September 30

Lake Wylie is at 95.4% of full pool and water clarity is normal before the storm arrives.  Morning surface water temperatures range from 74 in the shallows to 76 in the main channel.

The blue catfish bite is fair to good on Lake Wylie, but Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish are scattered and you have to locate them. The most productive depth range has been 32-35 feet, and the best way to target the fish has been with wind-driven drifting. The afternoon has been more productive fishing in the winds. Cut white perch and gizzard shad have been working.  

Bass report to follow.

September 15

Lake Wylie is at 97.3% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s.

There were some fireworks in the Lake Wylie tournament bass series championship this past weekend, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that the top weights were unexpectedly good. The second place team had a strong 14- then 15-pound sack in the two-day event, but the winner had 11 had the first day and then blew it out of the water with 23 pounds the second day! All of those fish were spotted bass and they all came up the river. It’s impressive that the spotted bass fishery has come so far that someone can catch five averaging more than 4 ½ pounds. 

Overall the patterns are still about the same, with some fairly reliable schooling activity early and late. There continue to be plenty of random pods of baitfish on the main lake that roaming schools of open-water bass are chasing, but this action still hasn’t moved into the creeks. Water temperatures will probably have to drop into the 70s for the bait to migrate into the backs. A variety of lures including swimbaits, small poppers, and walking baits will work for these fish.

Topwater lures can also catch fish in shallower water, and just going down the bank with a Whopper Plopper, buzzbait, Pop-R or Spook is effective. 

Twelve months a year you can also catch fish on jigs and worms around docks on Wylie, and right now is no exception. 

The catfish bite is still very good on Lake Wylie, at least during the day, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is a great population of 12-16 pound fish. During the day drifting cut shad in 30-34 feet of water near long points that extend out into the lake is the best pattern. At night the bite anchoring the same baits in 4-15 feet of water near the shoreline is still a good approach. 

September 8

Lake Wylie is at 97.2% of full pool and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 83-84 degrees. 

This weekend is the championship of the summer-long Lake Wylie tournament bass series, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that the fishing continues to be pretty tough. It will be interesting to see if anyone exceeds expectation and catches a big bag. 

Overall with temperatures actually rising a hair patterns have not really progressed, although there is more reliable schooling activity early and late. There continue to be plenty of random pods of baitfish on the main lake that roaming schools of open-water bass are chasing, but this action still hasn’t moved into the creeks. Water temperatures will have to drop for the bait to migrate into the backs. A variety of lures including swimbaits, small poppers, and walking baits will work for these fish.

Topwater lures can also catch fish in shallower water, and just going down the bank with a Whopper Plopper, buzzbait, Pop-R or Spook is effective. 

Twelve months a year you can also catch fish on jigs and worms around docks on Wylie, and right now is no exception. 

The catfish bite is still very good on Lake Wylie, at least during the day, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that they are catching strong numbers of 12-16 pound fish. During the day drifting cut shad in 30-34 feet of water near long points that extend out into the lake is the best pattern. At night the bite has slowed a little but anchoring the same baits in 4-15 feet of water near the shoreline is still a good approach. 

August 31

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s. 

Saturday a three-fish tournament only took a little over 7 pounds to win, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that from everything he is seeing the bass fishing is still pretty tough. That sack featured a 3.7 pound big fish that was caught on a topwater lure early, but then to fill out the remainder of the limit they had to drag a worm offshore. 

Overall there’s not much change in the patterns since temperatures haven’t dropped very much, although there is more reliable schooling activity early and late. There continue to be plenty of random pods of baitfish on the main lake that roaming schools of open-water bass are chasing, and very soon this action will start in the creeks as well. It shouldn’t be long until water temperatures drop enough that bait begins to migrate into the backs. A variety of lures including swimbaits, small poppers, and walking baits will work for these fish.

Topwater lures can also catch fish in shallower water, and just going down the bank with a Whopper Plopper, buzzbait, Pop-R or Spook is effective. 

Twelve months a year you can also catch fish on jigs and worms around docks on Wylie, and right now is no exception. 

The catfish bite is still very good on Lake Wylie, at least during the day, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that they are catching strong numbers of 12-16 pound fish.  During the day drifting cut shad in 30-34 feet of water near long points that extend out into the lake is the best pattern.  At night the bite has slowed a little but anchoring the same baits in 4-15 feet of water near the shoreline is still a good approach.

August 22

Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s. 

Thursday night tournament winning weights are only around 11 pounds, but tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that with already-dropping water temperatures the fishing is on the verge of improving. For now there continue to be plenty of random pods of baitfish on the main lake that roaming schools of open-water bass are chasing, and very soon this action will start in the creeks as well. It shouldn’t be long until water temperatures drop enough that bait begins to migrate into the backs. A variety of lures including swimbaits, small poppers, and walking baits will work for these fish.

Topwater activity is also starting to pick up in shallower water, and just going down the bank with a Whopper Plopper, buzzbait, Pop-R or Spook is effective. 

Twelve months a year you can also catch fish on jigs and worms around docks on Wylie, and some of the better fish Reid has caught recently have come this way. 

August 18

Lake Wylie is at 96.8% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are about 84 degrees, down several degrees in the past couple of weeks. 

The catfish bite is very good on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that they are catching strong numbers of 12-16 pound fish. During the day drifting cut shad in 30-34 feet of water near long points that extend out into the lake is the best pattern. At night anchoring the same baits in 4-15 feet of water near the shoreline is working very well. 

Bass report to follow. 

August 4

Lake Wylie is at 97.2% of full pool and with recent rains in the mountains up the lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 and temperatures are hitting 90 plus in the afternoon. 

There continue to be some big bags caught bass fishing on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that in the last tournament there were an impressive 15 and 14 pound bag at the top – although weights dropped below that. 

A lot of the same patterns remain in play, but beyond fishing around docks, bream beds or offshore brush perhaps the best action is now coming targeting random schools of pelagic fish that are suspended out in the main lake. They are following roaming pods of bait fish and you can see them schooling from time to time. Swimbaits, small poppers, walking baits and more are all working for these fish. 

You can also catch a lot of fish working known community holes with soft plastics if you don’t want to target schoolies or pick away at shallow fish.

The catfish bite remains strong on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) still rates it as good to very good. They continue to catch plenty of fish, with most of the blue cats in the 8-12 pound range but some in the 20s.  

The best pattern is drifting in 22 to 26 feet of water near vertical depth changes. Fish are gorging on Asian clams and Asian mystery snails, but they will still eat cut shad and white perch. 

Night fishing is a great option when the weather cooperates. 

July 22

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and the lake is clearing. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 and temperatures are hitting 90 plus in the afternoon. 

The catfish bite continues to improve on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that he now rates the bite as good to very good. They continue to catch plenty of fish, with most of the blue cats in the 8-12 pound range but some in the 20s.  

The best pattern is drifting in 22 to 26 feet of water near vertical depth changes. Fish are gorging on Asian clams and Asian mystery snails, but they will still eat cut shad and white perch. 

Night fishing is a great option when the weather cooperates. 

July 19

Lake Wylie is at 96.8% of full pool and the river (which was stained a few days ago) has cleared as the dirty water has moved down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 and temperatures are hitting 90 plus in the afternoon. 

For no clear reason the bass fishing has picked up a little on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that there are a bunch of summertime patterns in play. The last Thursday nighter was won with a very respectable 14 pounds, even more impressive considering the 6-11 window misses the morning bite as well as the best period for night fishing. . 

You can catch some fish off of docks, some on shallow wood cover, and some on bream beds. There is some schooling in the evening, and there are also a lot of fish offshore. His last few times out Reid has caught fish from skinny water to 30 feet, and interestingly the majority were largemouth. Out deep at the community holes is the only place he got into spotted bass.

Jigs, big shakey head worms, and Texas-rigged Ole Monsters have been his best baits. However, you can also catch fish cranking offshore.

Nothing is really great right now, but you can catch small to medium keepers a lot of different ways. 

July 15

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and water temperatures are in the mid-80s. 

The catfish are finally moving past the spawn on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the fishing is getting back on track.  He now rates the bite as good to very good, and on the last two outings they have caught a bunch of fish. Most of the blue cats are in the 8-12 pound range, but they have caught fish up to the 20s.  

The best pattern is drifting in 22 to 26 feet of water near vertical depth changes. Fish are gorging on Asian clams and Asian mystery snails, but they will still eat cut shad and white perch. 

Night fishing is a great option when the weather cooperates. 

Bass report to follow. 

July 1

Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures got up to 88 over the weekend but over this week dropped back into the mid-80s.

The bass fishing is still pretty tough on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that most of the fish are being caught offshore around points and humps at the major creek mouths or in summer main lake spots.  Brush is also holding some fish and 15-25 feet is still the best depth range. Fish are oriented to the bottom, and crankbaits, swimbaits and big worms are all working. 

There are some shallow patterns, and in the morning there has been a decent buzzbait bite for the first hour or so around main lake riprap. There are also bass around bream beds that will take bluegill imitators like prop baits and swimbaits, and you can also fish soft plastics for them. There are also some fish around docks feeding on bream. 

It’s still a tricky time for catching catfish on Lake Wylie with the spawn going on, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that he is still diverting most of his guide trips to Lake Wateree where there is a massive population of juvenile fish. However, he has caught some fish up to 15 pounds that had mostly likely already spawned or were still pre-spawn. 

The best pattern has still been taking wind-aided drifts in 25-35 feet of water. Cut gizzard shad has been the most effective bait to drag, and feeding fish are not confined to any particular section of the lake.

June 24

Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s.

It would be tough to pretend the bass fishing is strong on Lake Wylie right now when 12 pounds won the 50-plus boat Thursday night tournament last night, and 9 pounds was second, but tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that in the morning there has been a decent buzzbait bite for the first hour or so around main lake riprap. 

Reid is out on the lake right now and there are also tons of bream beds everywhere and some bass are keying on them. Bass that are around bream beds will take bluegill imitators like prop baits and swimbaits, and you can also fish soft plastics for them. There are also some fish around docks feeding on bream. 

Offshore fish are being caught around points and humps at the major creek mouths or in summer main lake spots, and now 15-25 feet is the best depth range. Fish are oriented to the bottom, and crankbaits, swimbaits and big worms are all working. 

There are also a surprising number of fish getting around offshore brush right now. 

It’s still a tricky time for catching catfish on Lake Wylie with the spawn going on, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that he is still diverting most of his guide trips to Lake Wateree where there is a massive population of juvenile fish. However, he has caught some fish up to 15 pounds that had mostly likely already spawned or were still pre-spawn. 

The best pattern has still been taking wind-aided drifts in 25-35 feet of water. Cut gizzard shad has been the most effective bait to drag, and feeding fish are not confined to any particular section of the lake.

June 17

Lake Wylie is at 96.8% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s. 

It’s still a tricky time for catching catfish on Lake Wylie with the spawn going on, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the last time out they only caught five fish over four hours. Most of the fish are still 10 pounds or less, but they have caught them up to 15 pounds. The bigger fish are almost certainly about to spawn or coming off the spawn, and they have caught some fish that are pretty beat up. 

The bite shouldn’t be off to much longer, but in the meantime Rodger is taking some of his parties over to Wateree where the bite for juvenile catfish is better.   

On Wylie the best bite has still been on wind-aided drifts in 25-35 feet of water. Cut gizzard shad has been the most effective bait to drag, and feeding fish are not confined to any particular section of the lake.

June 14

Lake Wylie is at 96.6% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s. 

It’s full-on summer bass patterns on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that right now it’s either a matter of fishing shallow or deep. Winning weights have been in the 12-15 pound range in tournaments, and so neither is great, but bites have been relatively easy to come by. 

Offshore fish are being caught around points and humps at the major creek mouths or in summer main lake spots, and for right now 10-20 feet is the best depth range. Fish are oriented to the bottom, and crankbaits, swimbaits and big worms are all working. Later in the season after the fish have been hammered for a while they will get more cautious, but for now they are pretty aggressive.  

You can also target fish that are shallow around bream beds, and with the full moon today that pattern should be at a summer peak for the next few days. Bass that are around bream beds will take bluegill imitators like prop baits and swimbaits, and you can also fish soft plastics for them. 

There are also some random fish hanging in the shade of docks and so it is worth continuing to fish them.

June 10

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 80 degrees. 

It can be a tricky time for catching catfish on Lake Wylie with the spawn going on, but Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the last few times out the fishing has been a little better than expected. Most of the fish are still 10 pounds or less, but they have caught them up to 15 pounds. The bigger fish are almost certainly about to spawn or coming off the spawn, and they have caught some fish that are pretty beat up. 

The best bite has still been on wind-aided drifts in 25-35 feet of water. Cut gizzard shad has been the most effective bait to drag, and feeding fish are not confined to any particular section of the lake.  

With the full moon coming up the bream bite should get even better on Lake Wylie, and this weekend Captain Rodger Taylor reports that he will be looking for beds. At the recent mayfly hatch there was a good bite, and this should concentrate fish even more. Look for protected sandy areas and throw crickets or worms to the fish. Unlike catfish bream are heavy eaters while they spawn!

A good bluegill on Wylie is about 2/3 of a pound, but you can also pick up some shellcracker in the pound range. 

Bass report to follow. 

May 25

Lake Wylie is at 97.1% of full pool and clarity is good. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s. 

The shad spawn bite is finally dying out on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that some of the best bass catches are starting to come offshore on the lake. Fish are being caught around points and humps at the major creek mouths, and for right now 10-20 feet is the magic depth range. Fish are oriented to the bottom, and crankbaits, swimbaits and big worms are all working. Later in the season after the fish have been hammered for a while they will get more cautious, but for now they are pretty aggressive.  

There are still some fish hanging around docks for a variety of reasons, including guarding fry, but the best shallow pattern right now is the bream bed bite. Bass that are around bream beds will take bluegill imitators like prop baits and swimbaits. 

On the catfish front, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the spawn now seems to be underway and as a result fishing for blue catfish is only “fair”. Most of the fish they are catching are less than 10 pounds, and the best bite has been on wind-aided drifts in 25-35 feet of water.  Cut gizzard shad has been the most effective bait to drag, and feeding fish are not confined to any particular section of the lake.  

May 19

Lake Wylie is at 96.9% of full pool and clarity is good. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s. 

Some years the shad spawn is really quick and the bass fishing on Lake Wylie is really good for about two weeks around it. But tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that this is not one of those years.  The negative has been it has not ever been as wide open, but the upside is that it has gone on for longer. As a result in some isolated places you can still find shad spawning around riprap and docks very early. When you find fish feeding on the shad it does not really matter what you throw, but you can fish a spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Pop-R, buzzbait or other topwater lure.

There are also some post-spawn fish hanging around spawning pockets and guarding fry in areas like docks, but two summer patterns are also starting up. There are starting to be some bass around bream beds that will take bluegill imitators like prop baits and swimbaits. There are also starting to be a few fish offshore, but this bite has not really gotten good yet. 

Even though the spawn is getting close it’s still a really strong bite for catfish on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish continue to feed up in anticipation of spawning activity. He is catching them in spots all over the lake, but the common denominator has been that they are relatively shallow. He is generally anchoring in about 9 feet of water in coves inside creeks or on the main lake and casting from about 4 feet out to 15 feet. Most of the fish are blues in the 8-16 pound range but they are catching some blues and flatheads in the 20s and 30s. 

Cut white perch has been out-fishing everything else, even for flatheads, but at some point live bluegill or bluegill heads should pass them.

May 12

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and the water is green and slightly turbid. Morning surface water temperatures are about 72-74 degrees, down a degree or two from last week. 

Cooler weather has basically stalled the bass fishing on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that there are still spawning fish on the lake. Whether targeting spawners or post-spawn fish, you can still get in spawning pockets and throw soft plastics at any visible cover or fish you see.  Wacky rigs continue to work and docks are also holding a lot of fish.  

The shad spawn is also still going on, and the best place to look for bass gorging on shad is around main lake riprap. Cast a spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Pop-R, buzzbait or other topwater lure.  This is an early morning bite and after the sun gets above the trees it is gone. 

It does not seem like significant numbers of fish have gone offshore yet, and so most patterns are still focused on shallow water. 

Even though the spawn is getting close it’s still a really strong bite for catfish on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish continue to feed up in anticipation of spawning activity. He is catching them in spots all over the lake, but the common denominator has been that they are relatively shallow. He is generally anchoring in about 9 feet of water in coves inside creeks or on the main lake and casting from about 4 feet out to 15 feet. Fish are moving around and seem to be coming up and feeding in waves, and they are catching (and usually releasing) about 200 pounds of fish on each trip. Most of the fish are blues in the 8-16 pound range but they are catching some blues and flatheads in the 20s and 30s. 

Cut white perch has been out-fishing everything else, even for flatheads, but at some point live bluegill or bluegill heads should pass them.

May 4

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s and lower 70s. 

While the shad spawn bite is very close to taking off on Lake Wylie, tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that for right now the bass fishing is still pretty much about targeting spawning fish. The pattern is still as simple as getting in spawning pockets and throwing soft plastics at any visible cover or fish you see.  Wacky rigs are very popular but a wide range of baits will work.

The shad spawn does seem to just be getting underway, but right now it’s only in a few places and the bass don’t seem to have really found them yet. The best place to look is around main lake riprap and then cast a spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Pop-R, buzzbait or other topwater lure.

There are some indications that a few fish could be starting to move towards their offshore summer spots but it’s very early. 

 

It’s a really strong bite for catfish right now on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish are in pre-spawn feeding mode and so they are biting very well. He is catching them in spots all over the lake, but the common denominator has been that they are relatively shallow. He is generally anchoring in about 9 feet of water in coves inside creeks or on the main lake and casting from about 4 feet out to 15 feet. Fish are moving around and seem to be coming up and feeding in waves, and they are catching (and usually releasing) about 200 pounds of fish on each trip. Most of the fish are blues in the 8-16 pound range but they are catching some blues and flatheads in the 20s and 30s. 

Cut white perch has been out-fishing everything else, even for flatheads, but at some point live bluegill or bluegill heads should pass them.

April 22

Lake Wylie is at 98.1% of full pool and the lake is stained in parts but not muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s. 

The cool nights have kept things from progressing as much as usual by this time of year, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that bass fishing is pretty much about targeting spawning fish right now. The pattern really is as simple as getting in spawning pockets and throwing soft plastics at any visible cover or fish you see. The top weights in a recent tournament were 19 pounds and 17 pounds, so some pretty good ones are being caught. The biggest bags are all coming bed fishing.

The next stage will be the shad spawn but that has not started yet. 

The fishing for crappie is good to very good on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish are being taken on shallow brush now that the spawn has gotten underway. You can catch these fish casting a jig to the banks or fishing a minnow under a cork. 

There is also still a good long-line trolling bite pulling jigs in 10-23 feet of water in the creeks.   

The blue catfish bite is still very strong fishing coves in 5-15 feet of water off creek channels using cut white perch. The bite has been particularly good in dirty areas when the water level is rising following recent rains. The action in the upper 1/3 of Lake Wylie is getting very good as fish move up the lake and the pre-spawn bite kicks off.

April 8

Lake Wylie is at 98.0% of full pool and there is a mud line coming down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.   

While water conditions might interfere with the patterns, tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that it’s pretty standard spring bass fishing right now. Fish are mostly in pre-spawn and spawning mode, and basically all you need to do is fish any shoreline cover to get bites. Reid has been fishing a spinnerbait around visible targets, and inside the spawning pockets any soft plastic pitched to docks or wood will work. Wacky-rigged worms, shakey heads and floating worms are all very good. 

The only challenge has been getting a big bite, and most tournaments are taking about 15 or 16 pounds to win. It takes something like the 7-pounder caught in the first Thursday night tournament to push a limit towards double digits. 

Trolling for crappie remains very good on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the best depth range is still fishing in 15-17 feet – with either jigs or minnows. Very soon the fish should move shallow around the banks. 

The blue catfish bite is still very strong fishing coves in 5-15 feet of water off creek channels using cut white perch. The bite has been particularly good in muddy areas when the water level is rising following recent rains. In the next few weeks the action in the upper 1/3 of Lake Wylie will get very good as fish move up the lake and the pre-spawn bite kicks off.

April 1

Lake Wylie is at 97.8% of full pool and the lake is less muddy this week but still has dirty areas. Morning surface water temperatures are around 60 degrees. 

There are mixed reports on whether the bass fishing got tougher on Lake Wylie this week, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that a high school tournament took 18 pounds while some club tournaments had extremely low weights. From what he has seen fluctuating water levels have overall put the fish off a little bit, but the pattern is still the same. Most any shallow cover is worth fishing because there are so many buck bass up shallow looking for spawning places, while the bigger ones seem to be holding a little deeper. 

Soft plastics are working the best for fishing in spawning pockets. 

Trolling for crappie remains very good on Lake Wylie, and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that for the past week the best depth range has been in 15-17 feet with either jigs or minnows. Very soon the fish should move shallow around the banks. 

The blue catfish bite has been very strong fishing coves in 5-15 feet of water off creek channels using cut white perch. The bite has been particularly good in muddy areas when the water level is rising following recent rains. In the next few weeks the action in the upper 1/3 of Lake Wylie will get very good as fish move up the lake and the pre-spawn bite kicks off.