January 20
Lake Monticello water temperatures range from 53-59 degrees, depending on section of the lake. Near the power plant is warmer. Visibility is 3-5 feet and water levels typically fluctuate daily.
It was a really tough day of bass fishing Sunday on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that bites were hard to come by. In practice he noticed that the fish weren’t on his deep holes in 30-45 feet (even though there was a ton of bait) and so he abandoned that, and the only practice bites he had were on an Alabama rig in random spots. Hence he decided to throw it all tournament day.
On Sunday he found the fish on just a few spots where he caught all his fish. One group was on brush in 18-20 feet on a sharp drop, and another group were on rocky points in 12-15 feet. They seemed to want to be near main lake and secondary points. Every single fish he caught was on an Alabama rig retrieved deep and very slowly just above the brush or rock, and if the bait lifted up any higher the fish showed no interest. He threw a shakey head, spinnerbait and a crankbait but had no bites.
The other top weights Sunday seemed to come shallow cranking.
While Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) didn’t make it up to Monticello this weekend, the Tri-Lakes Catfish Club had a 13-boat tournament Saturday and conditions were rough. Nathan Morrow took first place with 40.1 pounds including an 18.7 pound big fish, Team Outlaws took second with 29.5 pounds and Team Gut Bucket took third also with 29.5 after the big fish tie breaker. The overall big fish was caught by Team Smackdown at 20.10 pounds.
Over half the field did not weight a fish, and overall it’s clearly still some tough fishing on Monticello.
January 12
Lake Monticello water temperatures range from the low to upper 50s, depending on section of the lake. Near the power plant is warmer. The water is still fairly clear and lake levels normally fluctuate daily.
While some anglers are certainly struggling to catch bass on Lake Monticello right now, BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that there are also plenty of fish being caught. You can fish the way you want to fish if you get in the right area and on the right pattern.
A primary pattern right now is fishing around bait, and wind blow pockets that stack up with bait are holding a lot of fish. From the bank out to about 18 feet an Alabama rig is working really well, while in the same bait-filled areas in 15-38 feet a jigging spoon is strong. On his last trip out Eric caught 18 fish on the spoon as well as numerous yellow perch and something big that felt like a catfish which they couldn’t turn.
Near the power plant there is a shallow running crankbait bite with DT-6s, and most of these fish are being caught in 6 or less feet of water.
While these are good ways to catch numbers of fish, the biggest bass right now seem to be coming on a jig in 15-25 feet. There are even some reports out to 40 feet, but Eric can’t verify that. While there isn’t much deeper rock on Lake Monticello the best jig fishing is around deeper rock.
Some big smallmouth and seven plus pound largemouth have come recently on a jig.
It’s hard to make sense of the catfishon Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that they are marking an absolute ton of fish. However, the trick is getting them to bite and some days they will barely eat. Perhaps it’s a time of year thing, and perhaps the problem is an excess of bait. Maybe one reason bass fishermen continue to catch big catfish is because on days when they aren’t really hungry you can still possibly trigger a reaction bite.
Drifting still doesn’t seem to be much good, and the best fishing has come anchoring on ledges and covering water with a ton of baits from 15 to 60 plus feet of water. White perch and gizzard shad should be the best baits right now, but nothing is very consistent.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the tournament this Saturday.
January 5
Lake Monticello water temperatures are in the low to mid-50s. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.
As predicted the shallow bass patterns have pretty much disappeared on Lake Monticello, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that there has been a good bite on a jigging spoons in about 45 feet of water. The fish are relating to ditches at the center of creeks and gullies, and the bite continues to be better on the Highway 99 Ramp end of the lake instead of down near the power plant.
It's not fast action for bigcatfish on Lake Monticello, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that if you are patient you can still get a big bite. Drifting has pretty much disappeared as an effective pattern, and the best action has been coming anchoring on very deep ledges with in 55-65 plus feet of water.
White perch and gizzard shad are the best baits right now.
December 22
Lake Monticello water temperatures are in the mid-50s. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.
Today you can still find a shallow bass pattern on Lake Monticello, but BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the fishing for smallmouth with shallow-diving jerkbaits and shallow-running crankbaits around rock and shallow points is probably about to go away. The cold that is coming in will almost certainly push those fish deeper.
However, the deep bite with jigging spoons in the ditches should only get better. The most productive range has been 30-50 feet, and fish are generally on the bottom, but Eric expects they could go even deeper. For right now the best action has been coming at 47 feet but in the past he has jigged up bass as deep as 65 feet plus. For now the fishing is still better on the Highway 99 Ramp end of the lake instead of down near the power plant.
It’s still the best time of the year to catch a bigcatfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that both anchoring and drifting should produce. The best depth range to catch a giant at this time of year is generally in 55-65 plus feet, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
White perch and gizzard shad are the best baits in December.
December 15
Lake Monticello water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.
There are a couple of different bass patterns going on right now on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that on the shallow side first thing there has been a good bite for smallmouth with shallow-diving jerkbaits. You can also crank some fish up with shallow-running crankbaits, and the key with both baits has been to fish around rock. Shallow points have also been productive even if they don’t have rock, but rocky points are the best.
On the other end of the depth range, there has also been a deep bite with jigging spoons in the ditches. The most productive range has been 30-50 feet, and fish are generally on the bottom. This pattern has been fishing better on the Highway 99 Ramp end of the lake instead of down near the power plant.
It’s still the best time of the year to catch a bigcatfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that both anchoring and drifting should produce. He hasn’t been on the lake in the last couple of weeks, but will be there this weekend. The best depth range to catch a giant at this time of year is generally in 55-65 plus feet, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
White perch and gizzard shad are the best baits in December.
December 1
Lake Monticello water temperatures range from the upper 50s to lower 60s, and the water is clear. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.
It’s all about deep bass patterns right now on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that all the action he is hearing is approaching the 45-foot range. Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria concurs and reports that fish are in a pretty stable pattern. They are highly oriented to deep bait schools, and with the bass often hunkered very close to the bottom you may not be able to mark them. Besides marking bait on your electronics, birds can also tip you off to where the bait is holding. Be prepared to spend as much time looking for fish as actually fishing.
Channels, points, and steep drop-offs can all hold fish, and 25-40 feet is the most likely depth range. 30-35 feet is usually the key zone.
Andy says that if he is on the lake right now he will be fishing a spoon or Alabama rig.
It’s the best time of the year to catch a bigcatfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that both anchoring and drifting are producing well. The best depth range to catch a giant is in 55-65 plus feet, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
White perch and gizzard shad are the best baits right now.
November 17
Lake Monticello surface water temperatures have dropped into the low to mid-60s and the water is typically clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.
The cold snap has put water temperatures closer to right for this time of year, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that things are where they need to be for the deeper bass bite with spoons and Alabama rigs. From now until winter sets in Andy will be following bait more than looking for particular spots, which is one reason the Alabama rig fished deep can be a good complement to the spoon for covering water.
Birds are just arriving and will tip you off to where the bait is holding, but Andy also spends a lot of time idling around and graphing to see where the mega clouds of bait can be found. The bass can sometimes be so tight to the bottom that you can’t see them, but the bait will be visible.
Channels, points, and steep drop-offs can all hold fish, and 25-40 feet is the most likely depth range. 30-35 feet is usually the key zone. But most importantly remember that right now fish are on the move near bait.
It’s the best time of the year to catch a bigcatfish on Lake Monticello, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that both anchoring and drifting are producing well. The best depth range to catch a giant is about 40-65 plus feet, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
White perch and gizzard shad are the best baits right now.
November 10
Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s. Water levels fluctuate daily.
Water temperatures will have to drop for the bass fishing to really change on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that it’s still a little feast-or-famine on Lake Monticello. The best pattern seems to be going to the riprap early and throwing a square-billed crankbait parallel to the banks in about 5-10 feet of water. After that a topwater walking bait fished off the ends of points in less than 10 feet of water is a good option. As it gets up in the day you can fish a jig in the same places.
Of course, there are also deeper patterns which focus on the bait, which will be as deep as 40 or more feet. Offshore bass are totally related to bait schools, and when you find the bait and mark streaking fish on your electronics they are feeding. A flutter spoon or jigging spoon is the best bet.
One more thing to keep your eyes open for on Lake Monticello is the fall crayfish spawn. When that happens males will be trying to attract females, and it usually kicks off a really good jig bite as bass are keying on crayfish. With temperatures delayed Eric expects to see it on the next full moon.
The free-line drifting catfish bite is finally disappearing on Monticello, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the cold weather coming this week should completely end it for this season. But the good news is that dropping temperatures should usher in the best bite for big fish of the entire year.
November and early December are often the months when the biggest fish are caught out of Monticello, as the fish get into a really strong feeding pattern before it gets as cold as it will get. Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet is the best way to catch a giant, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
Big, durable baits like white perch, gizzard shad and bream will all work.
November 3
Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s and even lower 70s. Water levels fluctuate daily.
The bass fishing is a little feast-or-famine on Lake Monticello, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that some people are struggling while other anglers are catching them. The best pattern seems to be going to the riprap early and throwing a square-billed crankbait parallel to the banks in about 5-10 feet of water. After that a topwater walking bait fished off the ends of points in less than 10 feet of water is a good option. As it gets up in the day you can fish a jig in the same places.
Of course, there are also deeper patterns which focus on the bait. With bait from the top to 40 feet (or more) deep you can really pick where you want to fish. Offshore bass are totally related to bait schools, and when you find the bait and mark streaking fish on your electronics they are feeding. A flutter spoon or jigging spoon is the best bet.
We are not supposed to be saying this at the beginning of November, but for now the free-line drifting catfish bite is still fishable on Lake Monticello. Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that eating-sized blues remain suspended high in the water column over deep water where they are feeding. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from small pieces of cut gizzard shad to chicken to mussels. Even though you are generally targeting smaller fish William still prefers to fish with 8/0 circle hooks, which seem to offer the best hookset.
Even with some 80-degree days on the horizon this pattern really can’t last much longer, and once temperatures drop then we will get into the best period of the year for big fish. Anchoring or drifting in 40-65 plus feet is the best way to catch a giant, and long points and humps close to deep water and timber are the best places to target.
White perch, gizzard shad and bream will all work.
October 13
Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are in the lower 70s. Water levels fluctuate daily.
Water temperatures have not dropped enough for patterns to change too much, and BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that the bass fishing is still pretty good. First thing in the morning you should go in the coves and fish a buzzbait, particularly targeting laydowns. As the sun starts to get up and that bite slows then back out just a little in the same areas and crank them, particularly when there is current being generated.
Once that pattern starts to slow down then then best bet is to fish points in about 15 feet of water. The key is points that have isolated rock piles, and when you find them you can whack the fish. Again, when there is current the fish will bite on moving baits like crankbaits and swimbaits, but when Dominion is not moving water then you generally need to slow down and fish something like a shaky head or a drop shot.
It won’t last much longer but for now the free-line drifting catfish bite is still really good on Lake Monticello, andCaptain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that tons of eating-sized blues remain suspended high in the water column over deep water where they are feeding. You can drift a variety of baits ranging from small pieces of cut gizzard shad to chicken to mussels. Even though you are generally targeting smaller fish William still prefers to fish with 8/0 circle hooks, which seem to offer the best hookset.
You can also catch small fish anchoring small baits on the bottom, and you can even hook a big one free-line drifting.
However, the best pattern for targeting large fish remains to fish a lot of rods and fan-cast baits at a variety of depths from 20-60 feet around long points and underwater humps. It’s easy to do on Monticello, but you want to find areas to set up where you can cover a broad range of depths from one anchored position.
It can also be worth starting to drift, because at some point that pattern will really turn on.
White perch, bream and gizzard shad are the preferred baits right now for drifting, due to their durability, and for anchoring you can also add herring to the mix.