November 21

Lake Wateree is at 95.4% of full pool, and surface water temperatures range from the lower to upper 50s depending on section of the lake. 

It’s the time of year when bassare heavily related to bait on Lake Wateree, and FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that by now the better groups of fish are on the main lake or in the front section of creeks. That the water levels have dropped also helps to pull the fish out. The wind will move the bait schools around, and so look for fish around wind-blown banks.

They will be oriented heavily to rock, and there will also be some fish related to grass and docks. 2-8 feet is a good depth range to check.  

Shad-colored crankbaits and spinnerbaits will catch fish, and since there has also been some sporadic schooling activity be sure to have a Spook or Pop-R tied on. 

On the crappie front, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that numbers have been very good and most people have been catching dozens of fish each time they go out. Fish seem to have moved out of shallower brush and taken up residence on deeper brush closer to the river and creek channels. They have been catching them 18-26 feet down over 25-33 feet. The state park and Taylors Creek have both held fish. 

There have also been some fish caught tight-lining the river channel but fish have not gotten way up the lake yet. 

Jigs and minnows are both working, with Fish Stalker jigs in ugly green, Mountain Dew and yellow with black flake productive. 

The catfish bite is getting better and better on Lake Wateree, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best pattern is drifting the big flats between June and Colonel Creek in the 20-25 foot range. There are also fish that the can be caught around the islands between Clearwater Cove and Colonel Creek. Cut shad has been the bait of choice.

Striped bassare also doing well right now on Wateree, and most anglers are catching them down-lining about 20 feet deep or pulling free-lines on the lower end. Big shiners are working well.

You can also cast bucktails, spoons or swimbaits at birds which are feeding over striper. 

 

October 30

Lake Wateree is at 96.8% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning are in the lower 70s. 

It’s a good to time to catch catfish on Lake Wateree, but Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) says it’s about to be a great time once it gets colder.

For right now fish are scattered in intermediate depths of 20-25 feet, and the best area to fish is between June Creek and Clearwater Cove. Work the channel ledges and big flats, and if there is some wind drift with it. There are also some fish in creeks like Colonel Creek, especially around humps that come up to about 12 feet. 

Drifting is generally the way to go, but in the morning you can have some success anchoring on mussel beds. 

As it gets colder fish will group up better and the bite should get even better. The shad will get tighter and fish will be under the bait schools.   

Temperatures are finally starting to drop on Lake Wateree, and FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that as that happens bass are setting up on main lake points, steep banks, and in the front third of creeks. While fish are constantly on the move and their location is all about the bait, rocky points are worth checking. Because water levels are down the grass is not really in play, but if it comes up with rain fish should relate to it again as they usually do at this time of year.  

The best baits right now are shad imitations, including spinnerbaits, square-billed crankbaits, medium diving crankbaits and even buzzbaits in the right conditions. Shakey heads are almost always reliable on Lake Wateree, and there is also a place for jigs when fish are focused on bream. 

On the crappie front, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that there are still some fish on brush but that bite is getting a little hit-or-miss. He has found them about 18 feet down over brush in 33 feet of water, and he has also found some good ones suspended over brush in as little as 16 feet of water.

However, overall fish are starting to transition off of brush and begin to follow the schools of baitfish. These fish are pretty scattered and suspended in 8-17 feet of water, and before concentrating on an area you need to make sure baitfish are present. The action is getting better at the mouths of creeks and on the upper end of the lake.

Because fish are scattered trolling is a good way to target them, but as they group up more tight-lining will be more popular. 

 

October 15

Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning are in the mid to upper 70s. The water has good Wateree color to it – it is not clear but not muddy.

Water temperatures have started to drop, but veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that crappiehave not really started to move into a fall pattern where they move off of brush and suspend in the creek channels around bait. Instead, the fish that are leaving the summer brush are at most moving to slightly shallower brush.

Overall fish can be caught from one end of the lake to the other in about 12-22 feet of water over the river channel. They are suspended around brush, and at the shallower end of the depth range fish are flat on the bottom while at the deeper end they are still suspended a few feet off of it. While minnows will work Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and army green are working very well. 

There is some seasonal improvement in the bass fishing on Lake Wateree, but FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that overall the fishing is still a little tough. Dearal finished fourth and had big fish in the most recent Wateree Open, but it only took 12 pounds for that finish. High temperatures are probably to blame for the fishing not having taken off, and this past weekend Dearal still saw temperatures as high as 79 degrees. 

Overall the fish seem to be very point-related right now, and the last two weeks tournaments have been won fishing in the 5-10 foot range around points. This indicates that fish are ready to start moving back into creeks, but at least so far they have not made a major move there. 

Early there has been some action on topwater lures, but Carolina rigs, jigs and crankbaits have been working pretty well around points during the day.

 

October 3

Lake Wateree water levels are at 96.8% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning are back in the low to mid-80s. The lake is relatively clear.  

Even though it is unseasonably hot, veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that crappiefishing remains strong on Lake Wateree. Fish can be caught up and down both sides of the lake, and he has had some good catches on both ends as well. 

Up the lake there are still some fish on shallower brush in about 12 feet of water, but the best concentrations are over the length of the river channel in about 15-22 feet of water. At the shallower end of the depth range fish are flat on the bottom, while at the deeper end they are suspended about 18 feet down. Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and army green are working very well. 

Bass fishing remains tough on Lake Wateree, but FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that when we finally get some cool weather things should improve rapidly. Fish are ready to move into fall patterns, and even with the heat there has already been a movement of bait towards the banks. 

Look for fish to move shallower into 8-10 feet of water or less in the coming days, and with a healthy amount of grass around the lake it should hold fish. Shallower points and docks should also fish well.

Bass will also be moving into the creeks following bait as water temperatures cool, and there should be some schooling. Fish will also suspend around docks under bait. In the morning topwater lures including buzzbaits, Spooks, and Pop-Rs should work well, and Rattle Traps, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and most anything with flash will also work. You should also always have a jig handy on Wateree.

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that right now fish are scattered, and it won’t be until temperatures drop that they really group up. Also, while there are numbers to be caught right now about 25 pounds is a big fish.

Currently the best fishing is from Dutchman Creek to Clearwater Cove and bait is everywhere. The best pattern right now is to anchor up early on flats with mussels in about 11 feet of water, and then after that to drift the large flat between June Creek and Dutchman Creek in about 20-25 feet of water.

For right now cut shad or bluegill will work, but when temperatures drop shad or white perch will work better and bluegill will fall out of favor.

 

September 19

Lake Wateree water levels are at 96.7% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning have dropped to around 82. The lake is relatively clear.  

Crappiefishing remains strong on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that even though he has spent more time on the lower end fish can be found from one end of the lake to the other. 

Up the lake there are still some fish on shallower brush in about 12 feet of water, but the best concentrations are over the length of the river channel in about 15-22 feet of water. At the shallower end of the depth range fish are flat on the bottom, while at the deeper end they are suspended about 18 feet down. Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and army green are working very well.  

The cool front may improve bass fishing soon, but for now it remains pretty tough. FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that the fish they are catching are still coming shallow in the morning on topwater baits, and he has also been catching some fish off of docks. There have also been some fish caught on points. First thing they will eat topwater lures fished shallow on the points, but during the day they move deeper on the same points where they will take worms and jigs. 

 

September 13

Lake Wateree water levels are at 96.8% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning are in the mid-80s. The lake is relatively clear.  

Crappiefishing remains strong on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that he has had no trouble catching a relatively quick limit on the lower end of the lake from Clearwater Cove to the dam. Still, fish can be found from one end of the lake to the other. 

Up the lake there are still some fish on shallower brush in about 12 feet of water, but the best concentrations are over the length of the river channel in about 15-22 feet of water. At the shallower end of the depth range fish are flat on the bottom, while at the deeper end they are suspended about 18 feet down. Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and army green are working very well. 

With Lake Wateree water temperatures are going the wrong direction, and as a result bass fishing remains pretty tough. While FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that low water levels may have pulled more fish offshore, anglers have still not reported a lot of success fishing off ledges, humps and points. 

The fish that Dearal has been catching are still coming shallow in the morning on topwater baits, and he has also been catching some fish off of docks. There have also been some fish caught on points. First thing they will eat topwater lures fished shallow on the points, but during the day they move deeper on the same points where they will take worms and jigs. 

Once water temperatures drop a few degrees a better fall bite should pick up. 

 

September 5

Lake Wateree water levels are at 96.7% of full pool, and surface water temperatures in the morning range from about 87 to 91. 

Lake Wateree has not cooled off much and as a result bass fishing remains pretty tough. While FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that dropping water levels may have pulled more fish offshore, anglers have not reported a lot of success fishing off ledge, humps and points. 

The fish that Dearal has been catching have been coming shallow in the morning on topwater baits, and he has also been catching some fish off of docks. There have also been some fish caught on points. First thing they will eat topwater lures fished shallow on the points, but during the day they move deeper on the same points where they will take worms and jigs. 

Once water temperatures drop into the lower 80s a better fall bite should pick up. 

There is not a lot of change in the crappiepattern, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that fish remains related to the river channel around brush in 18-26 feet of water. However, he has also found some fish on shallower brush in about 12 feet of water – although the best concentrations remain deep along the river channel. Fish continue to be found from one end of the lake to the other, and they remain flat on the bottom where they are taking Fish Stalker jigs in Mountain Dew and army green.