April 8
Lake Wateree is at 99.0% of full pool and the lake is very muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.
It’s a been a very strange spawning period on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the crappie are not doing what they are “supposed” to be doing. The majority of the fish still seem to be pre-spawn and they are holding much deeper than is normal for this time of year. There are some males on the banks but the females all seem to be 18-20 feet down in 18-25 feet of water. Some of them are in creeks and some are on the main lake, like the big 2 ¼ pound fish Will caught in a tournament last weekend 18 feet down in 22 feet of water. With fish still so deep so late in the spring Will is wondering if a lot of them will lay eggs in deep water – there can’t be more than about two weeks left in the spawn.
With the fish so deep it’s no wonder that tight-lining (more vertical) fishing techniques are working better right now than long-line trolling behind the boat – where it’s hard to get the baits down deep enough. Will also notes that there are some fish on brush right now – not many, but some good ones.
Everything is subject to change since the combination of muddy water and warmer weather could push fish towards the banks, but it’s not happening yet.
The Great Falls Shriners tournament is next Easter weekend out of the state park.
Wateree bass rarely go very deep, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that they are also doing some uncharacteristic things and staging later into what should be the spawning period than expected. The coming full moon should be really good because not very many fish seem to have spawned yet.
From what Dearal has seen this week fish seem to be staging, and he has found them from rocks in the main lake to the middle and backs of coves. Most of the fish are shallow and they seem to be extremely scattered. The bite is not as good as expected, especially for bigger fish, and they are not generally very shallow in flat spawning pockets.
Basically the pattern is to fish everything, and with dirty to muddy conditions Dearal has been fishing a spinnerbait, Chatterbait and a big jig. He is paying particular attention to rocks and docks.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that all along the river channel and off points there still is a good bite on vertical drops with large chunks of cut shad or white perch. The action can be particularly good fishing up the lake in the river section when there is a strong water flow from the upstream dam.
In the afternoons there is also a good bite fishing shallow in the backs of creeks with cut bait.
April 1
Lake Wateree is at 97.4% of full pool and the lake has some color but is not muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 50s.
It’s a trend on many South Carolina lakes this week, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the windy, cool, rainy weather this week pushed the crappie out towards deeper water. A week ago there were a ton of fish shallow, but this week Will is marking far more 16-25 feet down in 23-36 feet of water! For right now there are only a very, very few fish in the backs. Fish are still in all the major creeks – just deeper.
That will change as soon as temperatures warm up and moderate again, and Will estimates that 90% of the crappie on Wateree are still pre-spawn. They will go shallow again as soon as they can and then long-lining and casting at shallow cover will once more be effective.
Also as on most South Carolina lakes this week, the bass were far less affected by the weather this week than the crappie. Tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that they are still in the thick of the spawn and fish can be found about anywhere there is shallow water and some cover. Lizards, soft plastics, jigs and spinnerbaits will all catch fish.
While dropping water temperatures usually are not good for a topwater bite, as soon as temperatures start to rise again then the topwater bite should be on. Both pre-spawn and post-spawn fish will also take buzzbaits, walking baits, and Whopper Ploppers.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that all along the river channel and off points there is a good bite on vertical drops with large chunks of cut shad or white perch. The action can be particularly good fishing up the lake in the river section when there is a strong water flow from the upstream dam.
In the afternoons there is also a good bite fishing shallow in the backs of creeks with cut bait.
March 25
Lake Wateree is at 97.1% of full pool and parts of the lake are very dirty. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.
It’s many people’s favorite time of the year to fish for crappie, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that right now you can fish for them about any way you want. Some people are tight-lining in deeper water (mostly in front section of creeks), people are trolling for suspended creek fish in 8-15 feet of water, and other people are targeting individual fish with LiveScope. However, the most popular way to fish for them may be with a minnow or jig under a cork around the bank and docks.
Overall fish are in all of the creeks from the mouth to the banks, and so you can do pretty much whatever you want right now.
The bass are also getting deep into the spawning period, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that they can be found about anywhere there is shallow water and some cover. And with temperatures getting into a range where fish will feed on top, there is no doubt this is about the most popular time of the year for bass fishing.
Lizards, soft plastics, jigs and spinnerbaits will all catch fish, and both pre-spawn and post-spawn fish will also take buzzbaits, walking baits, and Whopper Ploppers.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that when there is current blue catfish are still biting very well in the river section of the lake in 15-25 feet of water around vertical breaks. There also continues to be an excellent bite back in the creeks with fresh gizzard shad in 6-10 feet of water.
March 17
Lake Wateree has shot up to 98.6% of full pool and the upper end is getting very muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 50s.
The crappie have been biting pretty well on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that they are catching them about everywhere from the banks in the creek to deep on the main lake. As a general rule the shallowest fish are males that have moved up towards the banks and around docks and piers, while the better females are holding 8-12 feet deep in the creeks in 18-20 feet of water. There is also another group of fish that is deeper on the main lake, and Will has found some fish 25 feet down near the bottom in 27 feet of water around old tree tops. However, these are generally smaller fish as well.
While the cold snap over the weekend did not change the bite very much, this huge influx of muddy freshwater could have a significant effect.
Rising water levels so seem to be having a significant effect on the bass, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that in a very short period water levels have risen several feet. As a result fish are starting to get in the grass, bullrushes and button bushes. Flipping soft plastics including lizards in these areas is a good way to target fish that have moved up.
Generally the fish seem to be in pre-spawn phases, and as noted previously they have shifted away from feeding on shad to focusing on crawfish and bluegill. There could be some fish that actually get on beds this weekend, and Dearal notes that with the black moss that has gotten so bad on the lake a clean, slick bottom without moss may be all that fish need to make beds.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that when there is current blue catfish are biting very well in the river section of the lake in 15-25 feet of water around vertical breaks. There is also an excellent bite back in the creeks with fresh gizzard shad in 6-10 feet of water.
March 10
Lake Wateree is way up to 97.7% of full pool.
Earlier this week tournament bass angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden is almost certain that some fish were spawning on Lake Wateree around docks. Even though he couldn’t actually see any beds they would take the bait presented under a dock but not really eat it like they do during the spawn, and there were some good females on the outside of the docks like they were waiting.
At the same time that fish have started to get into spawning patterns, Dearal notices that they have switched away from a shad bite. They would not take a spinnerbait but instead wanted a jig, and he also had a friend who caught them on crawdad-colored Shad Raps. It seems clear that the fish, for now, have switched from shad over to crawfish and bluegill as they do every year once those come out. Dearal had the best success with a Buckeye Ballin’ Out Jig in perfect craw color – like a PB&J with a little chartreuse.
Dearal is not sure how far back in the creeks the fish have gotten, and he has been sticking to the front part of creeks as well as coves. In any event, this weather system is likely to change everything.
Before the upcoming weather crappie were starting to fill up the creeks on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that in Beaver Creek, Singleton Creek, Dutchman’s and probably all of the major creeks fish have been caught in relatively shallow water. Most of the fish have been caught long-line trolling 4-10 feet down in 8-15 feet of water, and fish have gotten pretty aggressive about chasing plain jigs. There are also some fish on the banks.
It is unclear what weather patterns over the next few days will do, but it is almost certain that fish will back off. The only question is how much water temperatures drop and how far out they head.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that when there is current blue catfish are biting very well in the river section of the lake in 15-25 feet of water around vertical breaks. There is also an excellent bite back in the creeks with fresh gizzard shad.
March 1
Lake Wateree is at 95.4% of full pool and on the Lugoff side the water is more stained than usual while on the Camden sides it’s about normal. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 55-60 degrees depending on how far back you go.
This past Saturday tournament bass angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden had just over 16 pounds in the CATT tournament on Wateree, a couple of pounds shy of the winning bag of 18 pounds. He found everything shallow, and since then from what he has seen that trend has only accelerated. Duke is finally supposed to be bringing the lake back up, and the water will continue to warm, so everything should be pulling fish towards the banks.
The fish that Dearal has found have been related to a mix of rocks, grass, and docks, and while they are not yet in the backs they are headed that direction. Everything he caught was in 6 feet of water or less and it was feeding on bait. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits will both catch fish, and soon a Chatterbait should get really good. Right now the fish do not seem to be feeding on crawfish as much so jigs have not been as effective.
The “first wave” of male crappie have moved up shallow in the backs of creeks on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that is a function of water temperature. Behind the bridge in shallower water in Beaver Creek he found water that was several degrees warmer than in front of the bridge, and the fish that have moved up shallow are seeking the warmest conditions. He saw some fish as shallow as 4-5 feet, but Will would not be surprised if there were even some fish on the bank doing pre-spawn stuff.
The better females are still holding out deeper in 8-15 feet of water in the creeks, and they are generally 6-10 feet deep. You can cast for individual fish but long-line trolling with multiple rods and jigs is also effective.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is still a pretty good bite anchoring on deep ledges as well as drifting from the mid-lake to Colonel Creek. There is also good fishing on sunlit banks on warmer afternoons when fish will pull up shallower to feed. Cut shad are the best bait right now.
February 17
Lake Wateree is at 95.2% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 40s.
There’s been some dramatic improvement in the bass fishing on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that fish are transitioning into an early spring pattern and starting to feed better. This weather will only accelerate the transition. In the morning Dearal is still looking for fish around rocks (other anglers are targeting grass), and he likes to throw a crawdad-colored Shad rap. This is the time of day when better fish will be grouped up. In the afternoon fish will spread out, and he will be looking around main docks. Mop Jigs are his go-to for better fish, but shaky heads will get lots of bites.
While warm weather will push fish further back in the coming weeks, for now Dearal will be looking shallow – generally in less than five feet for feeding fish – but not way in the backs. Often fish will first move up in main lake pockets, and they will also be in the front part of creeks early in the spring.
Warm weather is also pushing crappie shallower, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that as the sun starts to warm the shallows fish will be headed that way seeking warmer water. For now fish are still pretty scattered, and they have just gotten into the mouths of creeks where they are suspended 15-20 feet down in 25-30 feet of water. Over the next two weeks they should move even shallower from one end of the lake to the other. Like with the bass one of the earliest migrations will be into coves off the main lake, but they will also progress further and further back into the creeks in the coming weeks.
Even though fish have been a bit deeper and so tight-lining has been the order of the day, any day now long-lining trolling with plain jigs should be effective.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the pattern will probably change after this weekend but there is still a pretty good bite anchoring on deep ledges as well as drifting from the mid-lake to Colonel Creek. There is also good fishing on sunlit banks on warmer afternoons when fish will pull up shallower to feed. Cut shad are the best bait right now.
February 10
Lake Wateree is at 95.0% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 40s.
The bulk of the crappie are still in the river run from the state park to Wateree Creek, where veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that they are near the bottom in 25-28 feet of water out in the river channel. They can be targeted tight-lining just off the bottom with jigs tipped with minnows.
However, with this warming trend there is little doubt that some fish will start to move shallower later this week. Traditionally Beaver Creek is the first creek that crappie head into when there is a warming trend, but with unusually low water levels it remains to be seen where they go.
When the fish move shallower you can still tight-line but trolling with a bunch of jigs out the back often becomes the preferred technique.
It’s still pretty tough bass fishing on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that this weekend could have some better fishing with the temperatures forecast. We are at the time of year when basically regardless of weather fish will be starting to think about moving up, and combining that with the warm temperatures should push them towards points and other staging areas.
For now the best places to fish have still been steep areas where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed are the best spots. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. The main lake and front of creeks are the best zone.
Crankbaits, jigs and shakey heads are good options.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is a pretty good bite anchoring on deep ledges as well as drifting from the mid-lake to Colonel Creek.
There is also good fishing on sunlit banks on warmer afternoons when fish will pull up shallower to feed. Cut shad are the best bait right now.
February 1
Lake Wateree is down to 94.6% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the mid-40s.
Warm weather predicted for later this week could get the fish moving around a little more, but for now veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that Lake Wateree crappie are almost all still concentrated in the river run from the State Park to Wateree Creek. They are flat on the bottom in 25-28 feet of water out in the river channel, and the best way to target them is tight-lining just off the bottom in 25-30 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. You can also cast at individual fish if you have LiveScope or otherwise know where to look.
Later this week and by this weekend it is possible that some fish should start to move into the creeks, and Beaver Creek is usually the first creek that crappie head into when there is a warming trend. They can get very shallow behind the bridge looking for warmer water.
It’s still pretty tough bass fishing on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that we are in the time of year when because of the calendar and basically regardless of weather fish will be starting to think about moving up. By later this week fish could already be starting to think about moving towards points and other staging areas.
The best places to fish are still steep areas where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed are the best spots. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. The main lake and front of creeks is the best zone.
Fish should still take a crankbait worked slowly, but a bait like a jig or shakey head that you can work very slowly may be even better.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is still good fishing for blue catfish and channel cats on the drift from the state park to Clearwater Cove. Some large blues are also being taken between the islands just south of Colonel Creek in 25 to 44 feet of water. Gizzard shad is the bait of choice if you can get it.
January 20
Lake Wateree is at 95.7% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 40s. Up the lake has gotten dirty.
Weather has made conditions difficult for getting around Lake Wateree recently, but from everything veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt has seen the Lake Wateree crappie are almost all concentrated in the river run from the State Park to Wateree Creek. They are flat on the bottom in 25-28 feet of water out in the river channel, and the best way to target them is tight-lining just off the bottom in 25-30 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. You can also cast at individual fish if you have LiveScope or otherwise know where to look.
Even before the cold front the bass fishing was getting tough on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that after the lake got walloped by the latest cold snap it’s only gotten tougher. Cold, muddy water is particularly bad for bass fishing, and so Dearal advises concentrating on the lower end of the lake where the water is cleaner.
As temperatures drop fish have moved almost completely off the flatter stuff, and 45-degree banks where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed are the best spots. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. The main lake and front of creeks is the best zone.
Fish should still take a crankbait worked slowly, but a bait like a jig or shakey head that you can work very slowly may be even better.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is still good fishing for blue catfish and channel cats on the drift from the state park to Clearwater Cove. Some large blues are also being taken between the islands just south of Colonel Creek in 25 to 44 feet of water. Gizzard shad is the bait of choice if you can get it.
January 6
Lake Wateree is at 95.4% of full pool and from Beaver Creek down the lake is relatively clear while up the lake is getting dirty. Morning surface water temperatures are about 54 degrees.
Even before the cold front it was a little tough to find better bass on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the last few times he has been out they caught a bunch of small fish and fewer big ones. The cold front may make finding a good bite even tougher. Right now it has been hard to get them to bite on a crankbait, and Dearal has had the best luck with a shakey head around rocks, docks and brush. A jig would probably also have worked.
As temperatures drop he will start to look more for 45-degree banks where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. With water levels low there is not very much fishable grass right now, but there are plenty of fish relating to the front of docks. If they are in calm areas then the sun will allow the water to warm up and hold fish.
While veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt had been finding a ton of crappie on the lower end, yesterday the wind forced him to stay down that way and in a full day of exploring he saw almost nothing in the creeks or on the main lake. Crappie (and other species) seemed to be all gone from staring at his electronics and fishing.
The vast majority of the crappie are now up the river run from the State Park to Wateree Creek. The best way to target them is tight-lining just off the bottom in 25-30 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows, although you can also cast at individual fish if you have LiveScope or otherwise know where to look.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is still good fishing for blue catfish and channel cats on the drift from the state park to Clearwater Cove. Some large blues are also being taken between the islands just south of Colonel Creek in 25 to 44 feet of water. Gizzard shad is the bait of choice if you can get it.
December 22
Lake Wateree is at 95.5% of full pool and the lake is still relatively clear despite recent rains. Up the lake around Wateree Creek does have a lot of color. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s.
While the best pattern for catching big crappie on Lake Wateree has not changed, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt did some exploring this week and he confirmed his suspicion that there were still plenty of fish on the lower end. He found a pile of fish in 13-17 feet schooled up on the bottom, and they weren’t related to anything at all. The bait was deeper and so maybe they were there because of warmer water. While there weren’t any giants, the fish did reach about 1 pound 2 ounces.
Still, the dominant pattern remains looking for fish that are following bait from the State Park up to Wateree Creek where they are holding on the river channel. The best way to target them is tight-lining in 18-25 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows about 15-20 feet down.
None of this is to say that some brush piles won’t hold crappie, but it’s a lot less than a few months ago.
There’s not much change in the bass patterns this week, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that when he is out there fishing right now he is looking for 45-degree banks where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. With water levels low there is not very much fishable grass right now, but there are plenty of fish relating to the front of docks. If they are in calm areas then the sun will allow the water to warm up and hold fish.
Jigs are a good bet right now as are shakey heads, but crankbaits such as Shad Raps in shad or crawdad colors will also work.
In catfish news, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is still good fishing for blue catfish and channel cats on the drift from the state park to Clearwater Cove. Some large blues are also being taken between the islands just south of Colonel Creek in 25 to 44 feet of water. Gizzard shad is the bait of choice if you can get it.
Also, look for striped bass action in the same areas as the blue cats. Down-lining live shad or bass minnows 15 to 18 feet down should bring them to the boat. When there is surface activity then you can cast bucktails at the fish.
December 16
Lake Wateree is at 95.5% of full pool and the lake is still relatively clear despite recent rains. Up the lake around Wateree Creek does have a lot of color. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s.
There has not been a ton of bass fishing activity on Lake Wateree recently, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that when he is out there fishing right now he is looking for 45-degree banks where fish can move up from deep water to easily feed. Points, rocks and creek channel swings should all hold some fish. With water levels low there is not very much fishable grass right now, but there are plenty of fish relating to the front of docks. If they are in calm areas then the sun will allow the water to warm up and hold fish.
Jigs are a good bet right now as are shakey heads, but crankbaits such as Shad Raps in shad or crawdad colors will also work.
There are still minimal numbers of crappie related to brush piles on Lake Wateree, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the vast majority of the fish are still “floating around” following bait. Most of them have have moved from the State Park up to Wateree Creek where they are holding on the river channel, although there are some fish scattered on the lower end. The best way to target them is tight-lining in 18-25 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows about 15-20 feet down.
The fishing for catfish is getting into cold-weather patterns on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that with less rain than last year it has kept fish deep. Drifting is the best way to target them right now. Watch for birds like gulls and cormorants to locate an active bite.
December 2
Lake Wateree is at 95.9% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s.
There are still a few crappie on brush piles on Lake Wateree, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the vast majority of the fish are now “floating around” following bait. Most of them have have moved from the State Park up to Wateree Creek where they are holding on the river channel, although there are some fish scattered on the lower end. The best way to target them is tight-lining in 18-25 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows about 15-20 feet down.
The fishing for catfish is very close to moving into the cold-weather period on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that with less rain than last year it has kept fish deep. Drifting is the best way to target them right now. Watch for birds like gulls and cormorants to locate an active bite.
More information to follow.
November 19
Lake Wateree is at 95.7% of full pool and the lake is pretty clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 50s.
This week it’s even more clear to veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt that the crappie on Lake Wateree are moving off of brush piles to roam, and they are starting to suspend 8-22 feet down over deeper water on the main lake or in the mouths of creeks. You can long-line or tight-line troll for them.
However, there are still plenty of catchable fish on brush from about 14 to 26 feet. Will is still catching fish on brush from Clearwater Cove to Wateree Creek on both sides of the main lake, in the river channel and at the mouth of creeks. There aren’t very many good fish on brush in the creeks, with one exception being just behind the bridge in Dutchman’s.
While minnows will still work, Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color remain hard to beat.
The bass fishing has picked up this week on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that docks and grass continue to be the best patterns. Fish are in both the main lake and the creeks. Swim jigs are working around the grass, and anglers are flipping jigs at docks. However, with the cold front Dearal expects fish to want a bit more finesse-oriented presentation and that you may need to, for example, throw a shakey head instead of a jig. However, they should continue to feed with winter on the horizon as they need to eat before it gets very cold.
Pretty soon there should be more fish that start relating to rock as they look for heat or try to find late season crayfish.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best fishing is still coming drifting open areas in the mid to lower third of the lake, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel can be productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
November 11
Lake Wateree is at 95.9% of full pool and the lake is pretty clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 63-66 degrees.
It’s apparent to veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt that the crappie on Lake Wateree are just starting to move off of brush piles and roam, and he can already tell that the concentrations of fish are getting lighter in some of the places he is fishing. When water temperatures drop just a few more degrees he expects there to be some significant change in the patterns as they start to migrate.
At the same time, for now the most catchable fish are still on brush from about 14 to 26 feet. He is still catching fish from Clearwater Cove to Wateree Creek on both sides of the main lake, in the river channel and at the mouth of creeks. There aren’t very many good fish in the creeks, with one exception being just behind the bridge in Dutchman’s.
While minnows will still work, Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color remain hard to beat.
The bass remain in a similar pattern on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that fish are chasing bait in both the main lake and the creeks. There has been some pretty good shallow fishing in the grass, and on sunnier days docks are also producing. Pretty much everybody is throwing a swim jig in the grass right now, but spinnerbaits and swimbaits will also work. Jigs and shakey heads will work around docks.
Pretty soon there should be more fish that start relating to rock as they look for heat or try to find late season crayfish.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best fishing is still coming drifting open areas in the mid to lower third of the lake, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel can be productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
November 4
Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool and dirtier water is making its way down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are around 65 degrees.
The bass fishing has picked up on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that fish are chasing bait in both the main lake and the creeks. There has been some pretty good shallow fishing in the grass, and on sunnier days docks are also producing. Pretty much everybody is throwing a swim jig in the grass right now, but spinnerbaits and swimbaits will also work. For now a buzzbait is also producing but at least for a few days the cold front should kill that bite. When water temperatures are below about 63 degrees Dearal doesn’t throw much topwater. Jigs and shakey heads will work around docks.
Pretty soon there should be more fish that start relating to rock as they look for heat or try to find late season crayfish.
Water temperatures haven’t dropped quite enough to really move the crappie on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish are still on brush from about 14 to 26 feet. In the last two weeks he has caught fish from Clearwater Cove to Wateree Creek on both sides of the main lake, in the river channel and at the mouth of creeks. The better fish have still not gone very far into the creeks.
While minnows will still work, Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color remain hard to beat.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best fishing is still coming drifting open areas in the mid to lower third of the lake, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel can be productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
October 20
Lake Wateree is at 96.4% of full pool and the lake has some color to it and can best be described as dingy but not muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees.
The crappie are starting to spread out for the fall on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that he has caught fish from Clearwater Cove to Wateree Creek on both sides of the main lake, in the river channel and up the creeks. The fish are still on brush, but they are on more different depths of brush as some stay deep and others move shallower and into the creeks. He is finding them from about 14 to 26 feet. While minnows will still work, Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color remain hard to beat.
Based on tournament results it appears that Lake Wateree is still fishing tough for bass, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that it has only taken about 10 pounds to win recent tournaments. However, the dock bite has been picking up and Dearal has found that docks leading back into coves are holding some fish. Jigs, shakey heads and crankbaits will all work around docks.
Besides a dock pattern, the other best way to catch fish is around points with a crankbait, Carolina rig or shakey head.
As water temperatures drop there is also getting to be a better topwater bite in the morning. Look for the bait because fish will be in areas where there are shad.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best fishing is still coming drifting open areas in the mid to lower third of the lake, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present and frequently where striped bass are feeding on top. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel are often productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
October 7
Lake Wateree is at 96.6% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are still in the upper 70s. Even before the rains the water above the state park had some color, and now it is filtering down the lake.
We are getting close but there’s still not much change in the crappie pattern on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that even though some of the brush piles are starting to holding less fish than a few weeks ago the better ones are still on deep brush along the main river channel. 15-22 feet of water is still the target depth range. They are holding tight to brush and they will eat minnows as well as Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color.
Some of the smaller fish are already moving into creeks, and when water temperatures actually fall that move will speed up.
Even though he is on Murray more for the next couple of weeks, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that from what he has heard the bass fishing on Lake Wateree is still very tough.
Right now and in the fall generally the key to finding bass on Wateree is locating the bait, and shad should be getting very close to moving back into the creeks. Often the best fishing is in the creeks wind is blowing into.
If you can’t get bites with a crankbaits or buzzbait in the creeks for now the best option may be targeting docks with a jig or shakey head, as these almost always hold some fish.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best fishing is still coming drifting open areas in the mid to lower lake areas, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present and frequently where striped bass are feeding on top. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel are often productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
September 30
Lake Wateree is at 96.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 78 degrees. Clarity is above normal.
It’s unclear why, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that right now the bass fishing on Lake Wateree is brutally tough. A recent high school tournament was won with just 4 pounds, and it also only took single digits to win the last CATT! It’s not unusual to see 12- and 13-pound bags winning close to the fall turnover, but these weights are extremely low. Still it appears to be related to temporary issues and not the health of the fishery.
Right now and in the fall generally the key to finding bass on Wateree is locating the bait, and shad should be getting very close to moving back into the creeks. Often the best fishing is in the creeks wind is blowing into.
If you can’t get bites with a crankbaits or buzzbait in the creeks for now the best option may be targeting docks with a jig or shakey head, as these almost always hold some fish.
There’s not much change in the crappie pattern on Lake Wateree, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that some of the brush piles are starting to holding less fish than a few weeks ago. Some of the smaller fish are also starting to move into the creeks.
Still, the best fish are still on deep brush along the main river channel with 15-22 feet of water the target depth range. They are holding tight to brush and they will eat minnows as well as Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, but Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the pattern is starting to change. The best fishing is starting to come drifting open areas in the mid to lower lake areas, particularly from June Creek to around Clearwater Cove. Drifting in 15-25 feet of water is the most productive pattern, and the best areas to look are areas with a lot of bait present and frequently where striped bass are feeding on top. The main channel, the mouths of creeks, and the open creek channel are often productive.
Cut shad is probably the best bait followed by white perch, and there are lots of juvenile blue cats from 3-6 pounds being caught as well some fish in the mid-teens to 20 plus.
September 16
Lake Wateree is at 96.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 83 degrees. Clarity is above normal.
The shad should be on the verge of moving back into the creeks on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that he isn’t seeing any signs of it yet. For now the better bass fishing is still out on the main lake, where even though there are still deep fish around ledges and points the shallow bite has been picking up.
The grass is very healthy right now and is holding a lot of fish, and they can be caught on a frog or buzzbait in the morning and during the day you can flip them with a crawfish or beaver. Grass points are especially good.
Docks are also holding fish and a jig or shakey head is a good option.
It’s still a little hard to catch big crappie on Lake Wateree, but catching numbers of ½ to ¾ pound fish is pretty easy right now if you know the location of deep brush. Fish are still stacked up along the main river channel, with 15-22 feet of water the best depth range. They are holding tight to brush and they will eat minnows as well as Fish Stalker Jigs in Mountain Dew color.
There are also still a good number of fish holding around natural wood, be it stumps or downed trees.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, with Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reporting that the bite is especially productive between Taylor and June Creeks with fresh cut shad. The most productive depth is 15-20 feet. Most of the time the best action is found drifting, but early in the morning they are having success anchoring around areas of known Asian clam beds.
September 1
Lake Wateree is down to 96.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Clarity is above normal.
There’s not a lot of change in the crappie patterns on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that most every brush pile in the lake is still loaded up with crappie. Shallower brush generally only has very small crappie, while the closer you get to the main river channel the bigger the crappie you encounter. The best man-made brush is in 12-25 feet of water along the main channel where you can catch a ton of 8-10 inch crappie.
The biggest fish continue to come on the upper end of the lake around stumps and sunken trees in 12-22 feet of water. Will has still been catching fish on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and Glimmer Blue colors, including the big ones, but minnows will also work and may be better for some anglers.
Note that there is still very little action inside the creeks except for around bridges which continue to hold some fish. However, this summer they seem to have more bream than crappie.
Extremely hot, very clear (for Wateree) water is making for some very difficult bass fishing on the lake, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that both the deep and shallow patterns are pretty slow. That can be seen in the weights from this Saturday’s CATT event where only 10.64 pounds took first place. Of course, that was with a three-fish limit – because the fishing had gotten so tough!
There are still a few fish being caught off grass in the morning with frogs and other topwater lures, and there have also been a few fish caught on worms around creek channel ledges, humps, and main lake points in areas with 15-25 feet of water.
The one positive development is that there has been a little bit more schooling activity, usually in the morning or evening, around those some ledges and points. You will be fishing structure and then fish will come up on one side or the other where they have followed bait.
The fishing for catfish continues to be very good on Lake Wateree, with Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reporting that the bite is especially productive between Taylor and June Creeks with fresh cut shad. The most productive depth is 15-20 feet. Most of the time the best action is found drifting, but early in the morning they are having success anchoring around areas of known Asian clam beds.