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W. Kerr Scott Reservoir

Wilkes County, NC · 1 hr 15 min from Greensboro

Best · SpringBest · SummerBest · Fall

Surface area

1,470 acres

Max depth

130 ft

Primary species

Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Catfish

From Greensboro · NC

1 hr 15 min

Live conditions · W. Kerr Scott Reservoir

Water level & flow gauges

Live pool elevation, discharge, and (where instrumented) water temperature from official operators. Opens in a new tab.

Structure & water

USACE Yadkin River impoundment in the Brushy Mountain foothills — deep, clear, highland-style reservoir with steep rocky banks, bluffs, standing timber in upper creek arms, and submerged road beds. Alewife forage drives a strong offshore spotted-bass and largemouth bite. Cooler water, more vertical structure, and clearer than the Piedmont lakes — fishes more like a smallmouth lake than a typical NC reservoir. Walleye fishery is the best within driving range.

Forage: Alewife, threadfin shad, bluegill, crayfish

Forage profile

  • Alewife40%
  • Threadfin shad25%
  • Bluegill18%
  • Crayfish10%

Structure mix

  • Rock / Riprap38%
  • Wood / Timber38%
  • Points25%

Hot spots

  • Boomer / Warrior Creek arms

    Main creek arms with timber, rock, and steep banks. Jerkbait and shaky head in pre-spawn; topwater on points in summer.

  • Main-lake bluffs (mid-lake)

    Vertical rock walls with timber bases — spots and largemouth suspend here. Jerkbait, jig, and dropshot in 15–35 ft.

  • Damsite / lower lake offshore

    Deep main-lake points and humps in 25–40 ft. Alewife schooling bite at dawn; flutter spoon and dropshot midday.

Top patterns

Pre-spawn / Fall

Jerkbait

Megabass Vision 110 or Rapala Shadow Rap on rock-to-clay transitions and bluff faces. Long pauses (10+ seconds) in cold water.

Summer

Dropshot / Shaky Head

1/4 oz dropshot with a Roboworm on offshore brush and bluff faces in 20–35 ft. The clear water makes finesse essential.

Summer–Fall

Topwater / Walking Bait

Spook or Whopper Plopper 90 over main-lake points at dawn when alewives are schooling on the surface.

Launches & marinas

  • Damsite Boat Ramp (USACE)

    499 Reservoir Rd, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

    Public ramp

    Phone: (336) 921-3390

    Fees: Daily parking fee

    Concrete double rampCourtesy docksPaved parkingRestroomsVisitor center

    Primary access at the dam — best for offshore alewife bite and main-lake fishing.

  • Warrior Creek Boat Ramp (USACE)

    Warrior Creek Park Rd, Purlear, NC 28665

    Public ramp

    Fees: Daily parking fee

    Concrete double rampCourtesy dockPaved parkingCampingRestrooms

    Upper-end access into Warrior Creek — best spring spawning water.

  • Bandits Roost Boat Ramp (USACE)

    Bandits Roost Rd, Wilkesboro, NC

    Public ramp

    Fees: Daily parking fee

    Concrete double rampCourtesy dockPaved parkingCampingRestrooms

    Mid-lake / north-side access. Good all-purpose ramp.

Regulations

NC fishing license required. Largemouth/spotted bass: 14" minimum, 5/day aggregate. Walleye: 15" minimum, 8/day. No HP restriction; 35 mph speed limit.

Last verified . Rules & fees change — confirm with the state agency before your trip.

Local tip

W. Kerr Scott fishes nothing like the rest of the region — it's a clear, deep, alewife lake that rewards finesse and vertical presentations. Bring dropshot rods and a graph you trust. In summer, run to the damsite at first light and look for surface-schooling alewives on the long main-lake points — when you see them break, a Spook or small swimbait gets bit. Walleye are a real bonus species; troll deep-diving cranks on the same offshore structure after the bass bite dies.

Log a catch hereTechnique details