Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 118 of 290

May 6, 2026

September is a big month for Santee anglers

September is a great month for fishing at Santee; it’s a transition time from really good fishing, to really great fishing. […]

Robert Grooms shows off a deep-water Santee Cooper bluegill.

How to catch deep-water panfish

Brian Cope

Bluegill and shellcracker are easy to find in the spring, and as summer begins to give way to fall, they become predictable again, but in a different way, according to Jay Summers, who fishes bodies of water — big and small — across both Carolinas. […]

Mountain trout and the best ways to catch them will be featured at the Mountain State Fair Sept. 8 - 17.

Mountain State Fair exhibit to showcase mountain trout

NCWRC Release

A rare bird and mountain trout will be the focus of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s exhibit at the Mountain State Fair, which runs from Sept. 8-17. […]

Lake Marion’s Sparkleberry Swamp will hold plenty of crappie this month, with fish relating to flooded cypress trees.

Tree huggers now!

Brian Cope

Early September can be a bit like August, but the nights are cooler, and that brings water temperatures down in Santee Cooper’s Sparkleberry Swamp. […]

Deep Creek holds a lot of nice brown trout, plus some fish that often approach 15 to 20 inches long.

A park you can count on

Robert Satterwhite

If you like getting away from the crowds, enjoy beautiful surroundings and don’t mind working for your trout, consider heading for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park has some great wild-trout streams, and the best ones are in the North Carolina section of the park. […]

Catfish won’t spend much time deeper than the thermocline, which narrows down places where guides like Chris Nichols target them.

Use thermocline to your advantage

Terry Madewell

By midsummer, many lakes in the Carolinas stratify according to oxygen content, and that sets up conditions that give fisherman an edge if they understand the process, namely, a thermocline. […]

Tyler Schultze said North Carolina’s Neuse River is a flathead catfish paradise, with plenty of trophy class fish available.

How to set up on a river bend

Terry Madewell

Tyler Schultz said all situations are unique but this basic setup enables him to effectively fish a prime summertime river catfish hot spot, an outside bend with deep water and woody cover available. […]

Beds of freshwater mussels will attract plenty of catfish, especially during summer months after the spawn.

Mussel up for better catfish trips

Dusty Wilson

It’s safe to say that any species of fish won’t be far from what it’s eating. While many anglers will look for summer catfish around schools of gizzard shad or white perch, guide Wes Jordan of Creedmoor, N.C., concentrates on a staple of postspawn blues that’s prevalent in many Carolina lakes — freshwater mussels. […]

How to rig cut herring for catfish and striper fishing

Brian Cope

Drifting for catfish and stripers is a popular tactic on many lakes in the Carolinas. This type of fishing allows anglers to cover a lot of ground quickly, and also gives them access to many different types of bottom structure on each pass. […]

Santee’s summer bream are deep, but still biting

Terry Madewell

Fishing in the heat requires adaptability on the part of the angler. Fish will still bite no matter how hot the sun is, but angles have to be willing to put in the work. For those who do, it’s definitely worth it. […]