Belews Lake
Stokes/Rockingham County, NC
Surface area
3,863 acres
Max depth
130 ft
Primary species
Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass
Live conditions · Belews Lake
Structure & water
Steep clear-water reservoir with bluff walls, standing timber in the upper end, and deep main-lake points. Warm-water discharge from the Duke Energy steam plant keeps the south end fishable year-round.
Forage: Threadfin shad, alewife, blueback herring, bluegill
Hot spots
Hot Hole (discharge)
Winter and early pre-spawn magnet — fish stage on the warm current edges.
Pine Hall Bridge area
Riprap and bridge pilings hold pre-spawn and post-spawn bass.
Carolina Marina pockets
Spawning flats with scattered wood; sight-fish in April.
Main-lake bluff walls (mid-lake)
Summer suspended fish — drop shot and damiki rigs on FFS.
Top patterns
Summer
Drop Shot
20–35 ft on bluffs and offshore brush, 4" minnow nose-hooked. Forward-facing sonar is decisive.
Spring
Wacky Senko
Skip docks in the mid-lake creeks during the spawn — clear water, finesse presentations win.
Winter
Jerkbait
Suspending jerkbait near the Hot Hole, long pauses (8–12s) in 50°F water.
Launches
- Carolina Marina
- Pine Hall Access Area
- Humphries Access Area
Regulations
NC statewide: 14" minimum length, 5 fish daily creel for black bass.
Always verify with the state agency before your trip.
Local tip
Clear water demands a step down in line size — 8 lb fluoro on finesse rigs, natural shad colors. The herring bite explodes in May on main-lake points.