March 27

Lake Wateree is down to 95.6% of full pool and the whole lake remains at least stained. Morning surface water temperatures were about 58 degrees this morning.

If anything the crappie fishing has only gotten better on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that fish are eating it up everywhere.  Right now fish are mixed between pre-spawn, spawning and even post-spawn fish, as Will has caught a decent number that have already laid out.

While he knows people are catching them throwing around the banks Will has not been fishing super-shallow, and so he isn’t sure what those fish have done as water levels dropped a couple of feet in the last few days. But they are definitely towards the backs of all the creeks and coves, with long-lining the preferred technique for fish that aren’t on the banks.

However, strange as it may sound Will is actually fishing in 30 feet of water on the main lake for fish that are suspended 11-20 feet down chasing bait in open water. And they are good ones up to 2 pounds, mixed between pre- and post-spawn fish.   

The CBC on Lake Wateree is in the books, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that one team reallyfigured the fish out. The partnership of Brent Henderson and Heyward McCloud managed an impressive 26.55 pound bag anchored by an 8.92 pound big fish, surpassing their nearest competitor by over 6 pounds. There was only one other bag over 20 pounds and only seven over 17.

Dearal and his tournament partner finished in the 40s with 13+ pounds, and they (like most of the field) had trouble finding the big fish. It didn’t seem to help many people that water levels dropped so sharply, and fish that were stacked up in pockets beforehand pulled out.  Like many anglers they scrambled and caught fish around rocky, windblown points on a spinnerbait and Rattle Trap – but with a 132-boat field getting on points was a challenge!  There were no signs of bedding fish.

Much like the crappie, it may be that some of the best fish are still roaming offshore even when no one expects them to be there on a lake where they aren’t “supposed” to do that. There were reports that the winners were seen LiveScoping in 25 feet!  

March 20

Lake Wateree is temporarily at 97.9% of full pool and the whole lake remains muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 57 degrees this morning, but they have been in the low 60s before this.

It’s a fantastic crappie bite on Lake Wateree right now, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that you can still catch fish about any way you want.  The common denominator is that, even after this cold front, most of the fish are relatively high in the water column and/ or shallow, and Will was catching them as high as 2 feet down in 30 feet of water yesterday. They are also all over the banks.  And even though it was much cooler yesterday, after Noon the fish that been deeper disappeared and headed into shallow water.

Tight-lining, long-line trolling and casting around the banks are all working with fish mixed between pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawn. LiveScoping has been impaired with so much pollen in the water, and in the next week it should get better again. 

While the fishing should continue to improve for a little longer, the only question mark is what dropping water levels will do to the spawn. They brought the lake up to 98% for construction reasons, but will be dropping it to 95% very soon. That will almost certainly affect the crappie even though the last front does not seem to have. 

The CBC is coming to Lake Wateree this weekend, and since tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden will be fishing he hasn’t been able to get after the bass since last weekend. Then he found a slower than expected bite but there were a lot of males looking around in pockets.

CBC tournament director and CATT owner Brett Collins of Ridgeway believes the spawn is still a couple of weeks away, and he says that on Wateree bass never start bedding until the first or second week of April. While there could be some fish cruising around in places where they will eventually spawn, like the males Dearal saw, he thinks fish will be caught in the back half of coves off the main lake on spinnnerbaits and jigs. 

March 14

Lake Wateree is at 95.0% of full pool and the whole lake remains muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees.

The crappie continue to move shallower on Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that they are biting very well as they get into pre-spawn mode. You can find fish literally anywhere in the creeks right now, and the biggest fish that Will is targeting seem to mostly be in the mouths of creeks. There is also some really good action long-line trolling for a mix of fish in the middle to backs of the creeks, and there are also plenty of males around the banks. There could even be some fish spawning, and if there are not today it could change tomorrow! 

Will is catching his fish casting Fish Stalker jigs, but you could also long-line troll with jigs.  

The bass are headed the same direction, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the fish have gone full-on into pre-spawn mode. He does not think any are actually bedding yet from what he has seen, but they could be by this weekend. 

It’s basically about picking your favorite shallow targets now, and fish can be caught anywhere in the creeks or coves off the main lake anywhere along the bank. Fish are headed towards, or already in, spawning pockets. 

While you can certainly catch fish on soft plastics, they are pretty aggressive and spinnerbaits and jigs are both fishing well. 

March 6

Lake Wateree is at 94.4% of full pool and the whole lake is still muddy and will likely get worse. Morning surface water temperatures are about 54 degrees.

Water levels got as high as 96.4% of full pool a few days ago, but probably in anticipation of a new round of rain tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that Duke has pulled them back down again. Nonetheless, water temperatures have gotten where they need to be where Dearal doesn’t expect bass to turn around and head back out to deep water. A wave of fish came up by the beginning of this week, and they can now be found on flatter main lake areas as well as about halfway back in the creeks. Rain and water level fluctuations might move them around a little, but they are unlikely to head deep again.

Fish are also starting to bite a lot better, and by the beginning of this week Dearal says the change was noticeable. He is still looking for bigger bites with a spinnerbait and a jig, and Dearal is also getting more action with a crankbait as fish get more active. 

The crappie are also on the move on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that while there is a still a group of fish out in 30 feet on the main lake he is starting to find more fish moving into the creeks. As a general rule the bigger females are still hanging more out towards the creek mouths, while the males are starting to get further back in as little as 14-15 feet of water.  They are all suspended up in the water column, “floating and eating”.  There could even be some fish that are pulling up towards the banks, particularly in the late afternoons, but Will has not looked for them.  He is catching his fish casting Fish Stalker jigs, but you could also long-line troll with jigs.  

Overall it’s getting to be a time when you can catch fish about anywhere as some fish move towards spawning and others remain basically in late winter patterns.  

February 29

Lake Wateree is at 93.7% of full pool and the whole lake is still muddy – with rain last night and then predicted for this weekend that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. Morning surface water temperatures are about 51 degrees.

There’s relatively little change with the crappie fishing on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish are still out deep, either related to the main channel or in very deep sections of major creeks, and Will is finding the most fish in about 30 feet of water. While most of the time they are suspended 10-20 feet down, on sunny late afternoons he is finding them 4-6 feet below the surface – but still over deep water. The best action has come on Fish Stalker jigs with a brown body and chartreuse tail. 

Will has been targeting the lower end of the lake where the water is ever so slightly cleaner. 

In bass news, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that it’s a funny time to be fishing for bass on Lake Wateree. With the water cold and muddy the fish are concentrated on main lake rock in areas that drop off steeply right now, but that rock is so exposed and easy to find that it’s getting beat to death right now. While good fish are coming there with a crankbait (particularly in the morning on Lake Wateree), sometimes you have to do something different simply because of fishing pressure.

For Dearal that has meant fishing rock in flatter areas that are getting less pressure, as well as other types of cover including brush and the sides of certain docks. He’s also tucking into the creek a ways where there are some fish.  And overall he’s been having better luck on a spinnerbait than a crankbait, although he knows some people are catching them on Shad Raps and more.  

Overall, you can definitely catch bass right now on Lake Wateree, and there are some very good sacks being caught, but between the time of year and fishing pressure 6 or 7 bites is a good day. 

February 22

Lake Wateree is down to 93.5% of full pool and the whole lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 50-51 degrees.

Out on the water as we write, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the whole lake is still basically chocolate milk – but the crappie are biting! They are still deep, either related to the main channel or very deep sections of major creeks, and they are generally suspended from 10-22 feet down. Will is finding the most fish in about 30 feet of water, and they aren’t moving very shallow yet, but particularly on warm days they will move up in the water column. Yesterday he found them as shallow as 6 feet sunning. The best action has come on Fish Stalker jigs with a brown body and chartreuse tail. 

When water levels were higher a week or two ago there were some fish back in Beaver Creek behind the bridge, but even with some warm weather water levels have dropped so low he doesn’t think many fish want to be back there right now.

As for the bass, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that in the last CATT there were three bags over 20 pounds and people caught them pretty well. With the water low it’s easy to target main lake rock because it’s so obvious and visible and it’s certainly holding fish, but as Brett Collins said recently fish seem to be on all different kind of points. Dearal has been throwing spinnerbaits in the highly stained conditions but some of the bigger bags may be coming on crankbaits. Finally, from what Dearal is seeing fish have certainly moved up on the main lake but between temperatures and water levels they don’t seem to have headed back in the creeks yet. 

February 14

Lake Wateree is at 94.2% of full pool and the whole lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 49-51 degrees.

Not many people figured them out, but in some pretty brutal conditions Saturday CATT owner Brett Collins of Ridgeway and his tournament partner managed 20.60 pounds. They fished the bank and concentrated on points, and Brett says that – surprisingly – it didn’t matter if the points were rock, dirt or clay. In fact, they caught their two biggest on clay points. While they were often fishing in six feet or less, by sticking to the main lake there was always deep water nearby. It is usually a while before fish move back into the creeks on Wateree.

Everything they caught came on red and crawfish-colored crankbaits, including Shad Raps, a Red Eye Shad, the Spro Rock Crawler, and the SK 1.5. They heard that some other boats caught fish on Rattle Traps. 

Finally, Brett notes the fish were so fat they looked like they had been pulled up out of deep water and so they are obviously eating. 

Cold, muddy water still hasn’t moved the crappie on Lake Wateree much, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish are still mostly down the lake near the river channel in 30-35 feet of water. Generally they are suspended 18-30 feet down, but depths vary day to day based on temperatures. You can also find some fish at the mouths of creeks staging to get out of the current. For now it’s a slow bite for inactive fish and so you at least want to have minnows on your jigs – or fish plain minnows.

Between dropping water levels and no real rise in temperatures there hasn’t been a move into the creeks yet, but Will still points out that warm days will be here before long and should pull fish shallower into areas like Beaver Creek first. 

February 9

Lake Wateree is at 93.8% of full pool and even though the water has come down it has not cleared much. Morning surface water temperatures remain in the upper 40s.

Cold, muddy water hasn’t moved the crappie on Lake Wateree much from last week, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish are still mostly down the lake near the river channel in 30-35 feet of water. Generally they are suspended 18-30 feet down, but depths vary day to day based on temperatures. You can also find some fish at the mouths of creeks staging to get out of the current. For now it’s a slow bite for inactive fish and so you at least want to have minnows on your jigs – or fish plain minnows.

Between dropping water levels and no real rise in temperatures there hasn’t been a move into the creeks yet, but Will still points out that warm days will be here before long and should pull fish shallower into areas like Beaver Creek first. 

As expected the bass fishing has picked up just a little on Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that he has been catching a few fish on the main lake in 5-10 feet of water. Fishing rocky, wind-protected areas with a jig has been his best pattern. 

January 31

Lake Wateree is at 96.6% of full pool and the water is still chocolate milk from one end of the lake to the other. Morning surface water temperatures remain in the upper 40s.

Without much change in conditions the crappie really aren’t doing anything different on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish are still mostly down the lake where there are more current breaks and they are on the main lake in 30-35 feet of water. Generally they are suspended 18-30 feet down, but depths vary day to day based on temperatures. You can also find some fish at the mouths of creeks staging to get out of the current. For now it’s a slow bite for inactive fish and so you at least want to have minnows on your jigs – or fish plain minnows.

With the next warm spell some fish could move shallower, and Beaver Creek is always a good place to look when there is a warm spell in early spring.

By no means is it good conditions for catching bass on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that from what he has seen the bite has improved just enough where there is actually a chance of catching fish on the lake. In particular the water has gone down just a little and visibility has increased in some places, and Dearal is now seeing more bait up in the water column. 

Fishing shallow, rocky areas close to deep water and protected from the wind increases your chances of getting bites, and working bigger baits slowly is the best bet. Slow-rolling a spinnerbait, dragging a jig, or pulling a dark Senko on a Carolina rig are all good options. You might could get bites on a crankbait but in Dearal’s experience on Wateree temperatures need to warm a couple degrees for that. 

January 22

Lake Wateree is at 97.7% of full pool and the water is muddy from one end to the other. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 40s.

With mud from dam to dam, cold weather, and wind veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt has mostly used the last couple of weeks as the time to do some boat repairs and maintenance, but from what he’s seen the crappie have moved down the lake where there are more current breaks and they are on the main lake in 30-35 feet of water. They are generally suspended 18-30 feet down. You can also find some fish at the mouths of creeks staging to get out of the current.  For now it’s a slow bite for inactive fish and so you at least want to have minnows on your jigs – or fish plain minnows.

With the warm spell coming some fish could move shallower, and Beaver Creek is always a good place to look when there is a warm spell in late January.

If anything bass fishing conditions have gotten worse on Lake Wateree since our last report, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the combination of high, cold and muddy water means the fish just aren’t biting. 

When things settle down Dearal will again be concentrating on rock in 5-10 feet of water with crankbaits, especially near deeper water and on steep banks, but for right now he’s still just staying off the lake.

January 3

Lake Wateree is at 101.0% of full pool and the water is muddy and filled with trash. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 50s.

It’s brutally tough bass fishing conditions on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the combination of high, cold and muddy water means the fish just aren’t biting. 

When things settle down Dearal will again be concentrating on rock in 5-10 feet of water with crankbaits, especially near deeper water and on steep banks, but for right now he’s just staying off the lake.

But if you are interested in catching giant catfish that would be a big mistake, as shown by the 94-pounder caught this week on Wateree! The combination of muddy water and strong current puts the biggest blue cats in feeding mode, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that with white perch heads or whole gizzard shad in the 5-8 inch range you can catch multiple 25-50 pound fish in the right areas. Anchor up on main lake structure or creek mouths in the current and hold on!

One time in similar conditions Captain Chris caught four big cats in the 40-pound range in one spot at the state park area. The water was so muddy you could have planted corn in it!

The crappie fishing is somewhere between the awful bass fishing and outstanding catfishing, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that with the muddy water the fish are more scattered and more of them are suspended higher in the water column. More fish are 15-22 feet down at a variety of depths, instead of mainly being on the bottom in 24-26 feet, but they are still concentrated along the river channel and good numbers are still on the upper end. With the whole lake muddy there’s not really a section to go to in order to escape the mud.

If you don’t have LiveScope then tight-line drifting is the best pattern. Minnows or jigs tipped with minnows are working the best. 

December 21

Lake Wateree is at 95.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the lower 50s.  

The Lake Wateree crappie have pretty much all left brush, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that most of the fish have now moved out to the river channel.  A lot of the fish are near the mouth of Taylors Creek where the river channel cuts in, and there is also a large concentration of fish above Wateree Creek. 

If you don’t have LiveScope then tight-line drifting 24-26 feet deep along the river channel is the best pattern. Minnows or jigs tipped with minnows are working the best. 

The Lake Wateree bass remain solidly in a winter pattern, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that most of the fish are now on the main lake and he is concentrating almost exclusively on rock. You can also find some fish around docks or brush in front of docks, but rock is hard to beat. The best action is on or near steep banks, and the best depth range has been 5-10 feet. On warm afternoons fish can move as shallow as 3 feet – particularly if there is no wind blowing on them. It’s a big change from earlier in the fall, but right now areas without wind where the water can warm are almost always preferable.

Jigs and shaky heads are both working, but crankbaits are hard to beat.

The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that catfish can still be found in the main river channel in 30-35 feet of water around big schools of shad. You will catch some on live bait, although you can fill a cooler with cut shad or perch. Striped bass are also in the same areas but there have been no new reports of schooling activity. 

December 15

Lake Wateree is at 95.0% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the lower 50s.  

While there are still a few crappie related to brush on Lake Wateree, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that most of the fish have now suspended in open water and are towards the bottom in 15-30 feet of water. The most productive stretch of the lake is on the upper end around the state park and Wateree Creek, and if you don’t have LiveScope then tight-line drifting 24-26 feet deep along the river channel is the best pattern. Minnows or jigs tipped with minnows are working the best. 

The Lake Wateree bass remain solidly in a winter pattern, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that most of the fish are now on the main lake and he is concentrating almost exclusively on rock. You can also find some fish around docks or brush in front of docks, but rock is hard to beat. The best action is on or near steep banks, and the best depth range has been 5-10 feet. On warm afternoons fish can move as shallow as 3 feet – particularly if there is no wind blowing on them. It’s a big change from earlier in the fall, but right now areas without wind where the water can warm are almost always preferable.

Jigs and shaky heads are both working, but crankbaits are hard to beat.

The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that catfish can be found in the main river channel in 30-35 feet of water around big schools of shad. You will catch some on live bait, although you can fill a cooler with cut shad or perch. 

And while Captain Chris has not fished for striper this week they are certainly still there – he probablyhasn’t caught them all! 

November 30

Lake Wateree is at 95.3% of full pool and there is still a slight stain to the water but not much. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the mid- to upper 50s.  

Even as water temperatures drop there are still a good number of crappie related to brush on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that he is finding them on the main lake and at the mouths of creeks. They are mostly in 10-22 feet of water, but they are close to deeper water. He did catch one big fish 24 or 25 feet down in 34 feet of water, but he also caught one in 8 feet on an underwater hump. Will is still exclusively casting Mountain Dew Fish Stalker jigs around brush.     

At the same time more fish are starting to move off brush, mostly getting in the river channel in the upper part of the lake. The cold snap will only accelerate this trend. Out front of Dutchman and Singleton Creek along the edge of the river channel fish can be found 20 feet deep over 22-24 feet of water. Traditional tight-lining techniques with minnows will work for these fish. 

There is still really good fishing for striped bass up to 7-8 pounds on Lake Wateree, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that even when the fish aren’t schooling they are biting well in the main river channel in 30-35 feet of water around big schools of shad. They are also picking up a good number of catfish on live bait, although you can fill a cooler with cut shad or perch. Interestingly the stomachs all of 25 catfish that he cleaned Saturday were filled 100% with snails, which must be covering the bottom of Lake Wateree. 

 

The Lake Wateree bass have definitely moved more towards a winter pattern, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that most of the fish are now on the main lake and he is concentrating almost exclusively on rock. You can also find some fish around docks or brush in front of docks, but rock is hard to beat. The best action is on or near steep banks, and the best depth range has been 5-10 feet. On warm afternoons fish can move as shallow as 3 feet – particularly if there is no wind blowing on them.  It’s a big change from earlier in the fall, but right now areas without wind where the water can warm are almost always preferable.

Jigs and shaky heads are both working, but crankbaits are hard to beat.

November 16

Lake Wateree is at 95.5% of full pool and there is a slight stain to the water but not much. Morning surface water temperatures are about 62-63 degrees.

This week The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) has been down to Lake Wateree targeting the striped bass, and in the end it was a good trip. The fish were stacked up like cordwood all day in 30-35 feet in the river channel, and they were keying on the big schools of shad in that area. They only caught three fishing live bait, but eventually about 30 minutes before dark they started schooling and they caught them casting Rattle Traps into the schooling fish. *

They also managed four white perch over a pound on live bait while striper fishing as well as some big catfish on live bait. However, the best pattern for numbers of catfish was drifting cut shad in the river channel in 30-35 feet. The biggest catfish they found were at the mouths of creeks and on flats in about 25 feet, again on cut shad.   

The crappie made a move on Lake Wateree this week, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that now there are a bunch of fish in the upper part of the lake that are just “floating” and relating to the river channel in 20-25 feet.  They can be caught tight-lining with minnows along the edge of the channel. 

Accordingly there are less fish on brush now, and the fish that were on deeper brush have pretty much left.  The brush that is holding fish is now in 10-15 feet of water. However, it has to be near deep water.  The creeks don’t have (m)any crappie right now, but the mouths of some of the creeks can be good. 

Minnows and jigs are probably still working about the same around brush, but Will isn’t fishing with anything besides Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew color.

*Will also notes that he’s seen striper school at all times of the day recently, but more often than not early. 

The bass bite may have picked up a little again on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the best action has been coming on rock on the main lake. The fish are shallow but on steeper stuff, and if you can find steep rock that is getting some strong sunlight to warm it up that is ideal. He has also been getting some bites on docks. While it helps to find bait in an area, it’s not as essential as a few weeks ago as more fish are eating crayfish.

Naturally a jig has been good, as has a crankbait with tight wobble. You can also catch fish on a shaky head or a Carolina rig. 

November 9

Lake Wateree is at 95.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are about 62 degrees, rising to 65 or 66 during the day. There is some debris in the water from falling leaves, but clarity is still good and on the lower end there is at least 3 ½ to 4 feet of visibility. 

The crappie on Lake Wateree have moved a bit shallower, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that yesterday he found good numbers of fish in 10-15 feet of water. However, they are still near deep water on the main lake. Everything is flat on the bottom around structure, and he is not seeing many fish just “floating” around. The big ones seem to be on stumps. 

Minnows and jigs are probably still working about the same, but Will isn’t fishing with anything besides Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew color.   

The bass fishing isn’t great on Lake Wateree right now, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that it’s only taking about 12 pounds or so to win tournaments. However, the good news is that there has been some schooling activity. Fish are also moving into the creeks, and Dearal has seen them back in Beaver Creek in particular. 

Fishing shallow is the best bet, but the fish could be suspended over deeper water if there is bait around. It’s a good idea to throw a square-bill crankbait or spinnerbait under pods of bait when you see them on the surface. Fish will also take topwater lures when they are breaking on the surface, and with still-mild (or even hot) temperatures you can also call them up. 

Of course, never count on a jig around docks on Lake Wateree.  

The catfish are still very scattered, and so the key is to drift and cover water. A good depth range is about 18-25 feet, concentrating on flats and the islands between Colonel Creek and Clearwater. Cut gizzard shad are hard to beat. 

Look for the anchored bite to pick up once the water cools a bit more. 

Finally, continue to keep your eyes open for schooling striped bass, particularly in the middle to lower end of the lake over deep water. In the next few weeks our guides expect that bite to really take off. 

November 2

Lake Wateree is at 95.2% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are down to about 64 degrees on the lower end and 60 degrees up the lake. Clarity has not changed and on the lower end there is at least 3 ½ to 4 feet of visibility. 

On the water right now, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the crappie don’t seem to have moved at all as a result of the cold snap. They are still related to structure and holding on the bottom, and he is seeing very few fish just “floating” around suspended. They are also very hungry, and in about two and a half hours he is close to a limit of fish (releasing smaller ones) – the best seven of which would go 10 ½ to 11 pounds. 

There are still plenty of fish on brush in 20-30 plus feet, but right now Will is sitting in 43 feet in the river channel but casting up at fish that are on top of a rock ledge 10 feet deep. So they are shallow, but close to deep water. 

Minnows and jigs are probably still working about the same, but Will isn’t fishing with anything besides Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew color. 

  

While tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden hasn’t had a chance to bass fish since the cold snap, he advises down-sizing and working baits a little bit slower. It’s a good time to mix in a jerkbait. 

Other than that it should continue to be all about finding the bait, and fish could be found from most of the way back in the creeks to the fronts of creeks to coves and pockets right off the main lake.

Continue to have a topwater lure unhooked and hanging off the side of the boat ready to throw, because fish can come up anywhere. It’s also a good time to have a lipless crankbait ready because they can be dynamite in the fall on Wateree. 

The catfish are still very scattered, and so the key is to drift and cover water. A good depth range is about 18-25 feet, concentrating on flats and the islands between Colonel Creek and Clearwater. Cut gizzard shad are hard to beat. 

Look for the anchored bite to pick up once the water cools a bit more. 

Finally, continue to keep your eyes open for schooling striped bass, particularly in the middle to lower end of the lake over deep water. 

October 26

Lake Wateree is at 95.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 69 degrees on the lower end and about 65 degrees up the lake. Clarity is normal. 

The crappie are still biting well on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that some fish have also moved shallower. He caught some in as little as 12 feet yesterday, and there are also still a lot out in 25-31 feet. They are still on the main lake around structure and underwater islands, and regardless of depth they seem to be on the bottom. There are very few suspended fish as of now.  Fish can be found from the mouth of Wateree Creek to the dam.  

Minnows and jigs are working about the same, with Mountain Dew the best color in Fish Stalker jigs. 

Will also reports that he’s seen a lot of striped bass schooling this week, and they have generally been chasing shad out in the middle of the lake. He has seen big schools in front of Clearwater Cove, but yesterday only a few were popping there. In general they have been over deep water. 

There’s no real change with the bass fishing this week on Lake Wateree, although tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that some shad have moved a little further into the backs further opening up more of the lake to bass fishing. Finding the fish continues to be all about finding the bait, and you can now find fish from most of the way back in the creeks to the fronts of creeks to coves and pockets right off the main lake.

The other major factor you need to think about is weather, and on cloudy days you are more likely to have a longer window with topwater lures and then reaction baits like a spinnerbait. (Every morning in low-light conditions it’s worth throwing a Pop-R off points right now). But on bright, sunny days you will need to fish soft plastics like a shaky head once the sun is up. As water levels normalize docks are coming more into play, and there is also more grass in the water.

Continue to have a topwater lure unhooked and hanging off the side of the boat ready to throw, because fish can come up anywhere. It’s also a good time to have a lipless crankbait ready because they can be dynamite in the mid- to late fall on Wateree. 

The catfish bite should continue to improve, and for smaller blue catfish in the two- to six-pound range the best pattern is to drift cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water. Occasionally you can pick up larger fish. 

When there is no water moving up the lake then the fishing is very slow there, but when there is current from water releases the big blues can bite. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

October 19

Lake Wateree is at 95.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees. Clarity is normal. 

The crappie are really biting on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that from one end of the main lake to the other they are catching fish. There are still fish in 25-30 feet, but he has also found them as shallow as 14-15 feet. In general they are moving shallower and higher in the water column.   Crappie are still related to structure, and they are not yet just “floating” around and chasing shad. Minnows and jigs are working about the same, with Mountain Dew the best color in Fish Stalker jigs. 

It’s definitely fall bass fishing on Lake Wateree now, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that at this time of year it’s all about the bait. The bait will be moving based in large part upon the location of plankton, which is affected by wind direction, and if you aren’t fishing near shad you won’t be around as many fish.

In the fall a lot of the fish migrate into the creeks, and that is certainly going on now, but fishing can also be good in coves and pockets right off the main lake. With the water down and mild temperatures fish can be found about everywhere right now. 

The other major factor you need to think about is weather, and on cloudy days you are more likely to have a longer window with topwater lures and then reaction baits like a spinnerbait. (Every morning in low-light conditions it’s worth throwing a Pop-R off points). But on bright, sunny days you will need to fish soft plastics like a shaky head once the sun is up. Don’t overlook docks, even ones without a lot of water, because they often have brush out front of them. Grass with water on it is also a good target. 

Continue to have a topwater lure unhooked and hanging off the side of the boat ready to throw, because fish can come up anywhere. It’s also a good time to have a lipless crankbait ready because they are dynamite in the mid- to late fall on Wateree. 

The catfish bite should continue to improve, and for smaller blue catfish in the two- to six-pound range the best pattern is to drift cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water. Occasionally you can pick up larger fish. 

When there is no water moving up the lake then the fishing is very slow there, but when there is current from water releases the big blues can bite. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

October 13

Lake Wateree is at 95.2% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 70s. Clarity is normal. 

It’s definitely fall bass fishing on Lake Wateree now, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that at this time of year it’s all about the bait. The bait will be moving based in large part upon the location of plankton, which is affected by wind direction, and if you aren’t fishing near shad you won’t be around as many fish.

In the fall a lot of the fish migrate into the creeks, and that is certainly going on now, but fishing can also be good in coves and pockets right off the main lake. With the water down and mild temperatures fish can be found about everywhere right now. 

The other major factor you need to think about is weather, and on cloudy days you are more likely to have a longer window with topwater lures and then reaction baits like spinnerbait. (Every morning in low-light conditions it’s worth throwing a Pop-R off points). But on bright, sunny days you will need to fish soft plastics like a shaky head once the sun is up. Don’t overlook docks, even ones without a lot of water, because they often have brush out front of them.  Grass with water on it is also a good target. 

Finally, a useful tip right now is to always have a topwater lure unhooked and hanging off the side of the boat ready to throw. They can come up anywhere!

The crappie were doing exactly what veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt expected in this week’s tournament on Lake Wateree, and he and most of the field were fishing stumps and brush on or near the main river channel in 25-30 feet of water. They caught over 30 fish between a pound and a pound and a quarter (and 7 bigger) fishing this way, but they never could get rid of a 1.30 pound fish that kept them .55 pounds out of first place and finishing fourth. The winners had 11.01, and they had 10.46.

The best action came in the mid-lake area, and Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew color as well as small minnows worked the best. 

While the striped bass haven’t really started schooling yet on Lake Wateree, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that he has been catching scattered fish about 15 feet down on swimbaits and shiners. He is finding the most fish on the lower end of the main lake in areas where he locates bait.   

The catfish bite should continue to improve, and for smaller blue catfish in the two- to six-pound range the best pattern is to drift cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water. Occasionally you can pick up larger fish. 

When there is no water moving up the lake then the fishing is very slow there, but when there is current from water releases the big blues can bite. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

October 5

Lake Wateree is at 94.9% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s. Clarity is normal. 

It’s starting to get into more of a fall bass pattern on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that locating bait is really important since fish are going to be near it. Wind can also be really important, including for locating bait, and wind-blown areas are likely to hold the most fish. 

More fish are moving shallow, and so the bite with a Pop-R around points first things continues to improve. A buzzbait is also a good option, and if you can find any grass in the water that’s a really good place to throw it.   

While there are less good docks than usual right now, Dearal says it’s still worth fishing a worm or jig around the ones that are in the water and fishing the brush out in front of docks. 

With temperatures very stable there’s still no big move from the Lake Wateree crappie, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the best action is still in the main river channel in 18-25 feet of water. Fish are thinning out a little on brush, and they are moving to stumps more – especially stumps in the vicinity of the bait they are chasing. They are also a little higher in the water column, although not necessarily in shallower water. You can find some fish in 14-15 feet, but for now they are still mostly smaller.

The next move will be when fish almost completely pull off of cover and move into open water following bait, and then they will also usually get closer to the bottom. 

Both minnows and jigs are working but Fish Stalker Slab Tail jigs in Mountain Dew have been working the best.   

While the striped bass haven’t really started schooling yet on Lake Wateree, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that he has been catching scattered fish about 15 feet down on swimbaits and shiners. He is finding the most fish on the lower end of the main lake in areas where he locates bait.   

The catfish bite should continue to improve, and for smaller blue catfish in the two- to six-pound range the best pattern is to drift cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water. Occasionally you can pick up larger fish. 

When there is no water moving up the lake then the fishing is very slow there, but when there is current from water releases the big blues can bite. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.