Lake Wateree crappie fishing report

Lake Wateree crappie
Anglers are catching plenty of Lake Wateree crappie everywhere from the mouths of creeks to the shallow banks.

Lake Wateree creeks are full of crappie

The spring weather has Lake Wateree crappie moving shallow for their spring spawn. And anglers are catching plenty of them with the most basic of equipment and techniques. Guide TC Lloyd of Southern Angling Guide Service said this is the time of year when anyone can catch crappie consistently.

“The crappie at Lake Wateree are in all the creeks right now. And they are in there from the mouths of the creeks all the way to the backs of them. Anglers are catching some ready to spawn and some that have already spawned,” he said.

The crappie fishing world has seen an influx of specialized gear in the past decade that has helped anglers catch slabs year-round. But Lloyd (843-307-6678) said right now, anglers are catching them the old-fashioned way.

Some fish are shallow, some still in open water

“It’s really basic fishing right now. Just a cork, a hook, and a minnow is all you need. Lots of anglers are catching them right along the banks of the creeks. Some of the fish are really shallow. But some are still in the deeper holes at the creek mouths. And plenty are in between the creek mouths and the banks. The crappie are just really plentiful in all the creeks right now,” he said.

Lloyd said even with the creeks so full of crappie right now, some are still in deeper water spread out in the main lake. And a lot of those are bigger fish.

“They are harder to find out there. So most people are sticking to the creeks. But the open water still has some of the larger fish. Catching these requires good electronics and it’s more time consuming than just heading to the creeks and casting,” he said.

While cleaning some of his recent Lake Wateree crappie, Lloyd said some of the females’ eggs are just beginning to ooze out. Others, he said, are still firm and not quite ready to drop.

“It’s a great time of year to be on Wateree. The fishing should remain just like it is for about another three weeks or so,” he said.

About Brian Cope 2725 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

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