Lake Glenville Fishing: A Quality Over Quantity Experience

Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake Glenville is an angler's paradise that promises a serene fishing experience across all seasons. Whether you're casting your line through the vibrant hues of fall, chasing the gentle ripples under a crisp winter sky, reveling in the rebirth of nature in spring, or enjoying the lazy summer days by the waters, this guide is your insider's passage to making the most of lake's bountiful waters. As your friendly local guide, I'm here to spill the beans on the best spots, the most effective baits, and the little secrets that make fishing here a memory to cherish—no matter when you decide to visit.

What type of fish can you catch on Lake Glenville, NC?

Oh, the variety of fish in Lake Glenville is something to get excited about! You'll find both largemouth and smallmouth bass just waiting to give you a run for your money, and let me tell you, those beauties do put up a delightful fight. If you're looking for something a bit more laid-back, crappie fishing here is almost akin to a serene art form, perfect for anglers who appreciate finesse. Yellow perch add a splash of color to your catch, and the excitement doesn't stop there. For those of you who love the thrill of trout fishing, Lake Glenville is home to both rainbow and brown trout, each skilled at evading capture in their own playful ways. And, if you're particularly lucky, you might just hook the elusive walleye—an occasional yet treasured guest in our waters. Just imagine reeling in such a diverse catch, here where the clear mountain waters meet the sky.

What is the primary fishing forage on Lake Glenville, NC?

Lake Glenville is an oligotrophic highland reservoir, which means it's nutrient-poor but filled with oxygen-rich waters. Fed by the West Fork of the Tuckaseegee River and its tributaries in Jackson County NC, this man-made lake is home to various species of trout, bass, and sunfish. Its deep, clear waters stretch over 1,400 acres (5.7 km²) at an elevation of 3,500 ft, the highest elevation of any lake east of the Mississippi River.

The primary forage in the lake is the large population of blueback herring as well as bream and crawfish, so the bass fishing patterns will tightly follow mimicking these types of forage with natural presentations due to the clarity of the water and the limited cover.

 

What are the best lures to use on Lake Glenville, NC?

In general, the best lures on on Glenville and frankly all of the mountain lakes of Western NC such as Bear Lake or Lake Fontana, are going to be natural presentations that mimic blueback herring, bream or crawfish as the water is typically very clear and these are the primary forage on the lake for the bass.

The specific types of lures will differ depending on the season and the patterns and we'll cover that later on in this article. Finally, while I describe here my go-to lures that work year over year, the fishing industry is always coming up with new innovations. The key as always is to match the hatch and look for lures that are going to mimic the main food sources of the lake.

What lures should you always have tied on when fishing Lake Glenville, NC

Let's start with the lures you should always have tied on when fishing Lake Glenville, NC regardless of the season:

1. A green pumpkin jig with a crawfish trailer - Simply put these get bit any time of the year and typically will get bigger bites. I prefer to have my jig have some hints of purple and orange in them and for a trailer you can't go wrong with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw as a trailer.
2. Dropshot - a green pumpkin dropshot is a year round fish catcher. Rig it up weedless so that you can throw it in the fallen trees and sunken brush piles. While there are numerous options for a drop shot, I find the Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Dream Shot in green pumpkin to be a reliable fish catcher
3. Ned Rig - The ned rig is also another year round fish catcher. While there are a wide variety of ned rigs you can try, I find that the Z-Man Finesse TRD in Green Pumpkin Gobi to work very well on Lake Glenville, NC.
4. Stick Bait - A stick bait is a versatile lure that can be used year round on Lake Glenville, NC. Rig it wacky or weedless with an offset 3/0 or 4/0 hook and throw it around cover. My favorite is a Yamamoto Senko in the baby bass color or green pumpkin.

What are the best color fishing lures to use on Lake Glenville, NC?

The best colors to use depends on the weather. On cloudy days where there isn't as much sunlight you want something that is going to absorb light and be bold in the water and hence white and pearl colored lures are going to be your best bet.

On sunny days you either want to create a lot of flash or look very natural so go with something in chrome for flash or green pumpkin for a natural color.

What fishing lures work best in the spring on Lake Glenville, NC?

The springtime is going to be divided up into three timeframes according to the spawning patterns of the bass: pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn.

Pre-spawn fishing on Lake Glenville typically involves throwing bait fish patterns off points and under docks on sunny days. Here are my go to lures in the pre-spawn:

1. Alabama Rig - An Alabama rig like the Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr with 3.3 inch Keitech Swing Impact is a go to in the spring and catches lots of big fish.
2. Jerk Bait - The Mega Bass Vision 110+1 is another goto in the early spring and the late fall as well when the water gets below 55 degrees. Fish this off points and along the banks closer to deep water in 8-10 feet of water and you are bound to hook up with a nice smallmouth bass.
3. Stick Bait - A stick bait like a Yamamoto Senko is on sunny days under docks can be a great fish catcher in the spring as bass hold under docks for warmth. Rig it wacky or weedless & weightless on an offset hook

During the spawn, fish will start moving to the backs of coves in shallow water as they begin to nest. During this time you are really trying to annoy the fish or threaten it's nest so it becomes less about the color and the style of lure and more about what you can control.

Here are some great lures to try to throw at bedding fish:

1. A jig - While i normally like to throw natural color jigs, during the spawn it's more important to be able to see your jig in the water so go for something bold, like a pearl.
2. Spinner Bait - I am a big fan of the War Eagle Spinner bait with nickel and chrome blades. This can be good around bed and in and around the backs of coves and around sunken trees when the water temp is in the mid 60's.
3. Popper - throwing a popper on top of bedding fish is a great way to trigger a defensive strike. While any popper will do, I am a big fan of the Don Iovino Splash it in a shad color like Blue Neon Shad or Blue Pink Shad.

The post spawn is perhaps my favorite time of the year to fish the lake. Fish start to get really aggressive and topwater strikes really come into play. Here are my favorite lures during the post spawn

1. Wake Bait - fishing a Bomber Long A in pearl as a wake bait along rock walls can really trigger some fantastic smallmouth bass and largemouth bass bites in the post spawn.
2. Spook / Walking bait - Throwing walking baits along seawalls becomes one of the primary patterns in the post spawn as the largemouth bass start to feed on the herring who are spawning along the seawalls, especially in the early morning. While there are many of these baits that will work, I love the Heddon Super Spook in bone or sexy shad as these lures are both inexpensive and have three treble hooks for a better hook up ratio.
3. Spinner Baits - Throwing spinner baits like the War Eagle Spinner bait along rock walls and rip rap in the morning when the herring are spawning is a great way to get a bite.
4. Stick Bait - A stick bait like a Yamamoto Senko is on sunny days under docks or around brush can be a great fish catcher in the spring as bass get up under cover.

What fishing lures work best in the Summer on Lake Glenville, NC?

In the early summer the pattern on Lake Glenville, NC is much like the pre-spawn as the largemouth bass are up along rocky banks chasing the herring. However, as the post spawn ends and the bass have recovered from the spawn they become more picky about what they are going to eat as there simply are too many herring around. Largemouth bass can be caught shallow by throwing fast moving or really large baits really close to shore along rocky banks and points. Here are some great lures to do that with:

1. Crank Baits - any shallow diving crank bait in white, chrome or a natural color will work. I actually like to repurpose the Bomber Long A that I throw as a wake bait in the early spring and now burn it as a crank bait along rocky banks
2. Huge Walking Baits - The 6th Sens Magnum Catwalk is truly massive and can trigger some really large strikes of predatory fish that are waiting for a big easy meal.
3. Drop Shot - A drop shot that is super natural like the Megabass Hazedong Shad can be a great option in the spring as the fish start getting finicky.
4. Popper - You will see fish breaking and having a popper or a walking bait that you can throw to call the fish back up can be a real saviour.

Once the calendar turns to August, Duke Energy starts to bring the water levels down and this changes the patterns on the lake. During this time you can still target fish in wood or under docks but they also will begin to wolfpack, where you will see schools of 3-5 large bass patrolling the banks in the late morning searching for prey. Having something tied on that can emulate a fleeing baitfish is key as this will trigger a competitive reaction strike from the bass.

1. Whopper Plopper - The River2Sea Whopper Plopper 75 in Chrome, Perch or a natural color like Phantom Shad can be a great option for wolf packing fish
2. A green pumpkin jig with a crawfish trailer - Simply put these get bit any time of the year and typically will get bigger bites. I prefer to have my jig have some hints of purple and orange in them and for a trailer you can't go wrong with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw as a trailer.
3. Spook / Walking bait - There really is no funner way to catch fish than topwater in the summer time. While there are many of these baits that will work, I love the Heddon Super Spook in bone or sexy shad as these lures are both inexpensive and have three treble hooks for a better hook up ratio.
4. Stick Bait - A stick bait like a Yamamoto Senko is on sunny days under docks can be a great fish catcher in the spring as bass hold under docks for warmth. Rig it wacky or weedless & weightless on an offset hook
5. Dropshot - a green pumpkin dropshot is a year round fish catcher. Rig it up weedless so that you can throw it in the fallen trees and sunken brush piles. While there are numerous options for a drop shot, I find the Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Dream Shot in green pumpkin to be a reliable fish catcher

What fishing lures work best in the Fall on Lake Glenville, NC?

As the colors start to turn and the water cools, the Lake Glenville fishing can really heat up. Here are some of my favorite lures to throw in the early fall (September - Oct 15):

1. A green pumpkin jig with a crawfish trailer - Simply put these get bit any time of the year and typically will get bigger bites. I prefer to have my jig have some hints of purple and orange in them and for a trailer you can't go wrong with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw as a trailer.
2. Spinner Baits - Throwing spinner baits like the War Eagle Spinner bait around cover (wood and rocks) and particularly down near the dam can really produce in the fall when the water temps are in the 60's
3. Stick Bait - A stick bait like a Yamamoto Senko is on sunny days under docks can be a great fish catcher in the spring as bass hold under docks for warmth. In addition to the wacky or weedless presentations I use earlier in the year, in the fall I really like to use the Senko on a shaky head and throw it around the many waterfalls.

As the water temperatures become a bit colder, the fishing patterns on Lake Glenville start to mimic the pre-spawn patterns of the spring. My go-to baits during this time are:

1. Alabama Rig - An Alabama rig like the Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr with 3.3 inch Keitech Swing Impact is a go to in the spring and catches lots of big fish.
2. Jerk Bait - The Mega Bass Vision 110+1 is another goto in the early spring and the late fall as well when the water gets below 55 degrees. Fish this off points and along the banks closer to deep water in 8-10 feet of water.
3. Shaky Head - You can often find fish along chunk rock areas of the shoreline using shaky head with a Senko or a Trick work like the Zoom Trick Worm

 

What fishing lures work best in the Winter on Lake Glenville, NC?

During the winter the bite will slow down but you can get bigger bites. Candidly very few people will fish on the lake during this time of year as it can be quite cold, but if you do want to fish during this time my recommendations are:

1. Alabama Rig - An Alabama rig like the Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr with 3.3 inch Keitech Swing Impact
2. A green pumpkin jig with a crawfish trailer - Simply put these get bit any time of the year and typically will get bigger bites. I prefer to have my jig have some hints of purple and orange in them and for a trailer you can't go wrong with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw as a trailer.
3. Ned Rig - The ned rig is a great lure in the winter as it doesn't move quickly and bass will eat this on the fall. I recommend using a Zman finesse TRD on either a mushroom head or a shaky head jig.

Where are the best spots to catch fish on Lake Glenville, NC

The location of the bass will vary throughout the year but there are some key places that tend to hold fish year round. Here are my top 10 fishing spots on the lake:

1. Hurricane Creek and Hurricane Falls - At the far south end of the lake is Hurricane Falls. This area and the mouth of the creek in front of it hold fish almost year round. You can often find small mouth bass breaking in the middle of the creek in the early morning
2. Hurricane Island - This is the island at the mouth of Hurricane creek, immediately to the south of Rocky Point. The point at the northern end of this island holds fish year round.
3. Trillium Point - On the western shore of the lake just north of Rocky Point there is a sandy point that protects the mouth of a creek. This point and the creek itself are always a great spot to try
4. Cedar Point - There is a cove behind Cedar Point and in front of Hwy 107 along the lake. This cove holds lots of fish as it gets deep fast and there is a culvert that runs under Hwy 107 to the little lake on the other side of the road. This can be another great area to target smallmouth bass year round.
5. Eagle Island - I am not sure if this is the actual name of this island but this is the second northern most island on the lake and has a Bald Eagle nest on the eastern shore. In the summer there are fish all around the rock walls on this island.
6. Norton Falls - This is the second of the triumphant trifecta of waterfalls on the lake. It's a great spot to check year round, but particularly in the spring or after there has been a lot of rain and a lot of fresh water is coming into the lake from the falls.
7. Damn Islands - There are several small islands on the northern end of the lake in front of the damn. On the south side of the southern most of these two islands is a rocky shore with a fallen tree. This area is always usually good for a fish or two.
8. The Damn - The rip rap along the main damn at the northern most end of the lake can hold alot of fish, particularly in the fall when the water gets into the mid 60's.
9. Mill Falls - This is the third of the triumphant trifecta of waterfalls and just like Hurricane Falls and Norton Falls is always a great spot to check for fish.
10. Pine Creek - This area at the far north west end of the lake can be another great area to target bass, particularly largemouth bass. There are large flats at the mouth of the creek that often hold lunkers cruising for bait.
11. Docks, Rock Walls and Fallen Trees - there is not much if any grass on the lake so the only cover the fish really have docks, rock walls and fallen trees. These are all over the lake so just look for the closest ones, particularly those near a point.

Where can you get a fishing license near Lake Glenville, NC?

The closest places to go to get a North Carolina Fishing Licenses are Brookings Anglers in Cashiers, NC or Signal Ridge Marina in Glenville, NC. Finally, there's always the convenience of purchasing one online through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, where a few clicks will get you ready to cast that line.

Where can you buy fishing tackle near Lake Glenville, NC?

The closest places to go to get basic fishing tackle near Lake Glenville are Brookings Anglers in Cashiers, NC or Signal Ridge Marina in Glenville, NC.

If you need a more robust selection of tackle, then head down to Silva, NC to Dream Catchers Fishing Supply, where they have the best selection of tackle in Jackson County and frankly all of Western NC and the shop is staffed by local fishing experts.

Are there any fishing guides you can hire on Lake Glenville, NC?

Austin Neary and the team at Dream Catchers Fishing Supply are the best bass fishing guides in Western North Carolina and offer expert fishing guide trips on Lake Glenville, NC.

Are there any public fishing areas on Lake Glenville, NC?

There is a fishing pier near the power house boat launch off of Pine Creek Road. It also is possible to fish from the shore near The Pines Recreation area or Ralph Andrews Park.

How clean is Lake Glenville NC?

The lake is more than 100 feet deep and contains three main waterfalls that can only be viewed from within the lake. It is the tallest lake east of the Mississippi. The lake is the only in NC to be awarded the highest level of water quality.

How deep is Lake Glenville North Carolina?

The depth drops a bit quintessentially along a coastline at 80 feet, some locations reaching more than 300 feet.