Freshwater Fishing Archives - Page 246 of 290

May 10, 2026

Lake of the Month: Lake Marion

No matter what species of freshwater fish you’re fond of chasing, you’ll find it biting at Santee Cooper’s upper lake this month. […]

Now is the right time for Lake Murray shellcrackers

Phillip Gentry

Lake Murray’s shellcrackers are bunching up in groups and getting ready for the spring spawn, and anglers like Brad Taylor are having a field day catching them. […]

Shellcrackers spawn around different kinds of cover, but they can usually be found close to beds of freshwater mussels or clams.

Next, please

Phillip Gentry

Long, rocky points — especially those that provide some underwater cover in the form of stumps, brush or rockpiles — tend to be very busy places on Lake Murray during the spring. […]

Bluegills have characteristics similar to shellcrackers, but they lack teeth in the throat that shellcrackers use to crush shells.

Although they share many common characteristics and are commonly lumped together in many circumstances under the handle “bream,” bluegill and shellcrackers have distinctly different characteristics, especially when targeting one specific species while fishing. […]

Corkin’ ’crackers

Phillip Gentry

Tackle and rigging for shellcrackers can be as simple as a No. 2 hook with a couple of split-shot up the line. Brad Taylor uses this type rig on many of his rods with a couple of simple modifications. […]

Most of the crappie in Kerr Reservoir in March will be found on deep structure.

Lake of the Month: Kerr Reservoir

Craig Holt

John H. Kerr Reservoir once had the reputation as a top-drawer lake to catch largemouth bass, striped bass and catfish. […]

Kenny Allen trolled up these two slab crappie at Jordan Lake.

Unlimited Slab Success

Dan Kibler

A lot of anglers might think that Kenny Allen of Brown Summit missed out on the heyday of crappie fishing at B. Everett Jordan Lake in the 1990s, a decade after the reservoir opened and was quickly labeled one of the Southeast’s best fisheries for both crappie and largemouth bass. […]

According to N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission surveys, black crappie far outnumber white crappie at Jordan Lake.

It’s all black and white

Dan Kibler

Most reservoirs support good populations of black crappie and white crappie, and despite pro angler Kenny Allen’s assertions that there are plenty of white crappie in Jordan Lake. […]

One of the two leaders for a double-hook rig is tied to a No. 2 red hook. Sprouse said he believes he gets more bites when he uses a “bleeding” hook.

Tight line on crappie slabs

Tony Garitta

The rod tip of the 16-foot crappie pole began quivering in the cold February air. With a sweep of the rod, Tom Sprouse of Advance quickly brought another chunky crappie aboard his boat. […]

American shad can grow up to 5 pounds and anglers catch them at central-coast rivers and streams each spring.

Shad runs begin on eastern North Carolina rivers and streams

Craig Holt

The first fish migration of spring is underway on North Carolina coastal counties and, although these creatures aren’t much to write home about nor do they provide eye-popping photographs to send the local newspaper, they provide excellent and numerous light-tackle thrills. […]