Texas-rigged worm or Yamamoto |
| Gaston also and many trophy fish of 8, 9 , & 10 | | | | grub. The 'SENKO's' also produce well here. Usually in |
| pounds are caught. We caught a few of the Strpiers | | | | the mornings and at dark, we twitch jerkbaits over |
| while fishing for bass on the Lucky Craft crankbait | | | | the top of the hydrilla, or even throw Terminator |
| shown below.The striped bass make a spawning run | | | | buzzbaits.If you like to fish structure, then the main |
| each year up to the Roanoke river in April and May. | | | | lake points at creek mouths like Pretty Creek are |
| Lake Gaston has a variety of structure also, such as | | | | good. Another good spot that has bass on humps |
| submerged bridges, stumps, submerged roads, and | | | | and drop offs is Hubquarter and Lyons Creeks. The |
| lots of grass in the summer. Most of the water | | | | 15-20 foot deep area are best, as that is where |
| flowing into Lake Gaston comes from the Roanoke | | | | most of the baitfish are. Carolina rigged lizards are a |
| river. The visibility in the lake usually ranges from 4-8 | | | | good choice, as are for worms, 'SENKO's' and grubs. |
| feet, although heavy rains can make it muddy. There | | | | At times, we catch good fish here on deeper |
| is a thermocline in Gaston in the summer at about | | | | crankbaits as well. The water starts to cool off a lot |
| 20-25 feet. In the summer, oxygen levels are low are | | | | in October and November, and the bass start moving |
| far down as Great Creek. The bottom is sand and | | | | back to the 5-10 foot deep water. The best areas at |
| gravel with some flats covered in silt, and clay | | | | this time are Jimmie's, Lizard, and Six-Pound Creeks. |
| hillsides. The shoreline is mostly wooded, with some | | | | We use a 3/8 to 1/2 ounce jig at this time, with a |
| high slopes. North Carolina Power and Virginia Power | | | | black/blue or brown/orange 'Uncle Josh Pork |
| owns the entire 350 mile shoreline. There are lots of | | | | trailer'.We like to carry several spinning rods for the |
| docks, rip rapped banks, and brushpiles. there are | | | | lighter lures, in different lengths, from 6-61/2 feet, |
| really a lot weeds, including elodea, milfoil, and hydrilla. | | | | with a medium action, in a good graphite rod such as |
| This is especially true in the creek arms and coves, | | | | a G Loomis and Falcon. We like Shimano and Tica |
| with the deep weedline at about 10 feet. They do | | | | reels, spooled with a 8-10 pound Trilene. For |
| treat the grass and also have added some grass | | | | baitcasters, we carry a variety of rods, in 6 1/2 to 7 |
| carps.The best locations for largemouth bass in the | | | | foot lengths, in a medium/hvy action, and a crankbait |
| spring (March & April), are the northside creeks, | | | | rod, in 7 foot. We use Falcon's and G Loomis rods, |
| especially Pea Hill and Lizard. They normally turn on | | | | and Shimano reels on most outfits, with 17-20 pound |
| first as soon as the water temperature reaches | | | | test. |
| about 50 degrees. The next places that turn on is | | | | |