Freshwater Fishing
Tighten up
Crappie enter the prespawn mode as early as mid-February or as late as mid-March. When they are staging, many anglers prefer to tight-line for crappie rather than long-line. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Freshwater Fishing
What does your jig weigh?
Crappie anglers are familiar with using jigs that weigh considerably less than typical bass jigheads. Popular jig weights for crappie include 1/32-, 1/16-, and 1/8-ounce, but weights can vary considerably from one manufacturer to another, sometimes even one jig to another. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Fishing bridges is a priority in March
Numerous bridges cross Lake Wateree’s tributary creeks, and while some of them do not permit fishing from the actual structure because of safety reasons, some do have designated areas for fishermen. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Side-scanning electronics helping crappie fishermen
Ken Boone and Rick Ingle, regular fishing partners, use a side-scan graph that Boone said that has opened up a whole new underwater world for him. […]
Freshwater Fishing
A banner year for Clarks Hill crappie?
This should be an excellent year for crappie numbers and size on Lake Thurmond, according to Dan Rankin, a fisheries biologist with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, which conducts annual trap-net surveys for the lake’s crappie. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Tools of the tight-line trade
Getting started tight-lining for crappie requires advanced preparation. Admittedly, that also means a moderate investment. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Location, design critical when creating brushpiles
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. […]
Freshwater Fishing
These 7 tips will improve your long-line trolling
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. […]
Freshwater Fishing
SC has size limit; Georgia does not
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. […]
Freshwater Fishing
Small minnows key for springtime crappie
Small minnows are the best bait for springtime crappie fishing, according to veteran Clarks Hill crappie fisherman and fishing guide William Sasser. […]