Fishing Forecast: Better weather brings out more anglers

Moderating weather brought out anglers in relatively good numbers the past few days across the Carolinas and fishing proved productive at some locations.

Especially good catches were reported from Lake Norman, Lake Thurmond, Charleston’s backwaters and offshore from Ocean Isle and Georgetown, S.C.

Lake Norman: A mix of hybrids, striped bass, spotted bass and white perch in the stretch from Marker 14 (Hager’s Creek) to Marker 17 (just north of the N.C. l50 bridge. During some days the fish are feeding in surfacing schools in early morning and in late afternoon. They’re hitting bucktails, Ice Flies, jigging spoons and Li’l Fishie lures cast to the jumps. Fair for crappie on minnows worked around brush 25-30 feet deep. Fair for catfish 15-30 feet down on cut baits, with pieces of crappie working best.

Lake Wylie: Fair to good for crappie on minnows fished around cover 20-30 feet deep. Fair for largemouth bass on grubs cast to deep points. During some sunny days the bass can be found on flats near creek channels.

Cane Creek Park Lake: Good to very good for crappie on minnows. The fish generally are being found 15-30 feet deep.

Yadkin-Pee Dee River lakes: Good for crappie at Lake Tillery. Fair at High Rock, Tuckertown and Badin. Ongoing water level issues at Blewett Falls are disrupting angling there.

Lakes James, Rhodhiss, Hickory: Fair for smallmouth bass off the points at James on shiners. Little activity reported from Rhodhiss. Stripers in the tailrace at Hickory’s Oxford Dam, especially when water is being released.

Fontana Lake: No report.

Lake Wateree: Fair for crappie in the Beaver Creek arm on Fish Stalker jigs.

Lake Murray: Fair for stripers in the backs of major creeks on free-lined live baits.

Lake Thurmond: Good for stripers and hybrids 25-30 feet deep on live herring fished around the main lake points.

Lake Hartwell: Good for catfish to 12 pounds on cut herring drift-fished 15-30 feet deep.

Lake Keowee: Fair for largemouth bass on drop-shot rigs with artificial worms attached.

Lake Jocassee: Little activity.

Santee Cooper: Slow because of unfavorable water conditions.

Outer Banks: Nags Head area: No activity; Oregon Inlet: Scattered bluefin and yellowfin tuna offshore; Hatteras Island: Good for blackfin tuna offshore when sea conditions are favorable, with a few dolphin also being boated. Scattered puppy drum and speckled trout in the surf just north of Cape Point on jigs and shrimp. Small black drum in the surf near Hatteras Village; Morehead City area: No report.

Southeastern N.C. Coast: Excellent offshore for large wahoo at the McLaren Ledge when seas are favorable. Good for black sea bass and other bottom species offshore.

Grand Strand area: Scattered reds, or spottails, and speckled trout around the Murrells Inlet jetties. Good to excellent for black sea bass to 4 pounds, vermilion snapper and other bottom species just offshore of Georgetown. The few anglers venturing further offshore have boated fair catches of blackfin tuna, dolphin and wahoo; Charleston area: Good for reds in big backwater pods, or schools, on a variety of lures, including flies, cast to the flats during low tide. However, the fish are spooking easily. Very good for sheepshead around bridge pilings and other hard structure for anglers who can find fiddler crabs for bait. Good catches of wahoo for parties high-speed trolling offshore when seas are decent; Beaufort/Hilton Head area: Reds in schools on the flats and at creek mouths, taking paddletail grubs, Gulp! Shrimp lures and flies in tan color patterns.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Fishing Forecast: Better weather brings out more anglers."