North Carolina
What – Bluegills, warmouth, fliers
Where – Northeast Cape Fear River and it’s tributaries
How – Paddling and fly-casting along the banks of the drainages that feed the river in Pender and Duplin counties as well as the main river itself.
Launch – Shelter Creek Boating Access or Sawpit Landing, Burgaw, N.C.
Insider tip – Line tangles are the No. 1 thing to watch out for when fighting a fish on a fly rod from a kayak. Make every effort to get the fish on the reel as fast as possible. Instead of stripping in line, try to quickly reel up any slack while pinching the line to the rod with your other hand. Once the slack is taken up, fight the fish from the reel, tangle-free.
South Carolina
What – Bluegills, shellcrackers and warmouth
Where – Sparkleberry Swamp, upper end of Lake Marion
How – A Bream Buster-type pole, 8 feet of 12-pound mono, small cork, split shot, No. 4 hook and crickets. Set the hook about 18 inches below the cork and drop the cricket into every place you think may harbor a bream. Once you’ve caught the first one, start to figure a pattern out.
Launch – Low Falls Landing on the Calhoun County side of the swamp or Sparkleberry Landing on the Sumter County side.
Insider tip – If you have a good nose, you can actually smell spawning bream. Otherwise, look for areas of frothy water or stirred up bottom from fish fanning.
