Carolina Adventurer

Nestled in the foothill mountains of Burke and McDowell counties North Carolina, is a medium sized man-made lake called Lake James.  The lake was built in 1923 by Duke Power company as a means for hydro-electric power by damming the Catawba, Paddy’s Creek, and Linville River.  It encompasses 6,812 acres and reaches 120 feet at its deepest.

            The lake can be divided into two halves, the Catawba side-where the Catawba river feeds in, and the Linville side-where the Linville River feeds in.  The Linville side has some scenic views of Table Rock and has a site that was used to film a portion of the movie The Last of the Mohicans. 

            On the Catawba side of the lake, there is a state park that has picnic tables, a shelter, a beach, boat dock, fishing piers, and a ranger station.  The state park also has a few hiking trails where one has the opportunity to see some of the native wildlife including, red foxes, deer, turkey, black rat snakes, box turtles, salamanders, toads, and frogs.  On one occasion, while hiking the loop trail, me and my sister observed a whole family of Red Foxes hanging near their den, which was dug in a bank on the side of the trail.  I have recently saw a Black Rat Snake near the ranger station while visiting, but not to worry disliker’s of snakes, he slithered off quickly into the surrounding forest.

            A good boat access is located just down the road from the state park called Canal Bridge Access.  It has three boat ramps, a nice large dock, and ample parking and is conveniently located between the two sides of the lake.  If you head out from the dock and go to right, and go under the bridge, you will head towards the Linville side of the lake.  If you go left, you will head toward the Catawba side of the lake.

            Lake James can sometimes become quite congested, especially on weekends and holidays in the warmer months.  The lake is sometimes called the “Dead Sea” because very few people catch fish out of the lake.  From personal experience, I have only caught one fish, a Walleye, night fishing out in front of the dam on the Catawba side, and I have devoted many a day to fishing the lake.  On the other hand, my grandfather, caught many largemouth bass on the Linville side.  Sometimes fishing where the Linville River feeds into the lake, will turn up quite the haul of brown trout, as shown by fisherman on Facebook.  So, it’s always worthwhile to try your luck fishing on Lake James.

            On the Linville side of the lake, there is another major boat access called Bear Creek access.  With my trailer backing skills, I would not feel comfortable putting in or taking out here, because it’s hustle and bustle, and I’m not very good at backing a boat trailer.  There is a ton of parking and I believe there to be four ramps.  Bear Creek is nice, but you’ve got to move quickly, as not to hold up the line, and it’s a long one sometimes.

            Lake James is habitat for many bird species including the Bald Eagle.  There are also Osprey, duck, and geese.  The wildlife commission has placed several nest posts for the bald eagles and Ospreys around different spots on the lake.

            I guess my favorite time to go out on the lake is when everyone else is coming off the lake.  Around 5:30 to 6 in the evening is nice because the sun is setting, there’s less people, and I think it’s probably the most beautiful time to be on the lake.

            The lost community of Fonte Flora is also another topic to discuss and speculate upon.  Supposedly Fonte Flora was a small town that had a utopian air about it, that is now submerged under lake water.  There was a general store, church, and post office and several homesteads.  Some rumors circulate that when the water level is low enough you can see the steeple of the old church.  There is a historical book on Fonte Flora that I have ordered and will discuss in another post on down the road.

            A couple of weeks ago, a guy posted on YouTube, a video claiming that the lake James area is a werewolf hotspot.  The man claimed that there were over 600 sightings in the area, and it’s known as the werewolf capital of the world?!  If anyone else saw this video or can find it, because it seems he removed it, leave a comment.  I don’t know how much stock I put into such a claim, as I have lived in the area my whole life and only have recently heard of Bigfoot sightings around McDowell County.  But, you never know!

            Lake James boasts many recreational opportunities and has a unique history that makes it a worthwhile lake to visit or go out on, via vessel.  The beauty is breathtaking in different spots and there are many coves where one can find peace and solitude.  Some areas such as Paddy’s Creek Campground, I have not explored yet and will update with a post when I get to go to these areas.