Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 196 of 292

July 12, 2026

Danny Aderhold (left) and Dean Brown (right) struggle to hold the flathead catfish that Aderhold caught from the Cooper River last Wednesday.

Cooper River flathead will share state catfish record

A fisherman from Anderson landed a 79-pound, 9.6-ounce flathead catfish last Wednesday in the Cooper River that has earned a share of the state record. […]

Ryan Bell and John Koonce of Charleston hoist a 82½-pound blue catfish that beached itself right under their noses while they were fishing for shad in the tailrace canal.

Shad fishermen put huge catfish in the boat — by hand

Phillip Gentry

Many fishermen have had the experience of hooking a small fish only to have that fish swallowed by a larger one. It happened on March 25 to John Koonce and Ryan Bell while fishing for shad in the tailrace canal below Lake Moultrie. […]

Flat Swamp Creek has some of the only fishable water in an otherwise muddy High Rock Lake, and crappie are biting.

High Rock crappie biting in Flat Swamp Creek

Tony Garitta

Maynard Edwards and Jason Heitman of Yadkin Lakes Guide Service caught quality crappie in High Rock Lake’s Flat Swamp Creek last week by trolling deep water. […]

Guide Brad Taylor said that crappie are making the move toward their shallow, spawning areas on Lake Murray.

Slab crappie moving shallow at Murray, staging for the spawn

Terry Madewell

Shallow-water crappie action doesn’t last long at Lake Murray, but it’s sensational when it occurs, and the time is nigh. […]

Emory Reiser of Anderson landed this Lake Hartwell walleye on a trip last week with Capt. Steve Pietrykowski.

“Small window” is open for catching Lake Hartwell walleye

Phillip Gentry

The prospect of catching a walleye in South Carolina waters may seem far-fetched to a lot of anglers, but truth is, Lake Hartwell maintains a catchable population of this highly prized member of the pike family, and the best time to run into a few of them is when they move up the tributary rivers to spawn in the spring. […]

Crappie fishermen who tight-line need special equipment — rods and rod-holder systems that will hold them.

Tools of the tight-line trade

Phillip Gentry

Getting started tight-lining for crappie requires advanced preparation. Admittedly, that also means a moderate investment. […]

William Sasser anchors a brush pile tree with two cinder blocks. Adjust the anchor rope to set the height of the tree. Tie a float to the upper part of the tree to hold it vertical. Sasser uses a brick-sized piece of Styrofoam for a float.

Location, design critical when creating brushpiles

Pat Robertson

Guide William Sasser can almost always find a place to catch crappie in Clarks Hill Lake. He estimates that he has about 200 brush piles in the lake. […]

These 7 tips will improve your long-line trolling

Phillip Gentry

Like spider-rigging, having success in long-line trolling takes dedication in order to get a system that works for your boat and your setup. Try these seven tips will help you become a better long liner. […]

Georgia and South Carolina have different size and creel limits for crappie on the Savannah River lakes.

SC has size limit; Georgia does not

Pat Robertson

The Savannah River lakes, including Thurmond, are unique in that there are differences in the size limits for crappie depending on whether you bring your fish out on the South Carolina side or the Georgia side. […]

Small, live minnow, hooked through the back, are deadly on Clarks Hill crappie.

Small minnows key for springtime crappie

Pat Robertson

Small minnows are the best bait for springtime crappie fishing, according to veteran Clarks Hill crappie fisherman and fishing guide William Sasser. […]