Fishing at Lake Crabtree, Wake County, North Carolina

• Overview

  Lake Crabtree lies in Wake County, in North Carolina. It lies 276 feet above sea level. The water covers around 454 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Some 4.6 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. On our Wake County list it sits near the top for size. For a base, Morrisville sits 1.9 miles out. For a city, Cary is 3.1 miles off. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Lake Crabtree

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Wake County include bluegill, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Treat Lake Crabtree as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 79°F in July and bottom out at 40°F in January. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Lake Crabtree runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Brier Creek Reservoir is 2.6 miles distant. Ask locally about Lake Crabtree if anything is unclear.