Big Dan Lake Fishing near Stuart, North Carolina

• Overview

  Stokes County in North Carolina is where Big Dan Lake sits. The water sits 1,106 feet up. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Supplies mean a trip to Stuart, 9.9 miles off. Winston-Salem sits 32 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Big Dan Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Survey and observation records for Stokes County include fantail darter, margined madtom, Roanoke darter and redbreast sunfish. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Big Dan Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 75°F, with January the cold end at about 36°F. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Big Dan Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Witherow Lake sits 6.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Big Dan Lake carry more weight than any list.