Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 175 of 292

July 11, 2026

The author supervises his granddaughter on a trip to the Tuckasegee River upstream from the delayed-harvest section.

Don’t miss the other Tuck

On just about any day, fair weather or not, the delayed-harvest section of the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County is crowded with trout fishers, either wading or floating the stream. […]

Striper fishing on the lower Roanoke River has been better than good over the past several weeks, with no signs of slowing down.

Lower Roanoke River striper fishing continues to be hot

Jerry Dilsaver

Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service in Bath said striper fishing in the lower Roanoke River is good, really good, and unless there is a drastic change, he anticipates the action to remain hot for when the keeper season opens on March 1. […]

Crappie have been biting jigs tipped with minnows and slow-trolled in deep water at Badin Lake.

Go deep for Badin Lake’s cold, winter crappie

Craig Holt

Most fishermen don’t consider February a prime month because of the cold weather, but a few sunny days can make a big difference, and they have recently for anglers targeting crappie on Badin Lake. […]

Winter striped bass anglers who have a hard time getting fish to eat live bait can catch plenty of fish using an umbrella rig to create a reaction bite.

Umbrella rigs working magic on cold Hartwell stripers

Phillip Gentry

Striped bass anglers who are lamenting Lake Hartwell’s chilly water temperatures need only try pulling an umbrella rig to trigger fish to bite. […]

Learn to follow the movements of baitfish during the winter as guide Chris Hammill has, and big blue catfish won't be far away.

Kannapolis guide: follow baitfish, find big catfish

Dusty Wilson

You may think dog days of summer when catfish come to mind, but blue cats are perfectly happy in cold water, where they will be shadowing every move of shad and feasting on the baitfish in reservoirs across North Carolina. […]

Knowing how and when to fish different styles of grubs and jigs is a key to catching more crappie with artificial baits.

How and when to use different styles of crappie jigs can improve your catch

Terry Madewell

Crappie fishermen have so many choices and options it can be confusing. […]

Cold weather doesn’t slow down trout in North Carolina’s mountains.

Cold weather, steaming-hot trout

Craig Holt

There’s an explanation why mountain trout fishing is a year-round activity: although some fishermen like it hot, trout like it cold. […]

With trophy blue cats a real possibility this month, make sure your tackle is heavy enough to be up to the task.

Moving whiskered targets? Santee Cooper’s catfish are on the move in February, hopefully from the water to your cooler

Terry Madewell

February’s weather can be tricky, with very cold but also very mild temperatures. That’s the primary reason why most experts use the term “transition” for catfish in the Santee Cooper lakes this month. […]

Jordan Lake’s crappie population is on the rebound after a couple of years of sub-par catches. February is the month that gets it all started.

Bold in the cold – Jordan Lake’s crappie fishery has returned to prominence after a 2011 fish kill

Craig Holt

Although everyone knows the spring spawn makes crappie as vulnerable as carnival kewpie dolls, March and April actually aren’t the best months to catch trophy fish. […]

Chunky, delicious white perch are an often-overlooked winter target on many of North Carolina's reservoirs where significant populations exist.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure; don’t ignore winter white perch.

Dusty Wilson

White perch, the renegade cousin of striped and white bass are known for being overly prolific and have infiltrated most major reservoirs in North Carolina. […]