Hypothesis

This article asks the question: which is the best Largemouth Bass fishery for kayak tournaments in central North Carolina?

Let’s take a closer look at the question. First, it asks which is the best bass fishery for kayak tournaments. Therefore, the lake must be 1) publicly accessible to kayak launches and 2) able to accommodate a reasonable number of kayaks. So, small lakes and ponds are out of the question. One might also eliminate much larger lakes (I won’t). The majority of kayak tournaments are held on mid-to-large sized lakes in the state. Let’s say 1,000 surface acres/50 shoreline miles and up. That’s our general range.

Now, the second part of the hypothesis. The question introduces a valuation (“best”) that can have multiple quantitative measurements (not to mention qualitative explanations). There is no way to prove which lake is “best” in a definitive way. Do you measure weight? Length? Year class? Forage base? Catch frequency? Harvest numbers? To do so, you would have to sample and survey every mid-sized public lake in the state at the same time, crunch data, analyze the numbers, create charts and spread sheets, explain your methods, etc. You would need more scientists, electro-shock boats and funds for such a project than any entity currently has, and by the time you finished the job the lakes would all have changed.

The best you get is an estimate. And you know what? That’s still pretty good. After review of five years of evidence (2020-2024), I believe the answer is clear.

Remember however that best is for kayak tournaments. The two criteria are inseparable. The question does not ask which fishery is best for bass boats, or jon boats or shore access. It is specific. Therefore, it takes into account the more limited range of kayak fishing vessels. That means it considers how the lake compares to other mid-to-large bass fisheries as a lake for kayak tournaments.

Think of the hypothesis like this: it considers lake size, overall length of limits caught and factors such as how the fishery is managed for paddling access.

Along the way, I will repeat the question, explain the method, provide supporting evidence, and make the case.  Why? Because despite all the questions raised by the hypothesis and methodology, one lake has significantly out-produced other North Carolina lakes in kayak fishing tournaments. That is to say, it has produced bigger limits of bass on a consistent basis and in a manner that appears to make the lake statistically superior to others.

Let’s get away from numbers and methods, sample size and other criteria, dispense with obvious flaws etc. Put simply, leaderboards from catch and release kayak bass fishing tournaments held on Lake Mackintosh in Alamance County have been hotter than last summer.

Now, you could blurt “my farm pond is the best!” But that’s just an opinion. We need some evidence.

Methodology

Sample Size

Using data from kayak tournaments that have a 5-fish limit and using measurement by length to determine the outcome of competition, which is the best Largemouth Bass fishery in North Carolina?

This refinement limits the data set to a great degree:

• The data set uses archived tournament results on TourneyX and Fishing Chaos.
• The sample size was a total of seventy-nine kayak bass fishing tournaments held in central North Carolina since the start of the 2020 fishing tournament season.
• Those seventy nine tournaments span two North Carolina kayak tournament clubs: Carolina Kayak Anglers (CKA), and 42 of their tournaments, and Central Carolina Kayak Fishing (CCKF) and 37 of their events. For 2025, only two events (falls and Harris) were included).
• In chronological terms, the data runs from 2020-2025: CKA adopted a 5 fish limit in 2020 (previously it was 3 fish). CCKF has always required a five fish limit, and it held its first event in November of 2020.
• The data includes only live, in-person, single day tournaments. It does not include charity, on-line or evening wildcat events.
• It does however include non-points events that were in-person, single day tournaments (CCKF held four of those in that span).
• Kayak tournaments from two other clubs (Foothills Kayak Anglers and Queen City Kayak Bass Fishing) that fish in central-western North Carolina were not considered because they use four fish and three fish limits, respectively.
• Historical data from tournaments held prior to 2020 on the lakes was incomplete, but considered at times for purposes of comparison. I tried to avoid extrapolating “probable” limits from those numbers.

A point about nomenclature: For those who don’t know, “Mack” refers to Lake Mackintosh.

Evidence

CCKF Stats

CCKF began holding in-person tournaments in late 2020. Since then, it has held 37 live (as of April 2024), single day events. In those, there have been six limits caught that measured over 100”. Three were caught at Lake Mackintosh, one was caught at Jordan Lake, one at Shearon Harris and another at a smaller lake in the Raleigh area. 

Lake	Angler	Date	Length	Link
Mack	Ricky Rowland	July 2021	104.75”	Standings
Raleigh Lake	Will Lambert	July 2023	103.25”	Standings
Mack	Hank Veggian	April 2023	102.25”	Standings
Jordan	Will Lambert	May 2022	102”	Standings
*Raleigh Lake	Will Lambert	October 2023	101.75”	Standings
Shearon Harris	Wyatt Hammond	July 2022	101.75”	Standings
Mack	Will Lambert	June 2024	101.50”	Standings

* According to the criteria that a lake must be over 1,000 surface acres, the Raleigh Lake limit does not count toward the model, and is included here only for reference.

CKA Stats

CKA adopted a 5 fish limit in 2020. In 42 live (as of March, 2025), single day events since that time, four limits over 100” have been caught in CKA competition:

Lake	Angler	Date	Length	Link
Randleman	Will Lambert	June 2024	104.25”	Standings
Jordan	Dontrell Sullivan	June 2024	102.25”	Standings
*Thom-A-Lex	Bryan Tsiolkas	July 2022	102”	Standings
Mack	Jeremy Hicks	April 2022	101”	Standings

* According to the criteria that a lake must be over 1,000 surface acres, the Thom-A-Lex limit does not count toward the model, and is included here only for historical reference.

Analysis

Four of the ten longest 5-fish limits landed during kayak fishing tournaments in North Carolina have come from a single body of water. If we eliminate the two lakes that do not meet the lake-size criteria, then Mack has produced four of the eight best limits.

No other lake on the list has produced more than two such limits. That lake is Jordan Lake, which has produced two limits over 100” and nearly produced a third (Will Lambert posted 99.75” there in June of 2024, at the same event where Dontrell Sullivan posted 102.25”). It should be noted that Randleman, a lake that also reserves a large section for paddlecraft, produced the second longest limit overall.

Additionally, Mack has produced several noteworthy individual bass. In 2023 alone, Mack produced the 23.25” that won the CKA Big Bass of the season award and in April of 2023 it produced a 23.50” bass that was disqualified for an angler’s photo error.

With four 100” limits caught from Mack, that means one half of the 100” limits were produced by a single fishery. The evidence points to it being a superior lake to all others. However, there are some possible counter-arguments to address.

1. The Frequency Argument: It’s because Mack is fished more often.

CCKF has fished Falls Lake six times, Jordan seven times and Harris five times. In 15 events at those three lakes, only one lake (Jordan) produced a limit over 100” (twice), and Harris one time.

CCKF has fished Mack four times and the lake produced limits of 100” or more on three of those occasions. One of those limits is the longest overall of the five-fish era.

For CKA, anglers have had the option to fish Mackintosh five times in multi-lake events since 2020 (anglers were spread out on several lakes). The lake did not produce a 100” limit in those events.

In the three CKA events held exclusively on Mackintosh, the lake produced one 100” limit. CKA has fished several larger area lakes more often than Mack (Randleman is one, Harris another), yet only one (Randleman) has produced a 100” limit (Thom-A-Lex is an exception: CKA has only allowed it once, and it produced a 100” limit that one time).

It is clear that despite being fished as frequently or slightly less so than some other lakes, Mack outproduces them.

B. The “Best Club” Hypothesis: CCKF is the best club, that’s why it catches more at Mack.

Four kayak fishing clubs hold freshwater tournaments in North Carolina. Of those, two do not have a five fish limit, so they were not included. One could argue that if they had five fish limits, their lakes might have produced over 100”. That is speculation, however, and this analysis only uses actual catch data. That is not to say that other lakes might produce comparable numbers. However, there is no data to support such a claim at this time.

Therefore, to use this data to claim that one club is more capable than another of generating 100” limits would be false. The existing data does not support such a claim, for two reasons.

First, the anglers who have caught the limits above regularly fish with BOTH CKA and CCKF. Neither club is inherently better the another. They simply share some anglers and a basic rule (the 5 fish limit). This analysis is about actual fish caught, regardless of club or trail series. The 5-fish limit restricts the data to two clubs.

What is important here is the lake, not the club.

Second, one objection might maintain that familiarity with the lakes is a key factor. Those clubs (CKA and CCKF) happen to be based in the central part of the state, and one (CKA) has fished Mack more often. It is reasonable to expect then that its anglers have more experience on the lake, and that is partly true. However, those anglers are familiar with all of the major lakes in question: if familiarity were the deciding factor, one would expect more 100” limits from a lake like Shearon Harris. Once again, familiarity based on geographical proximity is a false explanation. 

C. The Ad Hominem fallacy: Some anglers are just better.

One might note that the anglers who appear on this list are accomplished kayak anglers, and from that observation draw the conclusion that they are more capable of catching big limits (either by virtue of skill and/or use of fish-finding electronics). And while that is partly true, it should be noted that they have also fished most of the other events on the list. Their ability to catch bass is beyond doubt: what matters is that Mack produces bigger bass.

However, Will Lambert has posted five of the 100” limits noted above. Note that only one of those limits was caught at Mack; while Lambert is an excellent angler, his chances of landing 100” or better at Mack have been as good as anyone’s. He is one of four unique anglers who have each landed one limit of 100” or better in competition at Mack.

D. The Seasonal fallacy: The lake is fished more heavily in the spring.

Mack has produced 100” limits in both the spring and summer months. Additionally, seasonal patterns affect weights rather than lengths. Are longer bass easier to catch during the spring months? Not necessarily. Therefore, when the tournaments are held is not a criterion given their distribution across seasons.

Had tournament data been available for each of the Gate City Classic events across the six years that it was included in CKA events (2014-2019), perhaps some further extrapolations could be made regarding its productivity in the late summer. The data from 2014-2017 was not available and from 2017-2019 the club still had a 3-fish limit, rendering the point moot.

E. The “Average Length” fallacy: Other lakes produce bigger fish on average.

Maybe, but not in kayak fishing events. We did not include that data in this analysis. A June, 2024 CKA at Jordan Lake produced a 100” limit, and also set a club record for best averages for the top three and top five fish. What does the Mackintosh data show? And is average length-by-lake the determining factor in the quality of the fishery? Jordan is an excellent fishery – second best to Mack, by this analysis.

But one has to note that Mack is in the same watershed as Jordan (Haw River), and the bass in each lake inevitably share genetics. One could reasonably infer that the watershed is better than others (Neuse, Catawba, Yadkin, etc), but that is not our goal.

The historical record of kayak tournaments might provide some additional data. That historical record of kayak tournaments on Mackintosh stretches as far back as 2013 (to a Carolina Yakfish tournament held on the lake), but for this article only historical records from on-line tournament management systems have been consulted. This is due to the fact that the photographic record, judged independently, is available. Other records from 2013-2019 might also contain evidence to be considered, but were not used here.

However, the earlier data cannot be entirely excluded. Mack was included in multi-lake events held by CKA from every year between 2014-present (those are the CKA events known as the Gate City Classic and the Burlington Bash). Those records were also not considered (with two exceptions, below).

Mackintosh has nonetheless left some clues of its productivity in historical records (that is, prior to 2020). In 2018, CKA held a live tournament exclusively on the lake. At the time, the club had a three fish limit. The event winner was P.C. Hawj, and his best three bass measured a whopping 65”, for an average of 21.6” per fish.

Additionally, in 2019, the heaviest bass (and one of the longest) ever caught in CKA competition was landed at Mack, when Joey Sullivan caught a 24” largemouth (see photo below) weighing more than ten pounds during a multi-lake event known as the Burlington Bash.

In sum, the historical record indicates that Mack was already a healthy fishery prior to the lake’s policy that suspended livewell tournaments during the hottest months. As shown in the charts above, since 2020, the lake has not only confirmed the evidence that might be extrapolated from the historical record – it has exceeded that evidence.

Also of note: in 2022, Mack produced 100” for at least two anglers in KFL team competition, and a third was .25” shy of 100”. Those were not five fish limits, but rather ten fish limits. However, the five best for three anglers was just shy of 100” or above it (data from the Kayak Bass Teams Series was not considered because I could not determine fisheries from standings).

In total,

• Frequency, geography/familiarity, and seasonal patterns do not explain the lake’s productivity.
• Historical records offer some evidence to support the hypothesis that Mack is a better kayak fishery but have to be considered speculative.

We have to be careful regarding how quantitative differences also generate value judgments. Blind spots – all researchers have them. The important thing is to be mindful of them, and admit them whenever possible.

Other Criteria

In addition to limit and lake-size, the hypothesis also considers lake access and management.

It cannot be discounted that management is a factor: five of the eight limits over 100” were caught from lakes (Randleman and Mack) that reserve large sections for paddlecraft/electric motors only. Is there a correlation between the absence of gas engines and a fishery’s productivity? I did not conduct extensive research on the topic, but published studies and scientifically sourced articles indicate a link between fish behavior and noise pollution generated by different engine types and acoustic frequencies (see McCormick et al, 2019; Quinn, 2021).

Does the limiting of gas engines produce a better fishery? Maybe. Limiting gas engines not only reduces noise pollution, it also reduces wave action and erosion to the benefit of the fishery and eco-system.

But other factors may also contribute to Mack’s superiority in producing 100” limits.

Lake Mackintosh reserves two ends of the lake (east and west) for paddle boats and trolling motors only. Gas boats can only fire up engines in the middle of the lake. The lake covers over 1100 surface acres, with over 60 miles of shoreline. I would guess roughly half of it is off limits to gas engines.

What that means the lake is specifically managed to reduce gas powered boat traffic; conversely, more than half of the lake is reserved for non-gas powered vessels. That’s why the phrase “kayak-fishery” is important. No other mid-sized lake in North Carolina limits as much water to non-gas powered boats (Randleman is second on the list). Certainly, no larger lakes do so, especially among the more famous fisheries. And the smaller lakes that prohibit gas motors at all times and places are not included here.

Among public lakes that cater to kayakers, Mackintosh affords the most in terms of both facilities (two separate launches with large lots and ramps) and surface area reserved for paddlecraft and electric motors.

With that in mind, there are additional explanations for why Mack produces longer limits on a consistent basis.

1. Mack is a city-run lake, with limited access points. This significantly reduces access and therefore fishing pressure.  For example, the lake permits very limited areas for bank fishing. There are also few properties on the lake shore.
2. Mack also manages the fishery. Unlike other lakes that allow bass tournaments to hold fish in live wells year-round, Mack restricts live-well tournaments to the cooler months. This was due to high fish release mortality at the ramps after tournament weigh-ins. As a result, larger bass are not being stressed by anglers during the summer months, and more of the best fish remain in the lake.

In sum, management is a criterion that helps explain Mack’s productivity as a bass fishery.

Conclusion

Here is how the numbers break down:

• In CKA competition, Mack has produced one 100” limit in 41 events, or roughly 2.4% of the total.
• In CCKF Competition, it has produced three 100” limits in 36 events, or 8.1% of the total.
• In 79 total tournaments, Mack has produced a limit of over 100” nearly 10% of the time. Moreover, the lake produced two 100” limits in KFL events and at least two bass of 23” or longer since 2020; additionally, it produced a 10 pound bass in 1 2019 tournament; and also produced a 21.6” average during an event in the CKA era of the three fish limit.

How does it add up? 

• Over the course of 79 live, in-person tournaments, Mack accounts for about 6% of tournament locations considered. If we expand this to include the two multi-lake Gate City Classic events from 2020 and 2021, it accounts for about 8% of tournaments.
• Despite accounting for about 8% of all tournament locations, Mack accounts for 50% of the five-fish limits caught that measured over 100”.

As noted above, the two clubs have fished certain lakes (Jordan, Falls, Harris) more often and others (Randleman) at a comparable frequency. Nonetheless, Mack outproduces them.

It is fair to say that, statistically speaking, Mack is the “best” kayak bass fishery in North Carolina.

Post Script: A Historic Turn

While I hold advanced degrees, I am not an expert in statistics. My understanding of mathematics, frequency analysis and other quantitative methods is rudimentary in most regards. Rudimentary does not mean “incorrect,” however, and I stand by the numbers above.

Additionally, I admit that some might say “you landed one of those 100” limits, therefore you are introducing significance bias.” Perhaps. I do have a long history on the lake and have won an event there once (I also placed in the money another time, in addition to several top 10 finishes). My success on Mack in tournament fishing is indisputable. I have been more successful at others lakes, however. For example, I’ve won/placed in more tournaments at Falls Lake yet I do not attempt to make it “better” in my analysis. 

Argument ad hominem might punch a few holes in my boat. Given the pointless bickering that consumes much on-line discussion in our sport, I fully expect it to happen. I can imagine the people who will read this and proclaim “your numbers are wrong!” or “my lake is better!” or “this is an insult to my gang!” or “stop telling everyone about this secret lake!”

Please.

Let’s take the bigger view. At the start of my discussion, I noted that there are qualitative arguments and assumptions to consider. To put it another way, my analysis marks a historical shift in the history of kayak fishing in North Carolina.

For the first two decades of the 21^st century, Shearon Harris was considered the pre-eminent Largemouth Bass fishery in the Piedmont, if not the state. This was confirmed by its production in bass boat tournaments as well as kayak tournaments.

As a result, multiple organizations regularly held competitions on Harris. The first kayak bass fishing trail (Carolina Yakfish) held tournaments there from 2009 through 2013, CKA has regularly held events there since its first season in 2014, and a small, defunct local club (Paddle Junkies) held events there for two seasons (2016-2017). Additionally, Queen City Kayak Fishing has visited the lake, while a national organization (Kayak Bass Fishing) held events on Harris too (and those produced 100” limits).

CKA has continued to fish Shearon Harris on a regular basis, and with the addition of CCKF it can be said that Harris is a mainstay for both CKA and CCKF. Nonetheless, it has only produced a single five fish limit measuring more than 100” since 2020. I have discussed some of the reasons for that change in Harris in a separate article.

By contrast, in that same time frame since Harris has declined, Mack has emerged as the better fishery. In a total of seven events fished there between the two clubs, Mack has produced four limits of 100” or more in length. In the same time frame, CKA and CCKF have held seven tournaments on Shearon Harris. Harris produced a single 100” limit.

There is no denying those numbers. A new Largemouth Bass fishery has emerged as the king of the Piedmont lakes, and that fishery is Lake Mackintosh.

Bibliography

McCormick M., Fakan E., Nedelec S., Bridie A. “Effects of Boat Noise on Fish Fast Start Escape response…” Nature.com, 2019. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43099-5

Quinn, Steve. “Hearing in the Underwater World.” IGFA.com, 2021. https://igfa.org/2021/02/26/hearing-in-the-underwater-world/

First published April 23, 2025. With the exception of a calculator used to determine percentages, the author did not use any machine to generate written content in the composition of this article.

© Henry Veggian 2025. This material may not be copied, broadcast or re-published without written consent.