Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 127 of 293

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August 27, 2026

Guide Kevin Davis searches the shallows for blue cats this month; they’re there for the baitfish migration.

Why skinny water is good

It’s reasonable to wonder why the big blue catfish flood the Santee Cooper shallows from late-March through April. The answer is simple, but it’s not the spawn — as many think. […]

Current regulations managing blue catfish in the Santee Cooper lakes will revert to earlier limits and sizes next year unless re-authorized by the legislature.

At Santee, catfish regs are working

Terry Madewell

South Carolina’s state legislature passed a bill effective April 1, 2015, specifically targeting blue catfish in Lake Moultrie, Lake Marion and their tributaries. The purpose was to rebuild the blue catfish fishery, which was flat-lining. […]

Various bream species make for great spring action for paddling anglers on small ponds.

Become a pond paddler

Phillip Gentry

Spring has sprung, which for paddling anglers will means more powerboats of all varieties to contend with. […]

Spring cats are a shallow-water phenomena on the Santee Cooper lakes.

Sack shallow Santee cats – Follow big blue catfish shallow this month on South Carolina’s Santee Cooper

Terry Madewell

Given the right circumstances, the exception can become the rule. Typically, the world-class catfishing on the Santee Cooper lakes, Marion and Moultrie, is a mid-depth to deep-water affair, especially for colossal-sized cats. […]

Crappie on Kerr Lake are usually spawning in April, but this year’s crop may be finished when April arrives.

Catch Kerr crappie on their way out

Dan Kibler

Crappie fishing in April is usually a spawning deal, but according to Chris Bullock of Kerr Lake Crappie and Cats Guide Service, 2017 isn’t shaping up as the usual deal. […]

Jonathan Grady knocked off these two shad in the swift waters below Lock and Dam No. 1 in the Cape Fear River upstream from Wilmington.

Run, shad, run

Jerry Dilsaver

The Cape Fear River has a variety of fishing opportunities, and one of the spring highlights is shad, striper and catfish action in the tailwaters of Lock and Dam No. 1 about 20 miles upriver from Wilmington, N.C. […]

Guide Seth Owens likes to fish stinkbaits for Lake Hartwell channel cats in 20 to 30 feet of water in April.

Try Hartwell’s cats

Pat Robertson

April is when the last vestiges of winter become just memories, the days get longer and the water temperature rises into that magic range in the low 60s that puts the catfish in Lake Hartwell on the move. That’s when the fishing starts to get good, according to guide Seth Owens of Anderson, S.C. […]

Guide Richard Andrews of Bath targets Roanoke River’s striped bass this month with soft-plastic paddletail baits fished on leadhead jigs.

Roanoke stripers running

Craig Holt

If it’s April, dogwood blossoms in North Carolina must be “as big as a squirrel’s ear” and striped bass will migrate inland — or at least that’s what old-time Roanoke River anglers say. […]

The key to catching spawning crappie is to understand how they approach their spawning areas.

The key to catching more spring crappie

Dan Kibler

Crappie don’t enter their spawning grounds at an angle, and once anglers realize this, they will catch more slabs in the spring. […]

Even though many streams are closed for stocking in March, there’s plenty of trout water still open for anglers in both Carolinas.

March still offers options

Robert Satterwhite

Prime spring fishing is just around the corner, as mountain streams begin warming up, and brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout become active and hungry, eager to gobble up the abundant spring hatches. It’s a time when anglers enjoy some of the best trout fishing of the year. […]