Fishing Goodmans Lake in Burke County, North Carolina

• Overview

  Out in Burke County, North Carolina, sits Goodmans Lake. The bank is 1,155 feet above sea level. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 5.2 miles away sits Glen Alpine, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Charlotte, 65 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Goodmans Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, striped jumprock, redbreast sunfish, Carolina fantail darter and margined madtom. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Work Goodmans Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 37°F at the bottom of winter. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Goodmans Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Table Rock Fish Hatchery Lake is 5 miles distant. Check the position on Goodmans Lake before loading the car.