Lake Tabor Fishing near Tabor City, North Carolina

• Overview

  Lake Tabor sits within Columbus County in North Carolina. Tidal water begins 25 miles from here. The water covers some 68 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It lies lower than most water we list in North Carolina. Supplies mean a trip to Tabor City, 1.4 miles off. After that come Loris at 7.6 miles and Chadbourn at 11 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake Tabor

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover American eel, pumpkinseed, redfin pickerel, swamp darter and warmouth. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Lake Tabor the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 80°F in July and bottom out at 44°F in January. There is no frozen season to plan round. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. The season on Lake Tabor rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Buffkin Pond, 5.5 miles out. Rules at Lake Tabor are worth checking on the day.