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June 17, 2026

Hot rod for Congaree fishing

Another aspect of Paul Davis’ version of “City Limits Fishing” that would definitely be “Ike-approved” is his choice of rods. […]

Mark Crawford finds numbers of fish on the lower end of Clarks Hill Lake, but he looks up the lake, toward the Lake Russell tailrace, when he’s after a big fish.

Trophy fishing

Phillip Gentry

The choice between numbers and size is an easy one for Mark Crawford when he’s targeting big fish in a striped bass tournament. […]

The concept of a spring season is to allow hunting only after the first round of mating has occurred.

Turkey seasons set for biological reasons

Craig Holt

Retired turkey biologist Mike Seamster said the angst today among many Tarheel State turkey hunters is caused because “they’re scouting before the season starts and hearing gobblers, so that’s when they want the season to open.” […]

A long-time landmark for anglers in the McCormick area, the Palmetto Angler was recently added to William Sasser’s fold of fishing services.

Place your baits

Phillip Gentry

Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when striped bass and hybrid bass were first stocked in Clarks Hill, a day of striper fishing started shortly after the previous day ended, with anglers setting out in the wee hours of the morning to catch enough bait for a day’s fishing. […]

Patrick Murphy took this beautiful Roanoke River gobbler.

Seamster is a homebody

Craig Holt

A member of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission proposed a few years back that opening day of turkey season move a week ahead, to the first Saturday in April. […]

Stocked trout like this rainbow will change from egg patterns to insect patterns if they stay in a stream long enough.

Hatch match for spring trout

L. Woodrow Ross

Most South Carolina freestone streams do not support prolific insect hatches — the Chattooga River may be the exception — but most streams support some level of aquatic insect life. […]

Striper fishermen can spread out the live baits they slow-troll on free lines by using side planers or planer boards.

Badin striper hotspots

Phillip Gentry

As a rule, Badin stripers will move further toward the dam as the season progresses. Rodney Crisco recommends trying these spots: […]

A traditional egg pattern is a killer on spring trout in some of South Carolina’s
top streams.

Recipes for hot spring patterns

L. Woodrow Ross

Z-Wing Caddis Pupa — This pattern can be tied in sizes 12 to 18, but for spring, 18 would be a better choice, especially on the Chattooga. Use alone or as dropper with another nymph pattern or with a dry fly. […]

Because of their physical habitat needs, stripers are often squeezed by hot water with low dissolved oxygen levels during the summer, resulting in fish kills.

Why summer fish kills?

Phillip Gentry

Summer fish kills are as perplexing as they are disturbing to witness. A typical reservoir may have uniform temperatures throughout the lake, from top to bottom, for only a short time in the spring and again in the fall. […]

Take care when gaffing a cobia; make sure the fish is tired and get him in the fish box as quickly as possible, if you plan to keep it.

Closing the deal

Bryan Bowers

Cobia are big, strong fish, and they often come to the boat with plenty of energy in reserve. Many a cooler, center console, rods and body parts have suffered damage from a freshly-landed cobia. […]