October 6

Lake Wateree is at 96.5% of full pool and over most of the lake the water is pretty clear. Water temperatures have dropped to 69-72 degrees between cold nights and the cold freshwater inflow. 

Lake Wateree will be dropping down to 93-94% of full pool, which should make for some really interesting fishing conditions, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that so far the crappie haven’t really moved much. However, they are biting a little bitter and aren’t quite as stubborn. 

While a few fish are in the mouths of creeks and getting closer to shallow water, the majority of the fish are still in the main lake and they are almost all still in 20-27 feet of water. Will is still finding them close to the bottom in 18-25 feet of water. 

They are relating to cover, and as is often the case on Wateree some of the better fish are on more isolated cover instead of big brush piles. Underwater islands with some cover have fished particularly well lately.   

Both minnows and jigs are working pretty well.

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is still good drifting cut shad from Rochelle Creek to the islands below Colonel Creek for blues. The magic depth has been 22-25 feet.

Look for the anchored bite to get hot once the water cools, and for striped bass activity to turn on as well.

October 4

Lake Wateree is at 96.6% of full pool and at least in the middle and lower lake the water is still pretty clear after the storm. So far not a ton of water has come into the system. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 75 degrees. 

Even with some up-and-down water levels related to the storm and lake management, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the bass bit a little better this weekend. A very impressive (after last weekend) 14 pounds won on Saturday, and Dearal has found improved action out on the water.

While they have found some fish out on the main lake it seems like more of them have started to move into the creeks and coves, but the grass isn’t holding much right now. Secondary points are also holding some fish, especially rocky points.  But the key to getting bit right now may be to pay attention to the wind direction and find coves that have some wind blowing into them. 

Spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits, Pop-Rs, buzzbaits and frogs can all work.  However, with the fish on relatively small bait it can be a good idea to downsize your lures right now.

September 29

Lake Wateree is at 96.0% of full pool and water clarity is a little dingy around Wateree Creek but clear down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are about 76 degrees.

There are some smaller crappie starting to move shallower on Lake Wateree, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the majority of the fish are still out in 20-27 feet of water on the main lake. He is generally finding them close to the bottom in 18-25 feet of water. 

They are relating to cover, and as is often the case on Wateree some of the better fish are on more isolated cover instead of big brush piles. Will found some of the best action this week on a stump field in 22-23 feet of water. 

Overall the bite is a little tough right now, and you really need to hold your bait on top of them.  They will take both minnows and jigs, and with a jig you need to let it fall beside the fish while with a minnow you want to hold it 12-18 inches above them and tantalize the crappie into biting.  

September 26

Lake Wateree is at 98.3% of full pool and the lake is clearer in protected areas but dirty from boat traffic in others. Morning surface water temperatures are about 80 degrees.

The saying goes that “if you think the fish aren’t biting hold a bass tournament.” While that may have technically been true this weekend on Lake Wateree – there were fish caught by some anglers – with morethan half of the field not weighing in a single fish, and the winning angler (the only person who weighed in five fish each day) averaging 12 pounds per day – it sure doesn’t seem like there’s a magic pattern right now.  This weekend it seems that a bass tournament proved that the fish really aren’tbiting that well!

It's not unusual for fall fishing to be tough on Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the fishery is down right now. He’s seen this before and isn’t worried for the future, but for a while now weights have been low. It’s not just seasonal.

Dearal has been on the water a lot recently and his son Fisher fished the tournament, finishing in eighth place, and from what they are seeing fish are mixed up between shallow and deep in one to fifteen feet of water.   Others are suspended, and basically we are between a tough summer bite and tough fall bite. The shad were starting to move back a few weeks ago, but then they turned around and returned to the main lake. There has basically been nothing to trigger a progression in patterns. 

Fisher Rodgers was one of the rare anglers to have five bites the first day, when he moved into sixth place, and he got two fish on a buzzbait and the rest on a jig. One of those came deeper and two were off a dock.

The grass looks beautiful, but they can’t buy a bite around it. Basically everything is tough right now!

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is good drifting cut shad from Rochelle Creek to the islands below Colonel Creek for blues. The magic depth has been 22-25 feet.

Look for the anchored bite to get hot once the water cools, and for striped bass activity to turn on as well. 

September 15

Lake Wateree is at 97.1% of full pool and water clarity is about normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s.

There are some very early signs of fall movement with the crappie on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that he did catch some fish a bit shallower this week on main lake stumps in about 12 feet of water. There weren’t a lot of them but they were good ones, and the biggest was an impressive two pounds!

With that said it won’t be until water temperatures really drop that a big move takes place, and for now the vast majority of the fish are still in the 18-25 foot depth range. Fish can be found from one end of the main lake to the other, and about the only exception to the main lake rule is that a few more fish have gotten around major bridges like those in Colonel Creek and Dutchman Creek. 

Fish are still on brush, although as noted some of the biggest crappie are on more isolated wood cover instead of the huge brush piles that hold stacks of fish. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

There are some signs of life with the bass fishing on Lake Wateree, but frankly tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that it still seems to be a little tougher than hoped. Getting two or three bites has been pretty normal the last few times out. The fish should be starting to follow the shad better, getting into the creeks, and then moving shallower, but seasonal changes appear to only just be getting started.  For now nowhere is great but they are still catching the most fish shallow on the main lake.   

The schooling activity seems to have slowed down a bit, but it’s still worth having a Pop-R or walking bait tied on and ready. Spinnerbaits and squarebills can also work when there is wind and cloud cover, but in slick calm conditions you often need to slow down and flip with shakey heads or jigs around cover.

With three major tournaments this weekend more information about patterns should be apparent by next week. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is still fair to good for smaller blue catfish in the 2-6 pound range. The best pattern for these fish is drifting cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water, and you can occasionally pick up larger fish in the low 20s. 

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

September 8

Lake Wateree is at 97.0% of full pool and water clarity is a bit clearer than normal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 84 degrees.

The tournament schedule is about to get rolling again on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that anglers should find a pretty good shallow bite when they get out there.  The grass has water and looks good, there are (surprisingly) still some bream bedding in the shallows and the water levels are about right for dock fishing. The last few times they have been out Dearal and his family have caught fish in the shallow spots where they expect to catch them. When you aren’t fishing around bream one key right now is to be aware of bait, and the wind direction can be really important to locating the bait. 

There is also some schooling activity getting underway, and for breaking fish Pop-Rs and walking baits can be good.  Spinnerbaits and squarebills can also work when there is wind and cloud cover, but in slick calm conditions you often need to slow down and flip with shakey heads or jigs around cover. 

The crappie have not moved in the last week on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that 18-25 feet is still the key depth range. Fish can be found from one end of the main lake to the other, and about the only exception to the main lake rule is that a few more fish have gotten around major bridges like those in Colonel Creek and Dutchman Creek. 

Fish are still on brush, although some of the biggest crappie are still on more isolated wood cover instead of the huge brush piles that hold stacks of fish. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is still fair to good for smaller blue catfish in the 2-6 pound range. The best pattern for these fish is drifting cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water, and you can occasionally pick up larger fish in the low 20s. 

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

August 31

Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 82 or 83 degrees.

Water temperatures have not dropped that much on Lake Wateree, and they could go back up, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that already substantial numbers of bass have moved shallow. They can be caught around rocks, docks, and you can also find fish breaking around the grass. In a sure sign that fall is beginning, there are lots of shad visible on top now. 

At this time of year the key on Lake Wateree is to look for bait and then fish, and wind direction can be really important to locating the bait. For breaking fish Pop-Rs and walking baits can be good, and spinnerbaits and squarebills can also work in the moving bait category. Wind and cloud cover helps for moving baits. When it is calm, bright and sunny you often need to slow down and flip with shakey heads or jigs around cover. 

With some initial fall cooling the crappie have started to go a bit shallower again on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that 18-25 feet is now the key depth range. Fish can be found from one end of the main lake to the other, and about the only exception to the main lake rule is that a few more fish have gotten around major bridges like those in Colonel Creek and Dutchman Creek. 

Fish are still on brush, although some of the biggest crappie are still on more isolated wood cover instead of the huge brush piles that hold stacks of fish. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is still fair to good for smaller blue catfish in the 2-6 pound range. The best pattern for these fish is drifting cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water, and you can occasionally pick up larger fish in the low 20s. 

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

August 22

Lake Wateree is at 97.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s. 

Even as dropping temperatures change the bass patterns on Lake Wateree, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden thinks seasonal transitions may have as much or more to do with day length. Either way, fish are starting to follow the shad, and sometimes you can visibly see the bait while at other times you have to look for it on sonar. Throwing a square-billed crankbait around bait is one of the best patterns.

Fish are also start to move shallower, and even though flipping the grass has been a pattern for some time it’s getting more productive. There are also a lot more fish around docks that will take worms and jigs. 

It’s also getting to be a more productive time for topwater baits, whether you are looking for schooling fish or just casting to the banks. 

August 18

Lake Wateree is at 97.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 83 degrees. 

The crappie have again moved a bit deeper on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the fish that were on shallower brush have now gone to deeper brush. They can still be found from one end of the lake to the other, and 20-35 feet is now the best depth range. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated wood rather than in the large schools on big brush piles. Brush piles hold the largest numbers of fish and overall Will still describes it as a “brush bite”. 

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. Fish the most shaded areas to get bites. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is fair to good for smaller blue catfish in the 2-6 pound range. The best pattern for these fish is drifting cut shad on flats in 8-12 feet of water, and you can occasionally pick up larger fish in the low 20s. 

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

August 4

Lake Wateree is at 96.9% of full pool and the lake has a normal stain.  Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.  

While tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden isn’t saying that there are no shallow bass to be caught on Lake Wateree, and there is certainly still water on the grass, at this stage of the summer he is having a tough time finding a shallow bite. Instead, from what he is seeing the best fishing is transitioning into the 13-15 foot range around ledges and drop-offs. 

While fish are occasionally coming up schooling offshore he isn’t catching them that way, and the fish he is getting are coming on a jig and shakey head. You can also throw a crankbait around the ledges but fish don’t seem to be very aggressive or want to chase.

It’s a slow period for tournaments on the lake as they realize mortality rates are likely to be very high. 

The crappie have moved a bit deeper on Lake Wateree, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that other than that patterns have not changed very much. It’s still a little tricky to convince the fish to eat, and you really have to coax them to feed. 

Fish can still be found from one end of the lake to the other, with 18 to 27 feet of water now the best depth. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated wood rather than in the large schools on big brush piles. Brush piles hold the largest numbers of fish and overall Will still describes it as a “brush bite”. 

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. Fish the most shaded areas to get bites. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is still good. For catching smaller eating-sized fish in the 1-6 pound range drifting cut shad on shallow flats is a dynamite pattern. Larger fish can be found near known clam beds in 8-17 feet. 

There is also good fishing for larger blues in the upper lake when there is current from water releases. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

Finally, crappie fishermen note that there are some very large catfish hanging around the same main lake brush that is holding crappie.

July 22

Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool and the lake has a normal stain.  Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.  

The crappie are getting deeper into summer patterns on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that fish are still stacked up on brush. However, unlike early in the summer when the fish were ravenous after they first got out on brush you almost have to force them to eat now.  

They have also moved deeper, and while fish can still be found from one end of the lake to the other they are mostly in 15 to 25 plus feet of water. If you look at main lake wood from the shoreline to the middle you will find fish. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated wood rather than in the large schools on big brush piles. Brush piles hold the most numbers of fish. 

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. Fish the most shaded areas to get bites. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the spawn is basically over and fishing has significantly improved. For catching smaller eating-sized fish in the 1-6 pound range drifting cut shad on shallow flats is a dynamite pattern. Larger fish can be found near known clam beds in 8-17 feet. 

There is also good fishing for larger blues in the upper lake when there is current from water releases. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

Finally, crappie fishermen note that there are some very large catfish hanging around the same main lake brush that is holding crappie. 

July 19

Lake Wateree is at 97.6% of full pool and the lake has a normal stain.  Morning surface water temperatures are about 85 degrees.  

The last few times that tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden has been out on Wateree he has eventually gotten distracted by schooling striped bass and also occasional white bass breaking, but that’s at least in part because the bass fishing has been tough.  A tournament Saturday had six boats and 4 fished weighed in! 

With that said, Dearal has had some decent bites in the grass recently. Water levels are relatively high and so a decent number of the shallow fish are holding there, and in the morning you can catch them on topwater lures. In the afternoon he has only been able to catch fish flipping.

Even though the offshore ledge bite continues to be tough people are now catching a few fish out deep. The winning pattern now may be to run around trying different things and hoping to catch one or two fish shallow and one or two out deep. 

July 15

Lake Wateree is at 97.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the spawn is finally pretty much done and the fishing is rapidly improving. For catching smaller eating-sized fish in the 1-6 pound range drifting cut shad on shallow flats is a dynamite pattern. Larger fish can be found near known clam beds in 8-17 feet. 

There is also good fishing for larger blues in the upper lake when there is current from water releases. To target these fish anchor large cut baits on the bottom in deep water bends.

Finally, crappie fishermen note that there are some very large catfish hanging around the same main lake brush that is holding crappie. 

July 14

Lake Wateree is at 97.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.

There’s not much change in the areas where the crappie are setting up on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that it’s still pretty straight-forward to catch limits – in the right areas. However, he can tell that the fish are not quite as aggressive right now, and it’s taking longer to convince them to eat. That is likely because of the full moon as fish are gorging at night. 

Fish are still on cover in the main lake from one end to the other, and Will has caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 32. If you look at main lake wood from the shoreline to the middle you will find fish. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated wood rather than in the large schools on big brush piles. Brush piles hold the most numbers of fish. 

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

The day and afternoon bass bite continues to be really tough on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that there has been a little bit improved bite in the mornings this week. Cooler, overcast and rainy weather may have helped, and the fish are being caught around grass on buzzbaits, frogs and more. 

More information to follow. 

July 1

Lake Wateree is at 97.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the mid-80s.

The crappie bite continues to be phenomenal on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that in his last trip out he got on the water at 5:30 and had a limit by 6:30. Sun-up to sun-down fish are biting very well.   

Fish are on still cover in the main lake from one end to the other, and Will has caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 32. If you look at main lake brush from the shoreline to the middle you will find fish. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated cover rather than in large schools on big brush piles.   

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. 

Some people are catching fish on minnows, but Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. 

One interesting note is that the last time he was out crappie fishing Will marked a school of what appeared to be large crappie around a stump in 15 feet that were difficult to convince to bite. He eventually realized they were shellcracker when he caught a 1.12 pound fish!  Even though they are not on beds right now the lake continues to have a population of very large shellcracker. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the bite is still pretty good for juvenile fish but they are getting some fish in the teens. However, they are still pretty rare. The spawn is still making the fishing tough. 

The best pattern is still drifting 8-14 feet of water on shallow flats, and you can also anchor in the same areas. Small pieces of cut shad are the best bait. 

June 28

Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool and the lake is clear for Wateree on both ends. Morning surface water temperatures are in the middle to upper 80s.

It continues to be a really tough bass bite on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the CATT final this weekend was won with 14 pounds. Some of the best anglers on the lake only put one fish in the boat. Right now the guys who fish deep are struggling to catch fish and the shallow grass bite also hasn’t been much better.

Dearal has not caught a single deep fish on Wateree this year around the ledges, points and humps in 10-20 feet of water that usually produce, and even though it’s not good at least in the shallows he can find some fish. They are generally congregated around bream beds, but in the last week he has not seen or caught any fish bigger than about 15 inches. Where the big fish have gone remains a mystery. 

Multiple credible sources report seeing lots of dead catfish floating on the lake.

June 23

Lake Wateree is at 97.0% of full pool and the lake is clear for Wateree on both ends. Morning surface water temperatures are in the middle to upper 80s.

With an outstanding population of crappie holding in predictable spots, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt again reports that the catching can be really fast if you are on the right pattern. Last evening the author fished with Will and they each caught a limit of crappie on a single brush pile in less than 90 minutes. 

Fish are on cover in the main lake from one end to the other, and Will has caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 32. Last night the brush pile we fished was in 25 feet. If you look at main lake brush from the shoreline to the middle you will find fish. The biggest fish are in the middle section of the lake around June Creek, and they are also more likely to be on isolated cover rather than in large schools on big brush piles.   

While there are not fish on brush in the creeks, the bridges at Colonel Creek and Dutchman’s Creek are both holding fish. 

While some people are catching fish on minnows Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew. We caught every fish on the bait yesterday. More information to follow. 

Very warm temperatures should have the bass deep on Lake Wateree, and they were a week ago, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that right now they are extremely hard to catch. He is still looking around ledges, points and humps in 10-20 feet of water with Carolina rigs, jigs and swimbaits but not seeing – or catching – much. 

Some of the fish could have run up shallow again, but right now it’s a bit of a mystery where they are. Perhaps results from the summer CATT final this Saturday will reveal more. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the bite is still pretty good for juvenile fish but on their last trip they did manage a 10-, 11- and 18-pounder. However, they had to work really hard for them. The spawn combined with recent mayfly hatches that quickly fill up the fish is making the fishing tough. 

The best pattern is still drifting 8-14 feet of water on shallow flats, and you can also anchor in the same areas. Small pieces of cut shad are the best bait. 

June 17

Lake Wateree is at 97.4% of full pool and the lake is clear on both ends. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.

The limits of Lake Wateree crappie are still coming fast and furious, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reiterates that the population is in excellent shape and fish are over pretty much every brush pile in the “right” area.   

The right area is the main lake from one end to the other, and Will has caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 32. The fish are not on brush in the creeks, but if you look at main lake brush from the shoreline to the middle you will find fish. 

While some people are catching fish on minnows Will is still having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue or Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the bite is still really good for juvenile fish, and in fact he is finding much higher catch rates on Wateree than other area lakes. Expect to catch fish in the 2-6 pound range as the bigger fish are spawning right now. 

The best pattern is drifting 8-14 feet of water on shallow flats, and you can also anchor in the same areas. Small pieces of cut shad are the best bait. 

June 13

Lake Wateree is at 97.0% of full pool and the lake is clear on both ends. Morning surface water temperatures are 85 degrees or more.   

With extremely warm water temperatures it’s not surprising that the bass on Lake Wateree have gone deep, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that he isn’t finding as much shallow as a couple of weeks ago.  The best weights in recent tournaments have come deep, and on Wateree that means fishing ledges, points and humps in 10-20 feet of water. Deep brush just doesn’t seem to hold much, and honestly it’s a nuisance when someone puts trees on a good spot. Carolina rigs, jigs, and swimbaits are all working, but perhaps because they have seen so many over the years getting a bite on a crankbait is tricky.

With the full moon right now there should also be some fish around bream beds. These fish can be targeted with Pop-Rs, shallow running crankbaits, swim jigs and more. 

June 10

Lake Wateree is at 96.9% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s. 

The Lake Wateree crappie fishing is outstanding right now, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the population is in excellent shape and basically they are all in predictable spots.  Monday evening he got to to the lake at 6:00, found a brush pile he had never fished before near Clearwater, and had a limit of fish up to 2 pounds by 6:30!  

Every main lake brush pile seems to be covered up in fish right now, and Will has caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 32. The fish are not on brush in the creeks, but if you look at main lake brush from the shoreline to the middle you can find fish. 

While some people are catching fish on minnows Will is having the best success on Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue or Mountain Dew. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the bite is really good as long as you are content to catch lots of eating-sized fish in the 2-6 pound range. The bigger fish are spawning right now, and on Rodger’s last trip he caught 26 fish in short order but 8 pounds was about the biggest. 

The best patterns is drifting 8-14 feet of water on shallow flats, and you can also anchor in the same areas. Small pieces of cut shad are the best bait. 

Bass report to follow.

May 25

Lake Wateree is at 96.9% of full pool and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s. 

Rising water temperatures would normally be pushing more bass offshore, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that at the same time that water temperatures are rising water levels have also come up. They are up about a foot from where they were a week to ten days ago. Perhaps a result a lot of fish are staying shallow, and Dearal is not finding many fish offshore yet – even though he has spent a lot of time looking. In fact, the best “offshore” action he has found was sitting on some of his offshore ledges but throwing back to shallow water! 

Dearal advises continuing to look for spawning shad first thing, and with water levels higher there should be better activity around grass as well as rocks and docks. Spinnerbaits, swimbaits and Whopper Ploppers will all work when bass are feeding on shad, and once the early bite is over it’s still worth flipping docks.  

The bream bed bite should also continue to improve as more bluegill come shallow. These fish can be targeted with Pop-Rs, shallow running crankbaits, swim jigs and more. 

The Lake Wateree crappie are now piled up on brush, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that on his last trip out he pulled up to the first brush pile at 8:00 on Saturday morning and never left. They caught 80 fish and kept 40 up to about a pound and a half. Then yesterday they had 30 fish off a single brush pile in an hour. 

There are massive schools of crappie all over the main lake, and the fish are on almost every brush pile in the 18-30 foot range. For right now most of the fish are still suspended pretty high in the brush, although a few are on the bottom, but as temperatures warm they will sink lower. 

Will is catching the fish casting with jigs, but at times he will get over the brush and jig vertically when they stop chasing baits. Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue and Mountain Dew have been very good, but minnows will also work. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the spawn seems to be underway and so it is getting trickier to catch big fish.  However, smaller 3-7 pound blue catfish are still feeding aggressively.  They can be caught all over the lake from anchored positions or drifting 8-14 feet of water on shallow flats.  Cut shad is hard to beat.

May 19

Lake Wateree is at 96.6% of full pool and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are up to the upper 70s. 

Fresh off a win in the CATT tournament on Lake Wateree this Saturday, tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that you can catch some good bass – but the fishing is not easy. They had 18.6 pounds, and virtually all of their weight came from catching fish that were feeding on spawning shad. That bite was over by 9:30, and they only caught one fish that helped them after that.

Dearal only found about three places that had spawning shad and bass feeding on them, and with water levels low they did not seem to be around grass. He was looking around rocks and docks, and the better fish actually seemed to be on the dock posts rather than around the floats. A spinnerbait was working the best but there was also a topwater bite, and they weighed one fish that came on a Whopper Plopper. They also had some bites on a jig. 

Dearal is not sure how much longer the shad spawn will last, and if you miss that then the best bet is flipping docks. 

This week he has also seen that a few fish are around bream beds, which should get better as the summer goes on. There are also some fish out deep on ledges, but that bite should also improve as it gets hotter.

There’s little change with the post-spawn crappie bite on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that fish are ganging up on brush piles in 14-22 feet of water. They are almost exclusively in the main lake except for some fish around bridges in the creeks. For right now they are suspended pretty high in the brush, but as temperatures warm they will sink down in it. Will is catching the fish casting with jigs, but at times he will get over the brush and jig vertically when they stop chasing baits. 

Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue and Mountain Dew have been very good, but fish are looking to feed up and recover from the spawn and minnows are also working well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that right now most of the action is on the upper end of the lake where fish have moved up into the river channel. You can catch good numbers anchoring in 6-15 feet of water, especially when the water is moving. Cut white perch has been the best bait. 

May 12

Lake Wateree is at 96.3% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 71 degrees. 

Dropping water levels have made the bass fishing even tougher on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that with water temperatures actually moving the wrong direction things have not really progressed in terms of seasonal patterns. Fish are also extremely scattered right now due to the post-spawn phase. 

Even though Dearal has not been able to catch a lot of fish around the shad he finds, for some people the best bite right now is the shad spawn pattern. Very early fish are feeding in some places on shad spawning around grass, docks and rocks. The pattern is exclusively first thing when they will take spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, topwater lures and swim jigs. What you want to throw depends on the size of the shad they are feeding on.

The other major pattern is fishing around docks and laydowns with soft plastics. A lot of fish are suspended right now and so they can be tricky to locate. 

Dearal has not fished deep himself yet, but it’s worth looking around ledges and drops as some fish could be starting to get out there.  

It’s finally getting to be a good post-spawn crappie bite on Wateree brush, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that (after a tough spring due to inconsistent weather patterns) fish are ganging up on brush piles in 14-22 feet of water. They are almost exclusively in the main lake, where some brush piles may have 100 fish on them and some have 25. For right now they are suspended pretty high in the brush, but as temperatures warm they will sink down in it. Will is catching the fish casting with jigs, but at times he will get over the brush and jig vertically when they stop chasing baits. 

Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue and Mountain Dew have been very good, but fish are looking to feed up and recover from the spawn and minnows are also working well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that right now most of the action is on the upper end of the lake where fish have moved up into the river channel. You can catch good numbers anchoring in 6-15 feet of water, especially when the water is moving. Cut white perch has been the best bait. 

May 4

Lake Wateree is at 96.5% of full pool and water conditions are getting back to normal again.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 74-77 degrees. 

The bass fishing has gotten a little tougher again on Lake Wateree, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that only a few smaller fish are still on beds while most of the bass have moved into a post-spawn phase. It took 17 pounds to win the last CATT tournament, and getting bites was a little tricky.

The best bite right now is probably the shad spawn pattern, and very early fish are feeding on shad spawning around grass, docks and rocks. The pattern is exclusively first thing when they will take spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, topwater lures and swim jigs. What you want to throw depends on the size of the shad they are feeding on.

The other major pattern is fishing around docks and laydowns with soft plastics. A lot of fish are suspended right now and so they can be tricky to locate. 

The crappie bite is pretty good when you can locate the fish, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that post-spawn fish are moving to brush. Mostly the productive brush is in the main lake, and 10-22 feet of water has been the target depth range. On the shallower end of that range the fish mostly seem to be males that have only recently finished spawning and are holding closer to the bottom, while the deeper fish are more likely to be suspended. 

Fish Stalker jigs in glimmer blue and Mountain Dew have been out-fishing everything else. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that right now most of the action is on the upper end of the lake where fish have moved up into the river channel. You can catch good numbers anchoring in 6-15 feet of water, especially when the water is moving. Cut white perch has been the best bait. 

Perhaps the most exciting bite recently on Lake Wateree, though, has been for giant shellcracker. On the last full moon Dearal saw shellcracker bigger than they had ever caught on Wateree, at and above 2 pounds, on shallow beds. They caught them on worms fished just under a float.

Everyone is encouraged to nurture this fishery by thinking carefully about what you keep. 

April 20

Lake Wateree is at 97.8% of full pool and conditions are stained to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-60s.  

It’s that magical time of the year when most of the Wateree bass are in the shallows and feeding, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that he doesn’t want to say that it’s as easy as fishing your favorite lure around whatever shallow cover you want to target – but it really is. Fish can be found everywhere in shallow water from the main lake to coves to the backs of creeks, and they are spawning around just about anything that provides some protection. With the water conditions a little dark spinnerbaits are working particularly well, but you can also throw a jig, soft plastics or whatever else you enjoy fishing. This is probably the biggest wave of spawning fish and after this the spawn should start to wind down. 

As good as the bass fishing is, the Lake Wateree crappie fishing is just as tough – also due to their spawn. Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the majority of the fish have spawned out by now, and even though you can see them on electronics it is very difficult to get them to eat. It has not been unusual to cast at a fish 15 or 20 time before – possibly – getting it to bite.

Fish are slowly starting to get on brush in 12-18 feet of water on the main lake, and others are traveling there, but these post-spawn fish are very difficult to catch. 

There are still a few small females full of eggs, and there still some males in the shallows. Probably the best pattern is to fish for these crappie around docks and bridges. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that all along the river channel and off points there is a very 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 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.