Salem Lake
Fishing and stocking
Black bass and channel catfish water, stocked through the 2026 season program; 7,000 fish in the published allocation. A 275-acre reservoir, and one of 5 stocked waters on the Forsyth County record.
Forsyth County ยท North Carolina · see it on the national map
What swims here
Black bass
Channel catfish
Season program record
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission publishes this water by season or program window, not by dated schedule, so there are no truck dates to list; the rows below are the published program allocations. The North Carolina season shape statewide: march through may, october and november.
Agency feed checked today.
| Season | Species | Size | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 season | Black bass | fry | 3,000 |
| 2026 season | Channel catfish | yearling | 4,000 |
When to fish Salem Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:58-11:58 am and 10:21 pm-12:21 am | 4:15-5:15 am and 4:32-5:32 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:44 am-12:44 pm | 5:20-6:20 am and 4:59-5:59 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked through the 2026 season program
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · North Carolina fishing forecast
Gear for this water
For the bass (black bass on the season program here, stillwater)
| Medium spinning or casting rod | 6.5 to 7 ft medium; 10 to 12 lb line |
| Stick worms and soft plastics | weightless stick worms around cover; Texas rig in wood |
| Spinnerbaits and squarebills | cover water along banks and riprap |
For the catfish (channel catfish on the season program here, stillwater)
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, 15 to 20 lb line, sturdy reel |
| Circle hooks on a slip-sinker rig | 2/0 to 5/0 circles on a Carolina rig; let them load up |
| Cut bait and prepared baits | fresh cut shad or chicken liver; scent is everything |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Winston Lake | 1.6 mi | 2026 season |
| Kernersville Lake | 6.0 mi | 2026 season |
| Ararat River | 24 mi | Oct 12 |
| Fisher River | 31 mi | Apr 22 |
| South Mayo River (North Fork) VA | 33 mi | Oct 19 |
Follow Forsyth County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule