Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 183 of 290

May 8, 2026

Shearon Harris Lake has a tremendous population of threadfin shad, which has helped jump-start the white perch fishery at the Raleigh-area reservoir.

Live shad get preferential treatment

A fishermen targeting Shearon Harris Lake’s booming white perch population in summer couldn’t be in a better position. […]

South Carolina and Georgia have upped the stocking rates of striped bass in Lake Hartwell after last year’s fish kill.

No repeat of last year

Phillip Gentry

Lake Hartwell anglers may recall the lake’s first recorded fish kill last summer. After copious amounts of rain, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the lake’s level, was forced to spill water over the emergency gates and then later siphoned off deeper layers to control the flooding. […]

Cast nets, even in small-mesh sizes, need to be relatively heavy to drop fast enough to envelope baitfish or white perch.

Cast-netting for perch

Dusty Wilson

As of Aug. 1, it is no longer illegal to keep white perch caught in a cast net west of I-95, as they have been considered invasive and often damage the population of other species. That’s a win-win situation for fishermen. […]

Downriggers and lead-core line will help trolling enthusiasts reach the depths where striped bass roam.

Deep-water trolling tactics

Phillip Gentry

While down-rod, live-bait tactics work all day and all night through the summer, many anglers who fish Hartwell’s main lake during the daylight hours prefer to troll and catch striped bass. […]

Tuckertown Lake also has a great population of channel catfish; the better ones are caught in the same river-channel spots as flatheads, but they’re more likely to hit live shad than a crappie.

Leave that anchor and move!

Dan Kibler

Former guide Stanley Correll has perfected the art of making small moves to fish new areas without having to pull up the two anchors with which he holds his pontoon boat in place. […]

Tuckertown Lake’s flatheads will really come out to play — and eat — when power is being generated through the dam and a nice current sets up.

Channel your efforts — or not

Dan Kibler

Tuckertown Lake has all three major species of catfish most-often targeted by freshwater fishermen: flatheads, blues and channels. […]

Fishermen targeting bottomfish around nearshore wrecks and reefs will often come in contact with bigger targets like this cobia.

Safety first

Bill Howard

When fishing off the beach using a jet ski as a platform, remember these safety rules: […]

Although August heat and recreational boat traffic may make summer fishing more than you bargained for, the cool waters at the upper end of Lake Russell offer perpetual spring time conditions through the dog days of summer.

Lake Russell striper fishermen should move up to Hartwell tailrace

Phillip Gentry

The tailrace behind the Lake Hartwell Dam offers cold water siphoned from the depths of the lake, and for striper fishermen on Lake Russell, it’s a great place to catch fish during the summer, especially the dog days. […]

Wildlife officer Michael Paxinos spends plenty of his off-duty time targeting flathead catfish in the Neuse River. This is his biggest, at 57 1/2-pounder.

Try the Neuse River for huge flathead catfish

Craig Holt

Want to beat the heat this summer and have a chance to catch a potential record fish? First, load a skiff with plenty of lighting equipment for after-dark fishing, a couple of cinder-block anchors, eight or nine heavy baitcasting outfits spooled with 50-pound monofilmament, some Carolina and Santee rigs and about 30 eating-sized bluegills in the livewell, plus insect repellant. […]

Night crawlers and other large worms are great live baits for mountain trout in streams where live bait is legal.

Live-bait options abound

Robert Satterwhite

I grew up fishing with live bait, catching trout in the upper reaches of Paddy Creek in western Burke County and bream in the large pools in the lower sections, using fat red worms collected from cow patties in the pastures near my home. […]