Lake Tillery Fishing
Stanly County and Montgomery County, NCWRC District 6, 5,260 acres.
- 6launches
- 5,260acres
- 11attractors
Photo, nearby stand in for Lake Tillery: Charles Skip Martin, CC BY 3.0
Groundwork on Lake Tillery
NCWRC manages Lake Tillery, a lake in Stanly County and Montgomery County, out of District 6. At normal pool the dam record shows 5,260 acres. It formed when Tillery Dam closed on the Pee Dee in 1928. Census places put Norwood nearest, around 5 miles away.
Commission records point to striped bass, black crappie, redear sunfish and white perch. There are 6 mapped launches on file, with 4 run as NCWRC Boating Access Areas. Planned 2026 stocking: 27,000 1-2 in striped bass. Fish attractors: 11 sites, 11 buoyed. Access land is held by Duke Energy Progress, NC WRC and NC Division Of Parks And Recreation.
Ramps ringing Lake Tillery
- Lillys Bridge2 lanes, 38 trailer spaces, restrooms, 3 docks, Duke Energy Progress
- Norwood1 lane, 26 trailer spaces, restrooms, 2 docks, NC WRC
- Stony Mountain2 lanes, 28 trailer spaces, restrooms, 1 dock, Duke Energy Progress
- Swift Island4 lanes, 100 trailer spaces, 2 docks, Duke Energy Progress
- Morrow Mountainpaddle access, NC Division Of Parks And Recreation
- Boat launch, Lake Tilleryboat ramp, public
NCWRC public fishing areas on Lake Tillery
- Stony Mountain1 pier, owner Duke Energy Progress, open
- Morrow Mountain1 pier, owner NC Division Of Parks And Recreation, open
Access areas around Lake Tillery
- Uwarrie RiverUwharrie River, 6 miles northeast
- Deep Water Boat Launchboat ramp, 7 miles north
- Clarks CreekPee Dee River, 7 miles south
- Albemarle City LakeLong Lake, 9 miles northwest
- Cove Boat Launchboat ramp, 10 miles north
- NC Hwy 109Uwharrie River, 10 miles northeast
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and Public Fishing Areas, USACE Wilmington District, USFS and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
Species notes for Lake Tillery
No NCWRC lake survey lists every fish in Lake Tillery; these come from its stocking, rules, profiles and records. named in the NCWRC profile: 3; stocked: 1.
NCWRC 2026 stocking list, warm-water regulations, species profiles and state records.
What NCWRC stocks in Lake Tillery
| Species | Size | Number | Program | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | 1-2" | 27,000 | MGT | Morrow Mountain (WRC BAA), Morrow Mountain State Park. 35.379736, -80.061347 |
NCWRC 2026 warmwater stocking list and the live trout stocking report. North Carolina stocking.
Regulations on Lake Tillery
Lake Tillery has no water-specific limit in the NCWRC tables.
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | No closed season |
| Crappie | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Sunfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Striped and Bodie bass | 4 a day | 20 in minimum | No closed season |
| White bass | 10 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Walleye | 8 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Rock and Roanoke bass | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Blue, channel and flathead catfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Trout (undesignated waters) | 7 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
Crappie and sunfish rows follow the map position of Lake Tillery against I-95 and I-77, the lines NCWRC uses.
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations (eRegulations), checked October 2026. All North Carolina limits.
Lake Tillery and its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Stocked 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tillery | 5,260 | 6 | yes | |
| Long Lake | 9 miles northwest | 91.5 | 1 | yes |
| Badin Lake | 11 miles north | 5,355 | 7 | yes |
| Arrowhead Lake | 16 miles south | 0 | ||
| Sullivan Pond | 17 miles south | 0 | ||
| Tuckertown Reservoir | 18 miles north | 2,560 | 4 | yes |
Short drives from Lake Tillery
More lakes near Lake Tillery
- Long Lake9 miles northwest
- Badin Lake11 miles north
- Arrowhead Lake16 miles south
- Sullivan Pond17 miles south
- Tuckertown Reservoir18 miles north
Tackle counters around Lake Tillery
- Swift Island Lake Tillery Boat Accessmarina, Mt Gilead, under a mile
- Lake Tillery Marinamarina, Norwood, 4 miles
- Lilly's Bridge Marinamarina, Mount Gilead, 5 miles
- Lillys Bridge Access Areamarina, Montgomery, 5 miles
- Diggs Hunting And Fishing Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Norwood, 5 miles
- Joe's Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Albemarle, 6 miles
Home bases near Lake Tillery
- Norwood5 miles
- Albemarle7 miles
- Mount Gilead7 miles
County pages tied to Lake Tillery
- Stanly Countyseat: Albemarle
- Montgomery Countyseat: Troy
Four Piscifun picks
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Species around Lake Tillery, pictured
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Quick facts on Lake Tillery
How far is Lake Tillery from a town?
It sits in Stanly County and Montgomery County (District 6), about 5 miles from Norwood.
What acreage does the dam record give Lake Tillery?
About 5,260 acres at normal pool.
Where do I launch on Lake Tillery?
Try Lillys Bridge, one of 6 launches.
Which species does NCWRC tie to Lake Tillery?
The Commission lists striped bass, black crappie, redear sunfish and white perch.
When is Lake Tillery stocked?
Planned: 27,000 1-2 in striped bass.
What rules apply on Lake Tillery?
Statewide inland limits apply.
Must anglers on Lake Tillery carry a license?
From 16, the inland license; residents pay $32.
How high is Lake Tillery today?
There is no level feed for it.
Which tackle counter sits closest to Lake Tillery?
Swift Island Lake Tillery Boat Access sits about under a mile from the lake.
Make for Lake Tillery
Buy the inland license online before you go.