November 5

Lake Monticello water temperatures are in the upper 60s, and the water is typically clear although stained around the banks with recent winds. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.

Warmer temperatures have the bassa little behind schedule on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that even though in mid-November he has usually settled into fishing a spoon and Alabama rig on Lake Monticello this year there was still a decent shallow topwater bite as of earlier this week. That should last until temperatures get into the lower 60s. 

The deeper bite is also getting started, and from now until winter sets in Andy will be following bait more than looking for particular spots. This is one reason the Alabama rig fished deep can be a good complement to the spoon. Loons are just arriving and will tip you off to where the bait is holding, but Andy also spends a lot of time idling around and graphing to see where the mega clouds of bait can be found. The bass can sometimes be so tight to the bottom that you can’t see them, but the bait will be visible. 

Channels, points, and steep drop-offs can all hold fish, and 25-40 feet is the most likely depth range. 30-35 feet is usually the key zone.  But most importantly remember that right now fish are on the move.  

Thecatfish bite continues to improve on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that this is the very best time of the year to catch a big fish. Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 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 and bream are the best baits right now.

October 20

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures have dropped to the mid-70s and the lake is relatively clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

As water temperatures drop the Lake Monticello bass are starting to move deeper, and even though tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that you can still catch fish on something like an Alabama rig in the 15- foot range he is starting to switch over to fishing a spoon in deeper water. 

In the summer and winter on Lake Monticello Andy will generally be fishing way points and checking particular spots, but the fall spoon bite is one time when he will be more interested in following bait than looking for particular spots. Loons can tip you off to where the bait is holding, but Andy will also spend a lot of time idling around and graphing to see where the mega clouds of bait can be found. The bass can sometimes be so tight to the bottom that you can’t see them, but the bait will be visible. 

Channels, points, and steep drop-offs can all hold fish, and 25-40 feet is the most likely depth range. 30-35 feet is usually the key zone. At times fish will get up off the bottom when they are actively feeding, but sometimes they will hold tight to the lake bed.

The fall big fishcatfish bite is getting started on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that anchoring in 40-60 feet of water around long points and humps is the best pattern. A drift bite should be getting started soon, but for now fish seem to want anchored baits more. White perch, bream and gizzard shad are the best baits.

The free-line drifting bite is winding down for the season.

September 29

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are around 80-82 degrees and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

There’s not much change in the bass pattern on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the fish are still following the bait as they transition between mid-depths of 10-15 feet and the 30-50 foot zone. Right now he advises checking mid-depth points and humps and fishing out to the deeper spots to see where bass can be found from day to day. Again, basically they are following the bait, and so if you locate the bait then bass should be close by. 

Carolina rigs, crankbaits and drop shot rigs can all catch fish.  

The fall bite for big catfish on Lake Monticello is picking up, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that patience is still required if you want to catch fish.  The best way to target them is to anchor around points and humps in 50-60 feet of water, but the drift bite is also starting to pick up. Big, durable baits like gizzard shad are the best bet. 

With water temperatures still in the upper 70s plenty of fish are still suspended and the free-line drifting bite remains good.  This is an excellent way to target eating-sized blue cats since large numbers of smaller blues will continue to feed high in the water column over deep water as long as temperatures are hot.  You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels, and you might just catch a big one!

September 16

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

As expected, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that bass are following the bait as they transition between mid-depths of 10-15 feet and the 30-50 foot zone. Right now he advises checking mid-depth points and humps and fishing out to the deeper spots to see where bass can be found from day to day. Again, basically they are following the bait, and so if you locate the bait then bass should be close by. 

Carolina rigs, crankbaits and drop shot rigs can all catch fish.  

The fall bite for big catfish on Lake Monticello is picking up, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the best way to target them is to anchor around points and humps in 50-60 feet of water. It can also be worth starting to drift, because at some point that pattern will really turn on. Big, durable baits like gizzard shad are the best bet. 

With water temperatures still very warm the free-line drifting bite is also still good.  This is an excellent way to target eating-sized bluecats since large numbers of smaller blues will continue to feed high in the water column over deep water as long as temperatures are hot. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels, and you might just catch a big one!   

To ready more about free line drifting on Monticello check out this article.

September 2

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

It’s another transition period on Lake Monticello for bass, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that as a result they can be particularly hard to locate in September. Through July they stay deep, but then in August they transition into mid-depths of 10-15 feet and get finicky. By October they will be in some of the deepest locations of the year, including 40-50 foot holes, and so in September it’s worth checking the mid-depth points and humps as well as the deeper spots – and everything in between. At some point this month they will be making their move deeper.   

Carolina rigs, crankbaits and drop shot rigs can all catch fish.  

The hot fall bite for big catfish on Lake Monticello is still just around the corner, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the best way to target them is to anchor around points and humps in 50-60 feet of water. It can also be worth starting to drift, because at some point that pattern will really turn on. Big, durable baits like gizzard shad are the best bet. 

With water temperatures still very warm the free-line drifting bite is still good.  This is an excellent way to target eating-sized bluecats since large numbers of smaller blues will continue to feed high in the water column over deep water as long as temperatures are hot. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels, and you might just catch a big one!   

To ready more about free line drifting on Monticello check out this article.

August 19

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

We are getting closer to the hot fall bite for big catfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that there are already signs that the fishing for large cats is picking up. The best way to target them is to anchor around points and humps in 50-60 feet of water, but it may also be worth starting to drift. Drifting will get even better this fall. Big, durable baits like gizzard shad are the best bet. 

Without a surprise cooling, it’s likely that the Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite will stay good a while longer.  This is an excellent way to target eating-sized bluecats since large numbers of smaller blues will continue to feed high in the water column over deep water as long as temperatures are hot. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels, and you might just catch a big one!   

To ready more about free line drifting on Monticello check out this article.

Andy Wicker is off getting married or something, but we’ll follow up with a new report from him as soon as we can.

August 6

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

The pattern for catching big catfish on Lake Monticello is changing now that the spawn is almost completely finished, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that as fish head out to deeper water the best way to target them is to fish around points and humps in 50-60 feet of water. For now anchoring with big baits like gizzard shad is still the best way to catch them, but soon the fall drifting bite should kick in. 

At the same time, the Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite is still really good for numbers of bluecats as plenty 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 cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

The bass fishing on Lake Monticello is still a grind, but tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that fish have started to transition into shallower water and the most consistent fishing is now in 10-15 feet of water. Fish are generally related to any significant piece of cover be it a brush pile, isolated piece of wood, rock pile, or stump. Use your electronics to identify the best cover.

The best bite is still coming by down-sizing to the smallest, most finesse-oriented baits.  Roboworms on a drop shot will work as well as anything.

July 29

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

There’s still not a lot of change with the bass fishing on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that fishing remains a grind. The fish are in the same locations in 20-25 feet of water around depth changes including points and humps and ridges, and you still generally need a finesse-oriented presentation to catch them. Drop shots and shakey heads are usually the best approach. 

There’s still a decent topwater bite early and late, usually fishing topwater lures around points.  The riprap wall along the dam can also hold fish. 

While they won’t be going all the way to the banks, the next move the fish will make will be when they transition shallower into the 10-15 foot range. This usually happens in August, and then the fish will probably stay there until temperatures really cool off. 

As it should be until temperatures start to cool off, the Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite is still really good for numbers of bluecatfish, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that plenty 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 cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

While you could certainly catch a big one free-line drifting, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

In a couple of weeks when the spawn is completely finished many of the bigger fish will start to move to move out to deeper water, from 40-50 feet on out.  This can usher in one of the best periods of the year on Monticello – the fall deep drifting bite.

July 22

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

There’s not a lot of change with the bass fishing on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that fishing is still a bit of a grind. The fish are in the same locations in 20-25 feet of water around depth changes including points and humps and ridges, and you still generally need a finesse-oriented presentation to catch them. Drop shots and shakey heads are usually the best approach. 

There’s still a decent topwater bite early and late, usually fishing topwater lures around points.  The riprap wall along the dam can also hold fish. 

While they won’t be going all the way to the banks, the next move the fish will make will be when they transition shallower into the 10-15 foot range. This usually happens in August, and then the fish will probably stay there until temperatures really cool off. 

As it should be until temperatures start to cool off, the Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite is still really good for numbers of catfish, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that plenty 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 cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

While you could certainly catch a big one free-line drifting, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

In a couple of weeks when the spawn is completely finished many of the bigger fish will start to move to move out to deeper water, from 40-50 feet on out. This can usher in one of the best periods of the year on Monticello – the fall deep drifting bite.  

July 9

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily. 

Unfortunately the deep bass fishing has gotten tougher on Lake Monticello, which tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports is about on time if a tiny bit early for July on Lake Monticello. The fish are still in roughly the same locations in 20-25 feet of water around depth changes including points and humps and ridges. However, instead of targeting them with crankbaits, spoons and a big worm now you need to use a more finesse-oriented presentation. Drop shots and shakey heads are usually the best approach. 

At the same time that the offshore bite has gotten a little tougher, it seems that the shallow bite may be a little improved early and late. That usually means fishing topwater lures around points, but the riprap wall along the dam can also hold fish. 

As it should be until temperatures start to cool off, the Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite is still really good for numbers of bluecatfish, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that plenty 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 cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

While you could certainly catch a big one free-line drifting, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

June 25

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s, warmer on the lower end near the power plant, and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily. 

The latest CATT tournament on Lake Monticello this past Saturday was won with a respectable 16 ½ pounds of bass, but with only 5 teams fishing it’s hard to get a really good idea of just how strong the bite is right now from those standings. From what he has seen tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria thinks the fishing is still very strong, and it usually isn’t until the second week of July that it starts to get tougher. 

The best pattern is still fishing 20-30 feet of water around depth changes, from points to humps to ridges. There are basically three baits that Andy is throwing right now – a crankbait, a spoon and a big worm like an Ole Monster. 

While you can still fish topwater early you don’t want to miss the best deep bite.  

In a couple of weeks the fishing will slow down, and by about the second week of July Andy expects that to target them anglers will have to turn to finesse techniques.  

The Lake Monticello free-line drifting bite is still really good for numbers of blue catfish, andCaptain William Attaway(803-924-0857) reports that plenty of eating-sized blues remain suspended high in the water column over deep water where they are feeding. This pattern isn’t likely to slow down until temperatures start to cool in the fall. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

While you could certainly catch a big one free-line drifting, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

June 18

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s and the lake is clear. Water levels fluctuate daily. 

Last week we promised that a Lake Monticello free-line driftingcatfish report would be coming after the author went on a charter withCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857), and the results of that trip did not disappoint. More information about how to fish this technique will be forthcoming, but, now that water temperatures have gotten very warm, as expected plenty of eating-sized blues are suspended high in the water column over deep water and they are hungry. We caught a cooler full of fish up to about five pounds. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from cut fish to chicken to mussels. 

While you could certainly catch a big one free-line drifting, as we discovered, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

It’s still a really strong bass bite on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that in 20-30 feet of water around depth changes the fishing is still very good. Fish are relating to a bunch of different stuff, from points to humps to ridges. There are basically three baits that Andy will be throwing right now – a crankbait, a spoon and a big worm like an Ole Monster. 

The fishing is always best when the fish first get out deep, and later in the summer it will slow down, so now is the time to target them before you have to turn to finesse techniques.  

While you can still fish topwater early you don’t want to miss the best deep bite.  

June 10

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s and the lake is clear. Water levels fluctuate daily. 

Two weeks ago tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria and his brother caught a 20-pound sack to win a CATT event, but if anything the Lake Monticello bass fishing has gotten even better since then.  While there is still a little bit of a topwater bite first thing you are basically wasting your time if you do anything besides fish deep, and in 20-30 feet of water around depth changes the fishing has gotten very, very good. Fish are relating to a bunch of different stuff, from points to humps to ridges. There are basically three baits that Andy will be throwing right now – a crankbait, a spoon and a big worm like an Ole Monster. 

The fishing is always best when the fish first get out deep, and later in the summer it will slow down, so now is the time to target them before you have to turn to finesse techniques.   

The Lake Monticelloblue catfish spawn is getting underway, and even though not all the fish spawn at onceCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that means that the bite for big fish is slowing down. However, the pattern for trying to catch a big one is about the same and the best approach remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from the bank out to 30 feet around long points and underwater humps. White perch and bream are the preferred baits right now, but herring and gizzard shad will also work.

Water temperatures have also gotten into the range where the free-line drifting bite should be good, and anglers can drift small baits over deep water and catch fish.  William will be fishing that this coming week with the author and a full report will be coming.