Fishing Forecast: Cold, windy weather disrupts Carolinas angling action
Cold, windy weather generally has disrupted fishing across the Carolinas.
There has been little activity at most lakes and hardly any at all along the coast, especially offshore.
Exceptions have been Lake Norman and the lower stretch of S.C. coastal backwaters from Charleston to the Beaufort/Hilton Head area.
Norman continues to yield big numbers of white perch, a few relatively large striped bass and some hybrids.
Reds, also called puppy drum and spottails, are producing good action for anglers at Charleston and Beaufort.
Lake Norman: Excellent for white perch across the reservoir, with the best catches reported from waters near the Plant Marshall hot hole, Hager Creek and McCrary Creek. The perch generally are being found in schools 40 feet deep. Trolling with Alabama rigs and baiting with minnows appear equally effective. These tactics also are producing the hybrids. Stripers to 18 pounds in the major creek arms on swim lures trolled 40 feet down with lead core line.
Lake Wylie: Fair for crappie on minnows 30-35 feet deep around brushy cover. Fair for largemouth bass on soft plastic lures cast to deep points. During sunny days, bass sometimes are being found on flats near creek channels.
Mountain Island Lake: Little activity.
Cane Creek Park: Little activity, but the few anglers trying are taking fair catches of crappie on minnows.
Yadkin/Pee Dee River lakes: Little activity except for fair catches of crappie at Badin, Tillery and in the “Smith Lake” section of Blewett Falls.
Lakes James, Rhodhiss, Hickory, Lookout: Fair at James for smallmouth bass, hitting shiners for anglers braving the cold. Little activity at Rhodhiss and Hickory. A few stripers at Lookout.
Fontana Lake: Not much activity, but surprisingly good catches for the few anglers trying, who are limiting on smallmouth and spotted bass, which are striking Creepy Crawler soft plastic lures cast to points.
Lake Wateree: Fair to good for crappie in Beaver Creek on both jigs and minnows. A few small stripers continue to be caught on shiners near the mouths of creeks.
Lake Murray: Fair for stripers in the backs of major creeks on free-lined live baits. Fair for crappie on minnows around brush 20 feet deep.
Lake Thurmond: Fair for largemouth, mostly being located in the backs of major creeks.
Santee Cooper lakes: Good for catfish in the lower lake, Moultrie, on cut gizzard shad fished on deep bottom.
Lake Keowee: Fair to good for largemouth and spotted bass 45 feet deep on drop shot rigs with artificial worms attached and also on small spoons.
Lake Jocassee: Fair to good for largemouth in the backs of creeks on jigging spoons.
Lake Hartwell: Fair for stripers and hybrids in a wide depth range – 12 to 70 feet – on trolled umbrella rigs and free-lined live bait.
Outer Banks: Nags Head area: No activity. Oregon Inlet area: No activity. Hatteras Island: A few puppy drum in the surf near Ramp 49. Otherwise, little activity. Ocracoke Island: No activity. Morehead City area: Little activity because of foul weather conditions.
Southeastern N.C. Coast: Little activity.
S.C. Coast: Little River area: Little activity. Grand Strand area: Little activity. Charleston area: Good for reds in the backwaters for anglers who find the fish in schools sunning on the flats. Some reds also are being caught in small creeks on live baits worked under corks. Good for sheepshead around bridge pilings and other hard structure. Fair high-speed trolling for wahoo offshore when sea conditions are favorable. Beaufort area: Good for reds in the creeks on soft plastic lures sprayed with a scent. The reds also are taking live baits.
This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Fishing Forecast: Cold, windy weather disrupts Carolinas angling action."