August 6

Lake Wylie is up to 96.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. The north end of the lake is very muddy after recent rains.

With cooler weather and rain after a very dry and stagnant period, tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that the black bass fishing is picking up on Wylie. As dirty water makes its way down the lake a good bite is developing on Chatterbaits fishing around the banks, and buzzbaits are also still working well. Other anglers are still catching fish on minnow-style baits fished on a jighead in open water using forward-facing sonar. 

However, the Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that as oxygen levels decline offshore many of these fish will be making a move towards shallower water where they can be caught on topwater lures, flukes, and crankbaits fished around shoreline cover like rocky points, laydowns, and docks. The oxygen levels are better shallower. 

Also related to water quality, Captain Chris reports that crappie and white perch will be suspended 10-15 feet deep just above the 25-foot thermocline on the main river channel and can be caught fishing minnows or trolling small jigs that imitate young-of-the-year shad. Of course, fish will also be found on brush wherever it is found that has sufficient oxygen levels and depth for crappie. 

The Lake Wylie catfish bite continues to be overall “fair”, and Captain Rodger Taylor with Catfish ON! Guide Service (803-517-7828) reports that he is using both anchor anddrift-fishing tactics.  He’ll anchor on a specific target early or late, often in shallow water, but then during the day he will drift-fish flats, humps and ledges in the main lake.  20-25 feet is a good depth range.  

His favored baits right now are gizzard shad and cut white perch. When drifting for catfish, he’s also pulling perch rigs, so he’s catching his bait doing that, plus many of the perch are large and clients are enjoying catching those fish as well as the catfish.

Captain Chris adds that with so many of the catfish primarily eating freshwater clams right now he is using small pieces of cut bait to “match the hatch” while drifting. He also notes that while anchor fishing if you want to increase your chances of catching a flathead catfish live bait like bream or perch fished on main lake points at night are deadly.

 

July 31 

 

Lake Wylie is at 96.1% of full pool, and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Water conditions are clear.

 

Fishing at Lake Wylie is good, with most species in normal summer patterns. Boat traffic, at times, is still an issue for fishermen on weekends.

 

Captain Jake Futia, with Captain Jake's Guide Service (704-989-1871), reports the crappie are being caught on two distinct patterns. First, crappie are stacked up on brush in 15-30 feet, with the most productive areas found around drops into deeper water. They’re suspended over the top, or along the sides, of the sunken brush piles.

 

 Captain Jake says precision placement of your bait or lure is crucial to crappie success.

 

The second pattern is that crappie are being caught on the river channel flats in 20-30 feet of water in a roaming mode. For this pattern, Forward Facing Sonar is extremely beneficial to spot and maintain contact with these schools of fish. His clients are generally catching larger crappie from these schools of fish, again using minnows. He noted skilled anglers can catch these light-biting fish casting small jigs.

 

Regardless of their pattern, Captain Jake said his best success is using live minnows on tightlines or slip float rigs with the depth set to the depth fish are seen on the scope.

 

Captain Jake emphasized that the fish on brush and other wood cover have become more difficult to catch unless anglers get their bait or lure right on or around the cover. He said they’re TIGHT to the structure, and if you are not right on the structure, you’re not getting many bites. 

 

The Lake Wylie catfish bite continues to be productive, and Captain Rodger Taylor with Catfish ON! Guide Service (803-517-7828) reports the fishing overall is fair, but some recent trips have been very good. One trip this week produced 16 catfish, ranging in size from 6 to 16 pounds on a 4-hour charter.

 

Captain Rodger is utilizing both anchor and drift fishing tactics, depending on the specific target. He’ll anchor on a specific target early, often in shallow water. Later in the morning, he’ll drift-fish in the main body of the lake, fishing main-lake flats, humps, and ledges.

 

His favored baits are gizzard shad and cut white perch. When drifting for catfish, he’s also pulling perch rigs, so he’s catching his bait doing that, plus many of the perch are large, and clients are enjoying catching those fish as well as the catfish.

--Terry Madewell

 

July 23 

Lake Wylie is at 95.6% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. 

The Lake Wylie catfish bite continues to be strong, and Captain Rodger Taylor with Catfish ON! Guide Service (803-517-7828) reports that blues and channels are being caught drifting or anchoring around sloping bottom structure in 15 to 25 feet of water. They are in both the creeks and on the main lake, and very often the catfish are in the same areas as the white perch – when you find perch it’s likely that catfish are not far behind! (Perch are plentiful on flats and humps 13 to 21 feet deep, and they are biting extremely well on cut shad or minnows)

As with most years, on summer mornings when the wind is blowing Captain Rodger finds that the bite is strong – while on still mornings it is hit-or-miss. 

Similarly, the Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that his boat is catching catfish on main lake flats and around mussel beds in 15-30 feet of water where they can be caught drifting small pieces of cut bait like white perch or bluegill. If you prefer to fish at night, you can anchor up on shallow main lake points and fan-cast pieces of cut bait using a Carolina rig. If you want to target flatheads, use live bait versus cut bait.

The crappie remain in stable summer patterns, and Captain Chris reports that the crappie bite around brush in 15-25 feet of water – wherever it is found – is very good on minnows and jigs fished one to two feet above the structure. There is also another group of fish related to open water, and they can be caught spider-rigging minnows on the main lake channel ledges 22-28 feet deep. 

Captain Chris reports that bluegill are on beds in small, protected coves.  They are easy to catch using night crawlers or crickets under a cork.

But black bass fishermen are interested in bream beds for a different reason, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that bream beds are a major factor drawing bass to the shallows where they can be caught on topwater lures like buzzbaits and Pop-Rs fished around the beds. The bite is best early and late, while during the day sub-surface baits like wacky-rigged worms may be more effective for bass holding around bream beds or cover like docks. 

You can also still catch fish offshore around main and secondary points, humps, and the river channel. But with high temperatures and months of fishing pressure you may have more success with finesse-style baits instead of big crankbaits and other power baits that they were eating earlier in the summer. 

July 8

 

Lake Wylie is at 95.4% of full pool, and morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s.  

 

Several species of fish are cooperating at Lake Wylie this week, and The Carolina AnglerCaptain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that black bassfishing is good, but the best bite is definitely early morning.

 

Captain Chris said to fish at first light on points, using topwater lures and flukes in the shallows. The fish are fairly aggressive, so moving quickly to hit a few points early is a key to more bites. After the sun gets up, move offshore and fish long tapering points and underwater structure such as humps and ledges using Carolina rigs, deep-diving crankbaits, and Hopkins’ spoons. As the thermocline sets up in July, the bass will be positioned 10-20 feet deep around main-lake structure, just above it.  

 

Crappie fishing remains productive for Captain Chris around brush in 15-25 feet on jigs and minnows fished just above the structure.  Crappie are also being caught in 20-25' water in creek mouths and main lake ridges by spider rigging minnows, and/or trolling jigs or crankbaits 10-15 feet deep.  

 

Catfish continue to be caught in all 3 phases of the spawn in early July.  To target spawning fish, anchor up and fan-cast cut bait to shallow cover like rock piles, logs, and laydowns where the fish are spawning. White perch, bluegill, or cut shad are good baits, and if you want to target flathead, add live bluegill to the offering.  To target pre-and post-spawn catfish, drift cut bait on Santee rigs in the middle of creeks 20-25' deep or main lake flats in 15-25'. Small pieces of cut bait or chicken work best, as these fish are feeding heavily on freshwater mussels during the summer.

 

 

Captain Chris said blues and flatheads are often caught on the same trip right now.

 

The good fishing reports are echoed by Captain Jake Futia ofCaptain Jake's Guide Service (704-989-1871), who reports good action on crappie and catfish. Captain Jake reports the crappie bite is strong in 20-30 feet of water, using live minnows to work the tops of brush or woody structure. The bite is often fast-paced when he finds active fish.

 

For catfish, he reports that the 15–30-foot depth is most productive, with the shallower bite usually occurring early in the morning, after which the fish move progressively deeper during the day. Cut bait tops his list of bait choices, with white perch and shad as his favorites.

Terry Madewell

 

July 2 

Lake Wylie is at 95.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s.  

The Lake Wylie catfish bite is so good right now that it’s hard to lead off with anything else, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that’s despite a large number of fish actively spawning. Catfish are in all three phases of the spawn as we leave late June and get into early July, and if you want to target spawning fish (often the biggest) anchor up and fan-cast cut bait to shallow cover like rock piles, logs, and lay-downs where the fish are spawning.  Perch, bluegill, or cut shad are good and if you want to target flathead, add live bluegill to the offering. 

But if you want to target pre- and post-spawn catfish, drift cut bait on Santee rigs mid-creek 20-25 feet deep or on main lake flats in 15-25 feet of water. Small pieces of cut bait or chicken work best as these fish are feeding heavily on freshwater mussels during the summer.

Meanwhile, Captain Chris reports that the crappie are also biting well, and in fairly steady patterns. One group of fish is on brush in 15-25 feet of water – wherever it is found – and they will take minnows and jigs fished one to two feet above the structure. There is also another group of fish related to open water, and they can be caught in 20-25 feet of water in creek mouths and on main lake ridges spider-rigging minnows near the bottom. However, some of the biggest fish are higher in the water column, mixed with other species like spotted bass and white perch, and trolling jigs or crankbaits 10-15 feet down will catch them. 

Black bass report to follow. 

June 24

 

Lake Wylie is at 95.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80’s. 

 

A lot of quality fishing activity is occurring at lake Wylie and The Carolina AnglerCaptain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that bass, crappie and catfish are all on a strong bite pattern. Captain Chris keeps up with the bass fishing and enjoyed an excellent trip early this week. He caught two bass at once on the same crankbait, so he was on active fish!

 

Captain Chris caught two bass on the same crankbait on one cast; that's active bass!

 

He reports the bass are schooled up on mid-creek points and channel bends or on main lake humps & offshore structure. He recommends targeting them using a Carolina rig with a finesse worm or crank bait that runs 10-15' deep. Anglers can expect to catch several fish in an area when they find an active school.  There is also a very early shallow water bite on main lake points using topwater’s or flukes, but it’s a short window of opportunity at dawn.

 

Captain Chris saidtwo patterns are in play for crappie. One is that fish are bunched up on brush in 15-25' water, and he’s catching them by casting jigs over the top of brush to catch the active fish. Another group of crappies are schooled up at the mouths of the creeks and on main lake flats in 20-25' water. He said to target these fish by spider rigging minnows, or trolling jigs or crankbaits that run 10-15' deep. Spoiler Alert: The perch are mixed in with the crappie in open water so expect to catch a cooler full of perch while targeting crappie in this pattern.

 

Captain Chris also reports that contrary to what many anglers believe, the catfish are in all 3 phases of the spawn in June and early July. He said to target pre-or-post-spawn catfish, drift small pieces of cut bait on Santee rigs along mid-creek or main lake flats 20-25' deep. To target spawning fish, anchor up in shallow water and fan cast pieces of cut shad or white perch on Carolina rigs around spawning structure like rocks, stumps or fallen trees. The spawning fish are generally going to orient to structure so place your casts accordingly.

 

He said this year with the water levels being so low, many of the prime catfish spawning holes were high and dry in May, so he thinks many catfish of them pushed the spawn back. He reports catching a lot of 10–20-pound female cats last week that were full of eggs. 

 

He said this opinion is based on the catfish he’s caught, and he’s been catching 20-25 catfish a day for the last 2 weeks, and 50% were females with eggs.

 

The fishing is wide open at Lake Wylie. Call Captain Chris and plan a trip for any of several species. 

 

Terry Madewell

 

June 9

 

Lake Wylie is at 96.1% of full pool, and morning surface water temperatures are about 81 degrees, rising to 83 degrees mid-morning. 

 

Captain Jake Futia, with Captain Jake's Guide Service (704-989-1871), reports the crappie are really stacked up on brush in 15-30 feet on sunken brush piles, and are also being caught on the river channel flats in 20-30 feet of water. His favored bait is live minnows to target these fish.

 

Captain Jake reports crappie action is very good on Lake Wylie right now. 

 

 

Captain Jake has also found several huge schools of crappie in roaming mode, suspended 10-15 feet deep in the main lake, and these are prime targets for using Forward Facing Sonar. His clients are generally catching larger crappie from these schools of fish, again using minnows or casting small jigs.

 

Per the previous report, the bass activity is still going strong, with plenty of shallow -water activity with the water level up. As is the case on many lakes currently, big bass are being found around bream beds.

 

Captain Jake has had a couple of recent catfish trips that were productive despite the spawn being underway. The average size of the catfish has gone down, but the smaller fish are still on a decent bite.

 

He reports the bream are bedding on sand and gravel bottom areas throughout the lake, and that action has been red hot. The bream and shellcracker are being caught in shallow water using crickets or worms.

 

In addition, the perch bite is very strong when using minnows or worms while fishing main-lake humps near deep water. Anglers are making bonus catches of big perch when crappie fishing around deep brush.

Terry Madewell

 

June 4

Lake Wylie is up to 96.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s. 

With a return to full pool on Lake Wylie black bass are all over the banks, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that’s no surprise considering that for the entire year the lake has been very low. Bedding bream and significant mayfly hatches are also drawing fish into the shallows, and unless something dramatic changes he expects there to be a population of fish that can be caught shallow on topwater lures like buzzbaits and Pop-Rs throughout the day all month. It shouldn’t be until July that you really have to concentrate these shallow efforts early or move to sub-surface baits during the day.  

At the same time, there is also a group of fish that has moved offshore with the early summer temperatures and they can be caught on main and secondary points, on humps, and near the river channel. This month they will take deep-diving crankbaits, football jigs, and big worms as they are most aggressive when they first head offshore. 

The Lake Wylie catfish bite is changing, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that with catfish actively spawning in June there are basically two patterns for cats right now. First, anchor up in shallow water to target spawning fish by fan-casting cut bait around structure like trees, logs and rocks where the fish are getting ready to spawn. This is the primary big fish pattern.

The second option is to drift deeper water in the creeks and on main lake flats targeting juvenile and pre-spawn fish. You'll catch more fish doing this, but the average size will be smaller. Perch and bluegill are usually the best baits for drifting in June but the fish tend to prefer small pieces that resemble mussels. 

The bite for bigger fish can vary from week to week in June, but the bite for smaller fish under 10-12 pounds is usually pretty consistent. 

Meanwhile, Captain Chris reports that the majority of crappie are moving out of the creeks and headed toward the mouths and main lake. They are also feeding up on deep brush piles 15-25 feet deep. One option is to fish over and around the brush piles by casting a 1/16 ounce jig or minnows. The active fish will be suspended just outside the brush so you want to keep your bait a few feet above it.

Additionally, you can spider-rig minnows on main lake flats and channel ledges where crappie will be scattered around. You can also troll jigs or crankbaits if the crappie happen to be suspended and not hanging around the bottom due to the conditions that day. You'll be able to see if the crappie are on the bottom or suspended by using your electronics and you can choose your fishing technique accordingly.

Note that white perch are also scattered on the same main lake flats and channel ledges so expect to catch a good mix of crappie and perch in June as both start feeding up after the spawn.

May 19

 

Lake Wylie is low at 95.5% of full pool and is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 73 degrees.  With water levels very low, boaters should exercise caution at ramps and on the lake, as many hidden obstacles are now just below the surface. 

 

It’s still an excellent bite for Wylieblack bass, and The Carolina AnglerCaptain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) follows the black bass patterns and said that the black bass patterns in Lake Wylie have shifted from spawning to post-spawn and bass are actively feeding.

 

From one spawn to another; with the bass spawn complete, the black bass are now keying in on the shad spawn as their primary forage activity. Very early in the morning, at first light, bass can be effectively targeted feeding on spawning shad by casting willow-leaf spinnerbaits, flukes, or topwater lures such as the Pop-R. Shad often spawn around rip-rap banks and piers, and he said the prime time to fish these areas is early morning. Shad spawning in the shallows often offers a ‘target-rich’ bass feeding environment.

 

Captain Chris said the largercatfish have begun the spawning process, and the while fishing is still good, it will slowly taper for the bigger fish during the spawn. He said the active shallow-water bite is slowing, and by the end of May and into early June, many big catfish will be focused on the spawn and will feed less often.

 

Captain Chris Nichols is still catching big catfish at lake Wylie, but tactics are changing. 

 

He said as the spawn continues, it’s best to target smaller fish and/or late spawners by fishing main lake flats, creek channels, and main river channel ledges in 15-25 feet of water.  These deeper main-lake and creek-channel catfish are generally feeding on mussel beds, and the bite is consistent throughout May and June for good numbers of smaller catfish. Not all catfish spawn at the same time, so Captain Chris prefers to target catfish in May and June by fishing deeper and targeting main-lake or creek channels.

 

Captain Chris said his preferred tactic shifts from anchoring during pre-spawn fishing to drifting cut shad, perch, or bluegill on Santee rigs, working around mussel beds. 

 

Another option is to travel upstream into the South Fork or the Catawba rivers and target catfish that have migrated upstream to spawn. By the end of May, he’ll target post-spawn, spawning, and pre-spawn fish up the rivers by fishing structure, including rock piles, logs, points, or current breaks, preferably as far up either river as the water level allows safe boating, the water conditions are unusually low on Wylie right now. These targets can be specific enough that anchor fishing can also be effective.  

Terry Madewell

 

May 5

Lake Wylie is low at 95.0% of full pool and is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 71 degrees.  With water levels very low, boaters should exercise great caution at ramps and on the lake, as many hidden obstacles are now just below the surface. 

 

The May forecast for Lake Wylie was positive regarding the crappie and catfish action, and Captain Jake Futia, withCaptain Jakes Guide Service (704-989-1871), put it to the test early this week, proving that information accurate.

 

Captain Jake and clients had a very busy morning at Lake Wylie, with two short-duration trips booked back-to-back. First was a two-hour crappie excursion, followed immediately by a four-hour catfish outing. At midday, both groups of anglers were thrilled with the action.

 

Captain Jake’s first stop on the crappie trip was a long point that dropped into deep water on the main portion of the lake. The fish-catching action began immediately and never really slowed, because they spent the entire trip fishing from that same spot. He targeted woody structure on the point by drift-fishing over the target, working depths of 25-32 feet. He used his reliable double-hook rig with the number 6 wire hooks baited with live minnows.

 

The fish were deep in the water column, and he coached his clients to let the rig drop to the bottom, then reel about 2 cranks to position the bait perfectly. They adjusted the rig's depth as the depths changed.

 

In addition to crappie, huge white perch mauled his minnows, and the action on crappie and perch was consistent throughout the trip. Captain Jake said they never went more than a few minutes without hooking a fish, with multiple fish hooked at times.

 

While the action was so good they never needed to move, Captain Jake said that if the fishing had slowed, he would have quickly moved to another similar area.

 

As soon as that trip ended, anglers seeking catfish came aboard Captain Jake's boat, so he switched fishing gear and transitioned into catfishing mode. This time, he again fished points leading into deep water but fished from an anchored position. His bait of choice was assorted cut bait, with gizzard shad and white perch being the most productive.

 

Anchoring in about 7 feet of water, he fan-cast rigs around the boat, ensuring baits were covering multiple water depths ranging from 3-30 feet deep. Catfish action was consistent, and when the bite slowed, he’d move to another point and repeat the process.

 

Captain Jake's party caught blue catfish from 8-18 pounds.

 

They caught blue catfish at different depths on each point fished, so spreading the baits into different depths was a key to their success. The catfish ranged in size from 8 to 18 pounds.

 

By lunch time, two separate groups of anglers, targeting different species, had enjoyed awesome fishing adventures on Lake Wylie. 

 

Terry Madewell

 

April 30

Lake Wylie is low at 94.9% of full pool and the lake is pretty clear all over. Morning surface water temperatures are about 71 degrees. With water levels very low boaters should exercise great caution at ramps and on the lake with a lot of hidden obstacles now just below the surface. 

This week there have still been some black bass on beds, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that this full moon should bring up at least another small wave. As we move into May the shad spawn should continue for some time, partly because cool temperatures will likely prolong it. Anglers can catch fish feeding on shad early around points, riprap, docks and more. In May there will also be substantial numbers of fish feeding on bream around the banks, with buzzbaits, Pop-Rs, and soft plastics all good ways to approach these. Another group of fish will move offshore, starting out on drops and points in 8-12 feet of water before they really head deep often in June. 

It’s still an excellent bite for Wylie catfish, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that as we move into May fish will continue feeding heavily getting ready for the spawn in late May and June. If you are targeting fish in the upper regions of the lake, anchor up and fan-cast cut bait around structure like rocks, current, points or laydowns. If you want to target flatheads, use live bluegill or white perch. This up-river bite will stay hot right up until they actually start spawning around Memorial day and then it will start slowing down. If you prefer to fish the lower section of the lake in May, it’s best to target non-spawning fish by drifting cut shad, perch, or bluegill on Santee rigs on main lake flats in 10-25 feet of water near mussel beds. These fish on the main lake are typically not actively spawning in may so the bite is very consistent. 

Meanwhile, Captain Chris reports that the majority of crappie have finished spawning and have moved back to the creek channels in 20-25 feet of water or onto deep brush piles at the same depth. The best way to catch them is by spider-rigging minnows in the channel or casting jigs to the brush piles. Crappie will school back up by mid-May so you can use your electronics to find big schools in the channel or on deep brush.

Finally, the big bluegill start spawning with the full moons in May so it’s a great month to catch a mess of bluegill casting night crawlers or crickets to bedding fish in protected coves.

April 23

Lake Wylie is down to 95.2% of full pool and the lake is pretty clear all over. Morning surface water temperatures are 70-71 degrees.

It’s still an excellent bite for Wylie catfish, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that they are feeding up for the spawn in late May and June. You can go up either river, anchor up, and fan cast cut shad or perch around structure like points, rocks, deep holes, or laydowns. If you want to target flatheads then do the same thing but add live bait like bluegill or white perch on a Carolina rig.

You can also drift cut bait on Santee rigs on main lake flats with mussel beds or in the creek channels in 10-25 feet of water.

Meanwhile Captain Chris reports that crappie will be winding up their spawn through the end of April, but the majority are done and moving back to deeper water. You can troll jigs or spider rig minnows in the major creeks in 20-25 feet of water to target post-spawn fish moving back out. 

But the white perch spawn is going on right now, and Captain Chris reports they are currently stacked up and spawning on long, main lake clay points in 10-20 feet of water. They are grouped up tightly and so when you find them you should catch a bunch on minnows. 

Similarly we are still in the midst of the black bass spawn, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that you can still fish all your favorite shallow water techniques for pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawn bass. Just going down the bank and fishing laydowns, docks and points is effective, with soft plastics, buzzbaits, and spinnerbaits all working well. 

This is also the very beginning of the shad spawn, especially after temperatures dropped and then rebounded, and around main lake riprap, points, and hard objects you can fish for bass keying on shad early with spinnerbaits, swimbaits, Pop-Rs, or any other bait that imitates a shad. 

April 16

Lake Wylie is low at 95.7% of full pool and the lake is pretty clear all over. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 70s.

Black bass are all over beds on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that this is a “fisherman’s time of year” when you can basically fish all your favorite shallow water techniques for pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawn bass. Just going down the bank and fishing laydowns, docks and points is effective, with soft plastics, buzzbaits, and spinnerbaits all working well. 

This is also the very beginning of the shad spawn, and around main lake riprap, points, and hard objects you can fish for bass keying on shad early with spinnerbaits, swimbaits, Pop-Rs, or any other bait that imitates a shad. 

But again the crappie are much further along, and The Carolina Angler Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that about 75% of the fish have spawned and started to move back into deeper water in the creek channels. You can troll jigs or spider rig minnows in 20-25 feet of water to catch crappie now, but there are still some fish shallow around the banks if you want to cast jigs (or fish minnows under a float). 

Still, the best thing going is the catfish, and Captain Chris reports that the bite is “on fire” right now. You can anchor up in either river and fish cut bait on Carolina rigs in shallow water and/or around structure like points, rocks, and deep holes.  To increase your chances of catching a flathead add live bream or white perch to the menu. 

If you want to drift for catfish then you can drift main lake flats with mussel beds in 10-20 feet to target pre-spawn fish. 

Chris notes that with the lake down a lot of the fish are a little deeper than usual in 20-25 feet of water. 

April 3

Lake Wylie is at 96.5% of full pool, and the lake is clear all over.  Morning surface water temperatures are 63 degrees.

There’s plenty of fishing action on Lake Wylie with both crappie and catfish doing extremely well.

Captain Jake Futia, withCaptain Jakes Guide Service (704-989-1871), said crappie are transitioning from deep water, staging in mid-depths, then moving into shallow-water spawning areas. They’re in the creeks, with plenty of crappie found in each phase of this spring migration. His recent success has been primarily catching crappie in water 20-25-feet deep, fishing around deep brush or woody cover, vertical fishing with live minnows, or drifting the flats in creeks in the 15-to-25-foot depths with a two-hook rig just off the bottom, again using minnows. Capt. Jake said some fish are beginning to be caught in shallow water by longline trolling with 1/8- and 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with minnows. Also, for Livescope users, he’s finding roaming schools, but they’re skittish, so he’s staying well away and casting a 1/16-ounce jig tipped with a minnow to those targets. He said the crappie will make a mass migration to the shallows soon on Lake Wylie, and some are already spawning. By this weekend, with the warmer weather forecast and rising water temperatures, the fish should be active in the mid-to-upper portions of the creeks.

The Carolina AnglerCaptain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) said he’s seeing lots of crappies in the three-to-six-foot depth range, and by this weekend, targeting shallow water cover along shorelines should produce serious crappie-catching action.

Captain Jake said big white perch are on a strong bite right now. These aggressive, good-eating fish are providing excellent fishing around points in 15-to-30 feet of water, with most of the action in the creeks. Live minnows are his favored bait.

Lake Wylie is producing excellent fishing for both crappie and catfish right now, and Captain Rodger Taylor withCatfish ON! Guide Service (803-517-7828) said his son has been working the typical spring patterns with excellent success. Captain Rodger said it’s the best time of the year for consistent catfish action. Fishing from the first or second week of April through mid-May is the most consistent of the year during this pre-spawn fling. Fish are in shallow coves, usually in skinny water, and are typically active in water three to five feet deep. Capt. Taylor said to anchor in a cove and fancast rigs around the boat. Typically, within a few minutes, chunky catfish are being hooked. Most of these fish are blue catfish, and favored baits are cut shad, cut bream, and shrimp.

Captain Nichols (704-860-7951) said the catfish bite is on fire up the river by fishing from anchored setups and fan casting baits around the boat. Shad and white perch are baits that are working well for him, and he said 200 pounds of total catfish weight is the norm for daily trips right now.

Bass Tournament fisherman Reid McGinn said the bass action is good and about to break wide open. He and his tournament partner both found fish primarily in pre-spawn modes, and not many were on the banks, but that was after the cold Arctic blast last weekend. He said the water temperature, along with the steady warm weather this week, should have a lot of fish in the shallows cruising and/or bedding by late in the week. He said most shallow-water lures and tactics will be productive, with the Shaky Head and Texas Worm rigs producing well, as well as flipping docks. Most shallow water lures that anglers have confidence in should produce this weekend. Despite the lack of rain, the water is still slightly dingy but perfect for shallow-water bass fishing.