Greenfield Lake was built in the 1730’s by Dr. Samuel Green to help with rice production. In the early 1900’s the lake became a popular recreation destination for swimming and boating and there was once an amusement park on the park land. In 1925 the city bought the land for $25,000.
The lake, a former millpond, has approximately 150 acres of water, with a shoreline covered and surrounded with cypress, oak and pine trees and dense, flowering shrubs such as azaleas. The lake is shallow averaging 4-5 feet with deepest near the dam at maybe 7-8 feet. In a small lake like Greenfield, you can get out of the wind.
The lake was freer of aquatic plants in 2012 than it was in 2010. The forebays, solar-powered aerators, herbicide applications and other clean-up efforts by City of Wilmington Stormwater Services and volunteers eliminated the hyacinth that once blocked access to fishing spots. Even the water around the fishing piers at the lake’s edge was free enough from weeds to attract fishermen.
At one time the lake’s fishing was inhibited by aquatic weeds. The fish in the lake are okay to eat, but the lake is listed as “impaired” because of excessive nutrients coming from fertilizers entering the half-dozen feeder streams from city lawns. The nutrients created the overgrowth of floating duckweed, duck’s meal and water hyacinth as well as submerged aquatic vegetation, including coontail, that fouled fishing lures.
However, over the past several years, a program to control the weeds has been very successful. Herbicide applications, stockings of grass carp, and construction of a water quality pond on Silver Stream Branch reduced the aquatic vegetation. Also, solar-powered circulators were installed to keep the dissolved oxygen content of the lake above 5 p.p.m, which is the minimum for the lake’s fish to thrive year around.
The lake’s best fishing comes from watercraft under paddle power or propelled by an electric trolling motor. Greenfield Lake allows only electric motors.
While the parking for the park is on the north side of the lake, the boat ramp is on the south side close to Carolina Beach Rd. It is off West Lake Shore Drive; near where it hits Carolina Beach Rd. Turn right at the Muffler Shop.
LARGEMOUTH BASS
With Greenfield Lake at 44-degree water temperature this is a great time to get out on the water and try hitting some deeper primary and secondary points. Largemouth bass will be feeding at this water temperature but will be much harder to catch. On Sunny warm afternoons it is a great time to throw a crank bait, jigs or slow roll a spinnerbait at 5-10 foot on sunny points and drops off of sunny flats.
One angler reported the biggest bass he caught in the lake was 4.5 lbs. but he had caught a lot of fish in the 2-3 lb. range. He caught bass when spawning just down from the dam/spillway area closest to the boat ramp. That row of cypress trees about 15 feet from the shore usually holds fish on the left point by the open area. Use poppers/divers and zonkers for bass.
BREAM
Crappie, Bream, Warmouth, Shellcracker, and other panfish are a lot of fun on a Breambuster or light tackle. Try big nymphs and small poppers for bluegill.
CRAPPIE
The lake has lots of crappie and they do not get an awful lot of pressure. There are some wall hangers in there. You can also catch some nice yellow perch.
The little creeks that wind through the cypress trees close to the landing are a good spot to catch crappie shallow. Tightlining the open water near the paddle boat docks and right next to the paddle boat docks may produce a few. Troll a 3-inch Rapala lure that mimics an injured minnow.
Large Crappie will just be starting their migrating runs from deep river channels toward major tributaries. They will suspend in open water and channels in deep water and cover on the break lines. Crappie will stage off primary and secondary points this time of year while they are getting ready for spawn. Make sure you don’t forget the river channels, especially with structure and sharp breaks in deep water. Some crappie will hang back in this area waiting to come up to the staging areas. Drifting and slow (REALLY SLOW) trolling with jigs and other artificials work great this time of year. Always look for baitfish schools and concentrate more time when you see the bait. Bass will move into warm water on warm sunny days.
One angler reported trolling for crappie with jig heads tipped with twisty-tailed soft plastic grub trailers through a channel between the cypress trees. “After 30 minutes, a fish finally struck, and I reeled in a crappie that weighed 1.1 pounds. We stopped to cast and caught one more. But the fish were scattered around in pre-spawning mode, so covering lots of water was the ticket to success. In six hours’, fishing we caught two-dozen black crappie.”
CARP
The City of Wilmington has re-stocked Greenfield Lake with 560 sterile grass carp to help manage the water quality in the lake.
Storm water runoff that flows into the lake causes constant algae growth. The polluted runoff, mostly from wildlife and pet waste, fertilizers and yard waste, comes from the densely populated, 2,500-acre Greenfield Lake Watershed that includes a lot of paved surfaces such as parking lots and roads where rainwater can’t be absorbed into the ground.
The city has used sterile carp fish for more than ten years to help control growth of underwater vegetation, which in turn helps reduce unsightly algae, according to officials.
In addition to using sterile fish to eat underwater weeds and algae, the city has also installed aeration systems to help increase water circulation. The city stocked the lake with 88 sterile grass carp in 2014. Carp were stocked in 2005 and the city has added new stock over the years.
CATFISH
“I used a fly rod and put on some nymphs to catch some shiners. I cut the shiners up to use for catfish bait. I was fishing near the spillway, on the dam when I reached down to pick up my rod to see if something was moving the bait around and the fish was already hooked on a small circle hook. I was using a Shimano S3000 Sahara reel on a Mojo bass rod. The fish didn’t put up much of a fight, but it did make one little run. It was the biggest brown cat I ever caught.”
To catch catfish, use a fly rod and put on some nymphs to catch some shiners. Cut up the shiners to use for catfish bait. Fish near the spillway, on the dam using a small circle hook.
BOWFIN
Cut mullet on a circle hook or a plastic worm is all you need for gar and bowfin. There are big Bowfin in the lake, some over 8lbs. They put up an incredible fight and aren’t afraid to jump.
CHAIN PICKEREL
Jacks (Chain Pickerel) are plentiful too. My dad caught a 38″ Jack/Pike near the back of the lake.
Links:
Cape Fear River Watch: Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake is Perfect for Fishing
Greenfield Lake Too Often Overlooked by Anglers
Lake Lubbers Popular Vacation Lakes: Greenfield Lake
NC River Fishing and Canoeing with Mack: Greenfield Lake
Small Lake Yield Bullhead Record
Greenfield Lake Trip Yields some Big Shellcrackers
City Restocks Greenfield Lake with Algae-Fighting Carp
Carp Fishing at Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake Closure and Fish Kill Tracking