Fish logjams and catch Fishing Creek catfish

Don’t overlook Fishing Creek for cold-weather catfish

Fishing Creek Reservoir, which lies between Lake Wylie and Lake Wateree on the Catawba River, is an oft-forgotten fishing hole. But South Carolina anglers heading here in January can expect some hot action for quality catfish.

Capt. Jason Wolfe of Wolfe’s Guide Service said the key to catching good catfish on the 3,451-acre lake this month is to focus on logjams. Being prepared to move will help, even though on some days, it won’t be necessary.

“This lake is full of logjams,” he said. “The catfish love to sit behind those logjams to get a break from the current and to have a good spot to ambush bait. You want to anchor a casting distance away from those logjams, then cast your baits just above them. The catfish will catch a whiff of their presence and come get them.”

Wolfe uses a variety of cut baits; he said just about any will do, but the fresher, the better.

“I like to bring some frozen cut bait with me just in case,” he said, “but I always try to catch some fresh bait the day before or the day I’m fishing. The fresher the bait is, the more smell it produces. And that’s what brings these catfish to them.”

Be patient, but don’t waste time at unproductive spots

He uses a Carolina rig to keep his baits in place, and the size of his sinker depends on the strength of the current.

“You want it heavy enough to keep your baits in place and not swinging all around,” said Wolfe (803-487-3690).

Once he has his baits in place, Wolfe puts his rods in rod holders, then sits back and waits. He sets his timer for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how active the fish are that day. If he catches a good fish he’ll reset the clock, but it nothing is happening, he’ll move on.

“People always talk about patience when fishing, but patience doesn’t mean sitting in one place for hours on end, even if nothing is biting,” he said. “Patience means getting your gear ready, taking the time to anchor properly, making sure your baits are in the right places. If you don’t feel good about any of those things, then you need to have the patience to do them again until everything is set up properly.”

Sitting in one hole that isn’t producing is stubbornness, he said, not patience. He said that patience also means studying all the details about your surroundings and how they are impacting the fishing. Then, replicate those details in other parts of the lake if they’re working, and make adjustments if they’re not.

“Try a few spots that are similar in terms of depth, current flow, and size of logjams present. If you catch some decent fish in those areas, keep it up. If you’re not, then switch it up. Find areas with stronger or weaker current. Try logjams in different depths of water. Have the patience to keep looking and eliminating water and you’ll find some quality fish here this month,” he said.