Local Intel
Mayo Reservoir
Person County, NC · 1 hr 15 min from Greensboro
Surface area
2,800 acres
Max depth
80 ft
Primary species
Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Catfish, Bluegill
From Greensboro · NC
1 hr 15 min
Live conditions · Mayo Reservoir
Water level & flow gauges
Live pool elevation, discharge, and (where instrumented) water temperature from official operators. Opens in a new tab.
Structure & water
Duke Energy cooling reservoir, sister lake to Hyco about 10 miles east — clear water, heavily wooded shoreline, deep main-lake points, standing timber in the creek arms, and a warm-water discharge from the Mayo coal plant that draws bait year-round. Lightly developed and lightly pressured compared to Hyco. Quieter, more scenic lake with consistent 3–5 lb largemouth and a solid crappie fishery.
Forage: Threadfin shad, gizzard shad, bluegill, crayfish
Forage profile
- Threadfin shad40%
- Gizzard shad25%
- Bluegill18%
- Crayfish10%
Structure mix
- Points50%
- Wood / Timber33%
- Rock / Riprap17%
Hot spots
Power plant discharge (north end)
Warm water concentrates baitfish and bass in winter and early spring. Jerkbait, swimbait, and Alabama rig on the edges of the warm plume.
Main-lake points (mid-lake)
Long sloping clay/rock points in 10–20 ft. Carolina rig, football jig, and deep crank in summer.
Mayo Creek arm (upper end)
Stained spawning water with timber and laydowns. Chatterbait, lipless, and squarebill in pre-spawn.
Top patterns
Winter–Pre-spawn
Jerkbait / A-Rig (Warm Discharge)
Vision 110 or 5-arm Alabama rig with small swimbaits worked on the edges of the warm-water plume. Best Dec–March when the rest of the region is cold.
Summer
1 oz C-rig with Brush Hog or 3/4 oz football jig on main-lake points in 12–22 ft. Slow drag with frequent pauses.
Spring
1/2 oz chatterbait with a Rage Swimmer through Mayo Creek laydowns and stained pockets. Water 55–68°F.
Launches & marinas
- Public ramp
Mayo Park Boat Ramp (Person County)
1559 Neals Store Rd, Roxboro, NC 27574
Phone: (336) 597-1755
Fees: Daily boat permit + park entry fee
Concrete double rampCourtesy dockPaved parkingRestroomsCampingPicnic areaPrimary access on the south/dam end. Quiet park, well-maintained. Buy boat permit at the gate.
Regulations
NC fishing license required. Largemouth: 14" minimum, 5/day. No HP restriction; 25 mph speed limit. Boat permit required from Mayo Park.
Local tip
Mayo is the winter sleeper within 2 hours of Greensboro. While everything else is at 45°F and shut down, the warm plume keeps the north end of Mayo in the high 50s — fish stay active and a jerkbait or A-rig in January can produce a 20 lb stringer. Most locals fish Hyco; Mayo gives you the same warm-water advantage with a quarter of the boat traffic.