Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 111 of 290

May 5, 2026

A kayak is a great platform for “shooting” a tiny jig back up under a dock during prime crappie fishing times.

Paddle, pedal to plenty of crappie

March and crappie fishing go together like peas and carrots, but while many anglers fish for crappie, far fewer consider chasing the popular panfish from a paddleboat. […]

With water levels good and the weather stabilizing in western NC, the trout fishing is good in several rivers and smaller creeks right now.

Western North Carolina trout fishing report

Brian Cope

Western North Carolina has some of the best fly fishing in the southeast, and the rivers near Brevard are no exception. March is often an unpredictable time of year due to the weather, but things are looking good for fishing the French Broad River and the Davidson, according to head fishing guide Ryan Kaufman of Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman, N.C. […]

The 2018 striped bass season on the Roanoke River officially opened on March 1 and runs through April 30.

2018 striped bass season on Roanoke River is now open

NCWRC Release

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has opened the entire Roanoke River Management Area to striped bass harvest from March 1 through April 30, unless closed or extended through proclamation. […]

North Carolina's Hatchery Supported Trout Waters are closed through April 7.

Hatchery Supported Trout Waters now closed through April

NCWRC Release

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will close approximately 1,000 miles of Hatchery Supported Trout Waters to fishing one-half hour after sunset on Feb. 28 and reopen them at 7 a.m. on April 7. […]

Don’t let the Kerr Lake slab spawn catch up to you.

Running the slab spawn

Dan Kibler

Saltwater fishermen often run the tide, moving from spot to spot within a bay or coastal creek to take advantage of a certain water depth where fish are biting. […]

Planer boards open up shallow water to spring crappie trollers.

Crappie on a different plane

Dusty Wilson

By the time March rolls around, crappie fishermen across the Carolinas are chomping at the bit for waves of slabs to invade the shallows. And even though tight-line and long-line trolling techniques are proven winners, guides like Brad Taylor of Batesburg, S.C., are adding another wrinkle, using planer boards to spread baits out even farther from the boat and access territory otherwise out of reach. […]

Pony head jigs like this Road Runner account for a lot of crappie, especially in stained water where the small spinner provides vibration and flash.

The jig is up. But which one?

Phillip Gentry

Walk into any tackle shop this time of year and you’ll likely be overwhelmed with choices of crappie jigs to use to tempt one of the country’s favorite gamefish. How do you decide which one(s) to buy and use? […]

Don’t get stucks shallow for Santee Cooper’s spring slabs.

Sack Santee’s spring slabs

Terry Madewell

Early spring and crappie fishing form a perfect combination of potential and realization on the Santee Cooper lakes. If you’re looking for a heavy stringer, they are legendary for producing huge crappie, and it helps that March is prime time for roe-laden slabs to be on a strong bite while shifting from prespawn to the spawning. […]

Pay special attention to your depth finder when fishing for crappie in February. Don’t spend much time in areas where you don’t mark slabs or bait, and notice the depth fish are holding and place your baits just above that level.

It’s the little things that matter

Phillip Gentry

Paying attention to details is never more important than when fishing for crappie in cold water, especially in February. If everything is done right, an angler is rewarded with a box full of fish, but missing the mark often means coming up blank. Here are some common tips that often mean the difference between catching a limit and going home empty-handed. […]

Marking fish arcs along pronounced bottom structure like a ledge or hump shows why trusting your depth finder is a big key in catching big winter blue catfish.

Trust your electronics for big catfish

Terry Madewell

Guide Justin Whiteside of Rock Hill trusts his electronics to depict exactly where fish are located and where to present his baits. […]