Thread: Hyco, last two days

Is there still a limit on the number of crappie you can keep on Hyco?

My best bassfishing trip ever was there in 2000.

Bo Bryant
Jacksonville, NC

BO, yes, there is still a liimit of 20 at Hyco. I think it has helped a lot. the crappie fishin has been gettin better there ever since they put the limit on. the day we got 75 Bass was the best numbers day. had a 5 fish limit there a couple yrs back that went 38lbs!

Originally Posted by fishdoc

crappie fished yesterday, from 11AM til 3pm. caught 70 crappie, with half of'em from 10 to 12 inches. Bass fished today an caught 2 crappie, 3 whitebass an 75 LMB. got into a school brakin rite afore sundown and got 47 bass out of it! awsome couple days.:D

Hey Doc, do you know if there have been any 2-3 lb crappie caught at Hyco in the last 20 years? Do you ever fish McIntosh in Burlington? Twenty one years ago we used to catch lots of crappie, on average, weighing a pound. I've fished the rock quarry over 25 yrs. ago and there were 3-4 lb. slabs caught. The wife, myself and a fishing buddy were fishing in the quarry about a year after McIntosh opened and we saw something that we hadn't ever seen before. There were thousands upon thousands of fresh water jelly fish about the size of your pinkie nail in the quarry area. Have you ever heard of these little freshwater creatures? Do you know how many bridges there are over Mc. lake?

The last time we were at Hyco, there was a warning on eating some of the fish. Something to do with chemical spills from the plant.

Does that include crappie?

Got a friend who has a house on Hyco and has invited me and the little lady up there. May go soon. Would like to know about eating the crappie from there.

It is a beautiful lake.

Bo Bryant
Jacksonville, NC

Bo, I haven't heard anything about a chemical spill, but I haven't asked the lake wardens either. What I suggest is that you have your friend contact the lake and ask. Don't want to tell you something wrong, Fish Doc can probably answer that for you also. The wife is originally from Wilmington. Do you do any fishing in the Cape Fear River? We haven't been there in about 20 or so years. When we were there last we saw quite a few gators around the USS North Carolina. Do you know how bad that situation has gotten in the last few years?

they lifted the warnin on eatin fish at Hyco bout 8 yrs ago. it was caused by the chimneys, they had to build new ones with some kinda after burner on it. Joe, I've seen an caught several crappie at Hyco that would weigh tween 2 an nearly 3lbs in the last 20yrs. never fished macintosh. caught nearly a thousand fish outa Hyco since the first of the yr.(90% released) why ya wanna go anywhere else? better winter place than all these places ya askin bout. IMHO

Thanks fish doc for the information.

Crappie King Joe I haven't fished the cape fear in about two years. Usually I fish the Northeast Cape fear a little above Wilminton. I put in at Holland Shelter. It has been good bass fishing there. But you have to contend with what the locals call "black fish."

Sutton Lake at Wilmington has come back in the last few years. It is a good winter fishing spot since the discharge is hot water. I was down there not long ago. They stock it with Florida strain bass. I have never fished it for crappie. I don't know how it is for them. I have never seen anyone fishing there for crappie. Might ought to give it a triy.

Bo Bryant
Jacksonville, NC

Thanks Doc, for the info and helping Bo out with his question. No, I don't think there is a better winter place. Just curious if you had fished Mcintosh. Belews Creek used to be pretty good in the cold months too, but it's just too far for me. Bo, told you the Doc would probably have your answer, and we both learned something new. What are black fish? Can't say as I have ever heard of them? Might be worth it to try Sutton for the slabs since it sounds like it is mostly fished for the bass.