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5,000-acre lake near Mount Gilead. A Pee Dee/Uwharrie reservoir below Badin. Points, brush and a solid largemouth and white-bass fishery. The lake tops out around 80 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Lake Tillery draws 5,055 acres inside 87.2 miles of shoreline, broken up by 8 islands. The 8.8 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 71% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Figure 13.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.2 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Stanly County. For a second option, Badin Lake lies 11 mi north.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (15 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (15 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (15 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Sharp break (15 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Richland Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Richland Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Richland Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Sharp break (15 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (68 ft) |
Early season white bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 40 ft. Put Richland Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Richland Creek inflow (8 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (68 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Sharp break (15 ft) | Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 18 structure features on Lake Tillery; the deepest is Deep basin at about 68 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for North Carolina waters are set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — and special regulations can apply to Lake Tillery specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Carolina fishing regulations →
Lake Tillery is about 80 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, white bass, bluegill on Lake Tillery.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Lake Tillery is regulated by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Check the official North Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Badin Lake 11 mi · High Rock Lake 28 mi · Mountain Island Lake 48 mi · Lake Norman 52 mi · Lake Wylie 56 mi, NC/SC · Lake Robinson 59 mi, SC · Jordan Lake 67 mi · Harris Lake 68 mi · Lake Wateree 74 mi, SC · W. Kerr Scott Reservoir 88 mi · Neal Shoals Reservoir 88 mi, SC · Falls Lake 93 mi
See how Lake Tillery stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in North Carolina · best crappie lakes in North Carolina · best bluegill lakes in North Carolina · best channel catfish lakes in North Carolina
Browse all North Carolina fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.