March 28

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures have dropped back to about 55 degrees on the 99 end. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

We are between waves of spawning bass on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that one group of fish has already spawned but the next group won’t move up until temperatures warm again. For now a lot of fish have headed back out to the main lake where they are holding as deep as 20 feet, and they can be caught around riprap and points with jerkbaits and even Alabama rigs. 

There are still fish in the vicinity of spawning pockets that can be caught on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, but as far as going down the bank with a worm temperatures probably need to warm a bit before that becomes a dominant pattern again. 

No new report on Monticello catfish from Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857), but he has trips booked targeting them again in two weeks. 

March 20

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures range from about 59-63 degrees. The upper lake is lightly stained while the lower end near the power plant area is fairly dirty. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

The bass spawn is on at Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that all over the lake fish are on the beds. If you spot fish you can sight-fish for them with your favorite bed-fishing lure, but Eric prefers to drop-shot a small minnow-type grub on a short leader. Since water levels rise and fall on Monticello the fish tend to spawn a little deeper, and if you can’t see them because the water is up or stained then working parallel to the bank with a jerkbait or pulling a Whopper Plopper over their heads is a great option. You can also fish a spinnerbait the same way.  

For post-spawn fish until water temperatures hit about 78 degrees a jerkbait is a fantastic choice, and the only question is whether to fish a shallow-diver or a deeper running bait. 

 

There are also still tons of crappie being caught in the stumps on the 99 end.

The catfish should be close but they still don’t seem to have really turned on at Lake Monticello, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the best pattern remains to anchor and fan-cast baits to ledges and points covering a wide range of depths. Early in the morning look for the fish to set up shallower, but then to pull out deeper as the sun comes up. 

White perch and gizzard shad should be the best baits right now, but nothing is very consistent.

March 14

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures range from about 59-63 degrees. The whole lake is stained while the lower end near the power plant area is dirty. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

The bass have moved a lot shallower in the last week on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the buck bass are already on the banks and the females are about to be right there with them – if they are not already. He expects fish to be on the bed by next week.

The best thing going is still fishing a spinnerbait first thing around any riprap on the lake, but after that you can target any cove or spawning pocket which all will hold fish. Fish seem to be wise to baits presented from out to in, and it seems to be easier to draw strikes fishing parallel to the bank. As is often the case in the clear (even if stained) water on Monticello, Eric likes to fish the transition where the bottom falls out of sight.  For some reason a Speed Craw on a shaky head has been out-fishing everything else for shallow fish this week. 

March 7

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures range from about 56-62 degrees. The 99 end is clear but the lower end is dirty. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

Particularly right now there is a great variation between water temperatures on the two ends of the lake, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that down towards the power plant you can find water as warm as 65 degrees. He has no doubt that there are already some bass down there spawning, whereas on the rest of the lake he thinks fish are headed to an early spawn in the next couple of weeks (barring a major cold front).

As often on Monticello there is a good shallow pattern first thing, and throwing a spinnerbait around any riprap will generate bites. You could also fish shallow on secondary points with soft plastics before the sun gets high.

But after the sun comes up fish are moving out from the banks, and one group of fish can be targeted running parallel to the bank with jerkbaits or Carolina rigs at the first drop where you stop being able to see the bottom. For some reason Carolina-rigged lizards have been working the best.

There is also a group of fish roaming offshore, and while most of them are suspended 10 or less feet below the surface they are mostly in 20 or 30 feet of water. It’s hard to target them without LiveScope. They are taking both jerkbatis and small swimbaits.

One group of fish that Eric saw this week turned out to be monster crappie instead of bass, and he caught this 3-pound fish out of a roaming offshore school.  They were 10-18 feet down in 40-60 of water.

Another place you can look for crappie right now is around the stumps on the 99 end, and the stump fields are absolutely loaded with suspended fish right now. The stumps start in about 18 feet and the fish he is seeing there are about 6 feet under the surface.  

The catfish should be close but they still don’t seem to have really turned on at Lake Monticello, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the best pattern remains to anchor and fan-cast baits to ledges and points covering a wide range of depths. Early in the morning look for the fish to set up shallower, but then to pull out deeper as the sun comes up. Just like the bass. 

White perch and gizzard shad should be the best baits right now, but nothing is very consistent.

February 29

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures vary, but on the 99 end they are usually starting about 53 or 54 degrees and the water is stained. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

22 pounds won the ABA tournament this Sunday on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that there is no doubt what is the best bait to throw right now. Perhaps because of the stained conditions the best bags all came on Alabama rigs. First thing if there is some water moving then going down shallow riprap is the ticket, and then after that working coves and casting parallel to the banks in 8-14 feet of water is the best pattern. There are also still some deep fish out in 40 feet, and one of the better bags came looking at these fish on LiveScope and watching them come up to take the A-rig.  

There was very little sign that fish have made a move shallow yet. 

It’s still basically fair fishing for catfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that most of the bait and catfish are still holding tight in 60-70 feet of water. Both slow drifting and anchoring can catch fish, and ledges of gullies seem to be the most productive terrain.  White perch and gizzard shad have been the best baits. As usual when pursuing big fish anglers need to be patient.

February 23

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures vary, with low 50s on the 99 end but upper 50s near the power plant. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

We will have more information after the ABA tournament this Sunday on Lake Monticello, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that there are monster sacks coming out of the lake. It took 26 pounds to win Saturday, and weekday anglers are routinely catching lots of 6 plus pounders. For now we will just say that the early morning bite around rock and rip rap is still good, and then after that most people are Scoping and casting with swimbaits and Alabama rigs.  

It’s still basically fair fishing for catfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that most of the bait and catfish are still holding tight in 60-70 feet of water. Both slow drifting and anchoring are working well, and ledges of gullies seem to be the most productive terrain.  White perch and gizzard shad have been the best baits. As usual when pursuing big fish anglers need to be patient.

February 12

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures vary, with low 50s on the 99 end but upper 50s near the power plant. The whole lake has a slight stain but the closer you get to the power plant the dirtier it is. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

The bass patterns continue to change on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that in last weekend’s CATT tournament on the lake he finished second with 18 pounds (winning bag was 22). First thing in the morning he found a good bite anywhere there was riprap, including the dam and the major ramps. The key to getting bites is to work parallel to the bank once you find how deep the fish are holding (tournament day they were 5-10 feet deep) with a spinnerbait. Casting perpendicular to the bank does not work. 

When that bite ends then the best bet is to target points, and for now the fish are on main lake points outside of big pockets. He did not find fish that had gone into the pockets. Again the depth varies, but they were all sitting on the bottom in 15-40 feet around structure. Sometimes he would see the fish on LiveScope but most of the time they wouldn’t swim up until it passed over them. Everything this way came on an Alabama rig and again moving parallel to the bank was critical. 

It’s still basically fair fishing for catfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that most of the bait and catfish are still holding tight in 60-70 feet of water. Both slow drifting and anchoring are working well, and ledges of gullies seem to be the most productive terrain.  White perch and gizzard shad have been the best baits. As usual when pursuing big fish anglers need to be patient, particularly now when catfish have their choice of millions of slow-moving baitfish to feed on.

February 1

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures vary, with low 50s on the 99 end but upper 50s near the power plant.  The whole lake has a slight stain but the closer you get to the power plant the dirtier it is. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

Almost overnight the bass have gotten a lot shallower on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the best deal going right now is the Alabama rig. Fish can be caught on it all over the lake, but first thing fish are starting off shallow in around 10 feet of water. Steep, rocky banks have been the most productive. 

As the day goes on fish are working their way out to 16-25 feet, and they can be caught around laydowns, stumps or any other cover in deeper water. The A-rig is still the best way to approach them. 

It’s still basically fair fishing for catfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that most of the bait and catfish are still holding tight in 60-70 feet of water. Both slow drifting and anchoring are working well, and ledges of gullies seem to be the most productive terrain.  White perch and gizzard shad have been the best baits. As usual when pursuing big fish anglers need to be patient, particularly now when catfish have their choice of millions of slow-moving or even dying baitfish to feed on.

January 23

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures vary depending upon where on the lake you are, ranging from the upper 40s to mid-50s. Water levels generally fluctuate daily. 

It’s unlikely that anything major will change with the bass on Lake Monticello until we get some sustained warming to push the fish shallower, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that bass are still on a deep pattern following the bait around. The bait is very heavy in about 65 feet of water around tree tops, and the fish are suspending a little above that. They are dropping down to about 40 feet with jigging spoons and looking for the birds to let them know where to fish. Alabama rigs are also working. 

There will always be fish shallow on Monticello, and Eric says you can catch plenty of bass up to about 3 pounds fishing a jerkbait off points in 8-15 feet of water. 

Finally, it’s not a super-hot bite but they are catching some smallmouth bass right now over humps. A Strike King Rage Swimmer fished deep is working. 

There were some good catches in a recent catfish tournament on Lake Monticello, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that most days fishing is just fair right now.  Everything has gotten a bit deeper, and most of the bait and catfish are holding tight in 60-70 feet of water. Both slow drifting and anchoring are working well, and ledges of gullies seem to be the most productive terrain.  White perch and gizzard shad have been the best baits. As usual when pursuing big fish anglers need to be patient, particularly now when catfish have their choice of millions of slow-moving or even dying baitfish to feed on.

January 4

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are surprisingly warm in the mid-50s or even higher depending on where on the lake you are, and water levels generally fluctuate daily. Even after recent rains the lake is fairly clear. 

It’s still a very good bass bite on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the fish are still on a deep pattern following the bait around. The bait is very heavy in about 65 feet of water around tree tops, but surprisingly the fish are suspending above that at about 40 feet. They are dropping down to about 40 feet with jigging spoons and looking for the birds to let them know where to fish. The best action has been on the 99 end around windblown pockets. 

There will always be fish shallow on Monticello, and Eric says you can catch plenty of bass up to about 3 pounds fishing a jerkbait off points in 8-15 feet of water. 

Catfish report to follow. 

December 21

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s on the 99 end of the lake, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

The best bass bite in the state may be on Lake Monticello right now, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that fish can be caught on almost anything you want to fish. If you want to fish shallow then Alabama rigs, jerkbaits, shaky heads or crankbaits will put them in the boat, while if you want to fish deep the jigging spoon bite is wide open.  As for the shallow bite look for wind-blown pockets and secondary points in 8-15 feet of water. All things equal a jerkbait seems to be a little better than anything else for shallow fish.

But the real story is the offshore bite, and it’s really as simple as finding the birds and then dropping down. The jigging spoon bite is as good as Eric as seen in years, and when you get into the fish they can be caught as fast as you can drop into them. They have been catching fish in 35-64 feet on the bottom, and mixed in with bass are white perch, bream, crappie and catfish.  

Unfortunately that’s the only first-hand information about catfish we have, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that finding them that deep or even deeper is consistent with what he expects this time of year. To target catfish large pieces of cut white perch or gizzard shad will work, and besides following the birds they will also be around long points and deep humps. 

December 14

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

The best bass bite has definitely moved deeper on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that most of the bigger fish have gone into 35 plus feet of water following the bait. These fish are being caught on jigging spoons, drop shot rigs, and grubs, and 42-45 feet is the sweet spot. Fish will be around depth changes like deep points, humps and other drops, but bait is more important than structure. 

There are also still some fish off points in 15-25 feet of water on Lake Monticello, and Alabama rigs are working for these fish. 

Unfortunately Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) still hasn’t been back to Monticello for the catfish since his last, unsuccessful trip (with the Murray bite getting so good), but he notes that this shouldbe the time when fish are can be caught anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet of water off long points and humps close to deep water and timber. 

White perch and gizzard shad will both work once the fish are ready to eat. 

December 7

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 50s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

There are still some bass being caught off points in 15-25 feet of water on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that Alabama rigs are working for these fish. However, most of the bigger fish seem to have gone deeper into 35 plus feet of water following the bait. These fish are being caught on jigging spoons, drop shot rigs, and grubs, and 42-45 feet is the sweet spot.  Fish will be around depth changes like deep points, humps and other drops, but bait is more important than structure.  

Unfortunately Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) hasn’t been back to Monticello for the catfish since his last, unsuccessful trip (with the Murray bite getting so good), but he notes that this shouldbe the time when fish are can be caught anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet of water off long points and humps close to deep water and timber. 

White perch and gizzard shad will both work once the fish are ready to eat. 

November 30

Unfortunately we have no new information on Lake Monticello, but we will keep trying to find someone who has been. At the latest one of our bass contacts expects to go this coming week.

November 21

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are still in the low to mid-60s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

Unfortunately we don’t have any good news on Monticello this week, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that in a full day on the lake Saturday he didn’t catch a single catfish.  The majority of the fish he marked were on humps and points, but the only action he could get were pecks and bumps. It just hasn’t gotten cold enough yet for the fall bite to turn on. 

Of course that could happen literally any day, and anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet of water remains the preferred pattern.  Long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target. 

White perch and gizzard shad will both work once the fish are ready to eat.  You can probably pick up some smaller fish now with down-sized baits and herring, but that’s not what trophy hunters are looking for on Monticello in the fall!  

Bass report to follow once we can get someone out there…   

November 17

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are down to the low to mid-60s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

Our bass and catfish experts will be on Monticello this weekend, and we will get you new information after that.  We apologize that we have no new information this week. 

November 9

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are down to the mid-60s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

It’s a bit of a mixed bag for bass on Lake Monticello right now, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that it’s easy to catch fish. At the same time, getting a big bite is tough and he won this Sunday’s ABA tournament with 13.70 pounds. 

Before the sun really breaks a buzzbait is working well, but as soon as the sun comes up then Andy found that he had to switch over to a jerkbait. He could see dozens of fish following an Alabama rig, but they would only take the jerkbait. 

Except for a couple of random fish he caught panning around on LiveScope, everything he caught came off of a few good brush piles.  They were in 15-20 feet of water. 

During the middle of the day the fishing gets tough, and fishing a shakey head around deep rock or old road beds is as good as anything. 

He won’t be on the lake until next week, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that this should be the peak time to catch a big blue catfish on Lake Monticello. 

Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet is the best way to catch a giant, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target. 

White perch, gizzard shad and bream will all work. 

November 3

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are down to the mid-60s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

It’s unfortunate we can’t find someone who has been out on the Lake Monticello fishing for catfish in the last two days, because Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that even though the free-line drifting bite is probably done for the year this should be the beginning of the peak time to catch big blues. It seems that almost year when it gets cold in November someone catches a fish approaching triple digits, and even if temperatures go back up a little once the fish head deep they usually stay there.  

Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet is the best way to catch a giant, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target. 

White perch, gizzard shad and bream will all work. 

With temperatures rebounding somewhat this weekend it’s hard to know what the bass on Lake Monticello will be doing, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that in the cooler months an Alabama rig will be hard to beat. With an ABA tournament this Sunday look for more information to follow. 

October 26

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.

The buzzbait bite for bass on Lake Monticello is still very good, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that early in the morning you can’t go wrong targeting rock, laydowns and even blank banks with a buzzbait. If it’s cloudy the bite can last all day long. A jerkbait is also good early in the morning, but on sunny days it can also produce a little further into the day than the buzzbait. 

When the sun gets up then fishing a jig or shaky head around structure in the pockets and coves in 15-25 feet of water is the best pattern when they are not pulling water, but if current is flowing then you can either stick with the jerkbait or fish a deep-diving crankbait in the same depth range. 

We are not supposed to be saying this near the beginning of November, but for now the  free-line drifting catfish bite is still fishable on Lake Monticello.  Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that eating-sized blues remain suspended high in the water column over deep water where they are feeding. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from small pieces of cut gizzard shad to chicken to mussels. Even though you are generally targeting smaller fish William still prefers to fish with 8/0 circle hooks, which seem to offer the best hookset. 

Even with some 80-degree days on the horizon this pattern really can’t last much longer, and once temperatures drop then we will get into the best period of the year for big fish. Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet is the best way to catch a giant, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target. 

White perch, gizzard shad and bream will all work. 

October 19

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in low to mid-70s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The buzzbait bite for bass on Lake Monticello is still very good, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that early in the morning you can’t go wrong targeting rock, laydowns and even blank banks with a buzzbait. If it’s cloudy the bite can last all day long. A jerkbait is also good early in the morning, but on sunny days it can also produce a little further into the day than the buzzbait. 

When the sun gets up then fishing a jig or shaky head around structure in the pockets and coves in 15-25 feet of water is the best pattern when they are not pulling water, but if current is flowing then you can either stick with the jerkbait or fish a deep-diving crankbait in the same depth range. 

It won’t last much longer but for now the free-line drifting catfish bite is still really good on Lake Monticello, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that tons of eating-sized blues remain suspended high in the water column over deep water where they are feeding. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from small pieces of cut gizzard shad to chicken to mussels. Even though you are generally targeting smaller fish William still prefers to fish with 8/0 circle hooks, which seem to offer the best hookset. 

You can also catch small fish anchoring small baits on the bottom, and you can even hook a big one free-line drifting. 

However, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 20-60 feet around long points and underwater humps. It’s easy to do on Monticello, but you want to find areas to set up where you can cover a broad range of depths from one anchored position. 

It can also be worth starting to drift, because at some point that pattern will really turn on. 

White perch, bream and gizzard shad are the preferred baits right now for drifting, due to their durability, and for anchoring you can also add herring to the mix.

October 5

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 70s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The buzzbait bite for bass on Lake Monticello is still red-hot, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that his buddy Don Beason came within 3/100 of a pound of winning first place in the Lake Murray Seniors Club tournament fishing a double propeller buzzbait for 17 pounds this week in their tournament. That bite is good until about 9:30, and you can catch both largemouth and smallmouth throwing it anywhere there is a rock outcropping. Downed trees are also holding fish, and on the lower end you are more likely to run into smallmouth. 

They haven’t seen as much schooling activity this week, particularly when water is not being pulled, and the best way to catch fish once the sun gets up has been with a shaky head in pockets. However, this has mainly been a pattern for smaller fish. 

If there is current then after the sun gets up you can fish the middle of the pockets ticking the tops of brush with a 5XD or 6XD crankbait. 

Catfish report to follow next week.  

September 28

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The buzzbait bite for bass on Lake Monticello has come on even more this week, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that running pockets in the morning with a buzzbait is a really good pattern all over the lake. Additionally, on the lower end going along the bank and throwing a buzzbait at downed trees is working really well for smallmouth. 

More generally fish are in the pockets, and in the morning in addition to buzzbaits they are sometimes catching them schooling. The Mad Shad has been working very well as has a fluke. 

If fish aren’t schooling but there is water being pulled then cranking the ends of the secondary points first thing with a DT-10 or DT-6 crankbait is another option. After the sun gets up move to the middle of the pockets and tick the tops of brush with a 5XD or 6XD crankbait. If there is no water moving then you pretty much need to fish a shaky head.

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and even though it will slow a little in the coming weeks Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that on warm, sunny days well into the fall it can be productive. For now smaller fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. The suspended catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. However, very soon the deep fall bite will turn on with more cooling.

White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work. 

September 21

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The bass on Lake Monticello have made their early fall transition, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that they have made their way into the pockets. In the morning they are catching them schooling, and the Mad Shad has been working very well. If fish aren’t schooling but there is water being pulled then cranking the ends of the secondary points first thing with a DT-10 or DT-6 crankbait is working well. After the sun gets up move to the middle of the pockets and tick the tops of brush with a 5XD or 6XD crankbait. If there is no water moving then you pretty much need to fish a shaky head.

There is also a surprisingly good smallmouth bite, and particularly on the cool mornings the fish are getting around any shallow wood in the water. You can just go along the bank and throw a buzzbait at downed trees to catch smallmouth, especially on lower end.

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. The suspended catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. However, it won’t be long until the deep fall bite turns on with more cooling.

White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work. 

September 7

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The bass on Lake Monticello have begun their fall transition, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that they are starting to pull into wind-blown pockets and coves following baitfish. While a few fish can still be found on main lake points where they can be caught on a 6XD or an 8XD (when water is being pulled) or a shaky head, most of the fish are moving in. 

When they are pulling water then fish will be tighter to secondary points about 10 feet deep, and they will take a 5XD or a 6XD. When no water is moving then they will be off the points a bit sitting in ditches in 10-25 feet, and a big Texas-rigged worm like a Zoom Ole Monster is the best way to target them. With a lot of brush and rocks in the coves a shaky head doesn’t fish as well. 

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. The suspended catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. However, it won’t be long until the deep fall bite turns on if we get a little cooling.

White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work. 

August 24

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  The lake remains clear.

It’s still a strong offshore bass bite on Lake Monticello, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the quality of the action varies with the water conditions. When they are pulling water then you can wear out big fish off the ends of main lake points in 15-25 feet with a big flutter spoon or a deep diving crankbait like a 6XD or 8XD.  But when they are not pulling water then the bigger fish don’t bite as well, and you pretty much have to fish soft plastics. Right now a green pumpkin trick worm on a shaky head is working better than a drop shot. In 18-25 feet go with a 3/8 ounce, and in shallower water use a ¼ ounce.  But even switching to soft plastics the big ones aren’t biting when there isn’t water moving, and you are basically targeting 2-pounders. 

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. They suspended catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. However, it won’t be long until the deep fall bite turns on.

White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work. 

August 17

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  The lake remains clear.

If you want to learn to offshore bass fish, BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that right now on Lake Monticello is the time and place to do it! They are still wearing out the fish on main lake points in 15-25 feet of water, and when they are pulling water then a big flutter spoon or a deep diving crankbait like a 6XD or 8XD is the best option. When they are not pulling water then the fish usually want soft plastics, and right now a green pumpkin trick worm on a shakey head is working better than a drop shot. In 18-25 feet go with a 3/8 ounce, and in shallower water use the ¼ ounce.

This summer fish are not getting inside the big pockets, and Eric thinks that’s something to do with the way Dominion is generating power. 

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. Catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. However, it won’t be long until the deep fall bite turns on.

White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work. 

August 3

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  The lake remains clear.

Lake Monticello bass fishing is on fire right now, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that catching a 20-pound limit right now is very doable. By yourself! If you are wanting to teach a young person how to catch fish Eric says that now is the time.

Fish can be caught on the ends of main lake points and humps in about 15-25 feet of water. The most reliable way to catch numbers is with a ¼ or 3/8 ounce green pumpkin trick worm, but for quality a 6XD or 8XD deep-running crankbait is your best option. 

A flutter spoon can also be really good, even though the bite can be hit-or-miss. 

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish also continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. Catfish typically run up to about five pounds, but there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

July 27

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 80s, and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  The lake has cleared this week. 

It’s a pretty exciting time to fish Lake Monticello when the bass are stacked up like this, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that he is seeing tons of schools of 50-100 fish out on the main lake. They are off the end of points and any high spots like underwater humps, while the pockets are pretty dead. 

The preferred way to approach these fish is to start off cranking in 15-25 feet first thing with a 6XD or 8XD in a shad pattern, but as the sun gets up then pull out a flutter spoon if there is some wind. You can also keep cranking. However, on more typical calm days then a shaky head with a green pumpkin worm is working extremely well. You have to wade through a lot of small bass but there are plenty of good ones, too. 

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. Catfish typically run up to about five pounds, and there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.

The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps.  White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

July 13

Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s and water levels typically fluctuate daily.  

The bass fishing is still pretty good on Lake Monticello, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that – as you would expect in the summer – the bite is better first thing and in the evenings. Deep is still the best place to look, but there are also some fish around stumps, rocks and brush in the 10-20 foot range. This is almost exclusively a soft plastic bite with Texas rigs and shaky heads. 

As far as offshore spots, the biggest fish seem to be in 20-30 feet of water around depth changes, including points and humps and ridges. The top three baits are a crankbait, a spoon and a big worm like an Ole Monster, but as it stays hot we are also getting into the period where fish may want something more subtle like a drop shot and a small worm. 

There is still a sporadic topwater bite shallow.

The free-line drift fishing forcatfish continues to be strong,and if you want to fill a cooler with eating-sized fish Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that’s your best bet. Fish are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. Catfish typically run up to about five pounds, and there is certainly the chance for a big one. A variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels will work, and it’s really as simple as pulling several rods with small pieces of bait across the lake.   

Many of the biggest fish are still focused on the spawn, but with some of the better fish starting to come off of beds the chances of catching a good one are going up again. The best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 10 feet out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits for big fish right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.