Unlimited Tailwaters

[Onslow]

I've been trying to get a handle the best temperate bass destinations near my house. I've been to a few. 

This one is about 45 minutes away in the Catawba watershed. No official access here, just guerilla canoe launching. Non jet boats would have a hard time motoring up.

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The lake below the dam has the highest #s of stocked hybrids, and that was what I was hoping for. There were 5 dudes on the bank wading at the edge of the discharge sluice throwing both live bait and plastics.  I did not see them catch a fish.  It wasn't too long before I caught my first but it was a bama.

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Not long after, this.

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A big bass was swimming around the crappie as I was pulling it in.  It took a 2/0 Sparkle Yummy.

After getting tired of fishing the discharge area, I paddled around the dam looking for carp.  I proceeded to catch a 24 inch flathead on a clouser and a channel cat on a SY. I changed up the offerings and caught this one on a heavy #2 WB

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I had hope the water would be shut down by 9, but it wasn't until I loaded up that it was.

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One of the locals told me the stripers and hybrids bite year round, but in spurts. At least I did not leave empty handed. 3 bama bass were caught.

[Sedition and Pockets]

A reasonable sized flattie on the fly is way cooler than a fucking Bama spot

[Onslow]

I tried the lip grab bass pose with the flathead but I couldn't one hand it when it started the Shakira moves.

[Sedition and Pockets]

    

Real