November 22

Lake Wylie is at 97.6% of full pool, and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. The lake has some stain to it.

Overall bass fishing has been a little tough on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that in the recent CATT tournament 13 pounds was good for the win. Right now it’s hard to get a big bite, but small fish are feeding relatively well.

Bait and fish seem to be starting to pull out of the creeks, and instead of finding activity in the very backs the most action seems to be in the last bit of deep water before the very back. However, there are still some fish very shallow in the last sections. 

Fish can be caught in 3-20 feet, and since they are following shad most anything that imitates a baitfish can produce. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and Alabama rigs will all catch fish.  There is also starting to be a jigging spoon bite.

As is often the case on Wylie, there are also fish related to docks and so don’t be afraid to fish a jig around them. 

Also, keep your eyes open for fish signs off main lake points. Unlike schooling in the summer or fall where fish will come out of the water the action is more subtle, but boils and swirls can give them away.

The Lake Wylie catfish bite rates as “very good”, but Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that fish still haven’t gotten into a winter pattern. They are catching lots of 18-20 pound fish right now as well as plenty of teenage and smaller fish, but when it gets cold some really big fish should start showing up.

Prospecting on deep flats and ledges there have been some small fish, and lots of birds and bait, but the better fish still seem to be shallow. All of the better fish recently have come on cut shad anchored in shallow water. 

Fish could start to move deeper any time but for now the big ones seem to be chiefly in 6 feet of water or less. 

 

 

 

 

October 29

Lake Wylie is at 96.5% of full pool. Surface water temperatures in the morning are down to about 71 degrees and the lake is turning over in some areas.

Water temperatures are still running a few weeks behind, and perhaps as a result of this Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the catfishbite is just “good” right now. Numbers are pretty good but normally there would have been some monsters caught by the end of October, and Rodger has mainly been catching lots of 8-14 pound blues with some fish up to the low 20s. As it gets colder the fish will get easier to catch and bigger, and they will also group up tighter. 

The best fishing has been in the 16-22 foot range, and while there is tons of small bait in the shallows the overabundance seems to make it harder to catch fish there. Rodger’s boat has also worked deep water down to about 35 feet with only limited results. The mid-lake may be fishing a little better than the lower end right now, and it may take a cold snap to make the bait and fish group up in a tight band in deeper water on the lower end. Overall fish are still pretty scattered, and both anchoring and drifting are having success. 

It has been hard to get gizzard shad and so white perch have been the primary bait choice. 

There have been some big flatheads caught recently. 

It’s a pretty typical fall bass bite on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that anglers should spend a lot of time fishing topwater lures right now. Walking baits, Whopper Ploppers and buzzbaits and are all working for shallow fish. With water temperatures around the 70 degree mark there are fish in both the main lake and the creeks.

There is good schooling action, and for schooling fish walking baits, soft stickbaits and spinnerbaits will all work. 

Fish can also be caught on jigs and worms around docks.

 

October 15

Lake Wylie is at 95.8% of full pool. Surface water temperatures in the morning are in the upper 70s. 

It has taken about 13 pounds to win bass tournaments recently on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that while the fall bite is getting better is not wide open yet. Before too long there will be full-on topwater activity in the backs of all the major creeks, but temperatures need to drop a little more before that happens. The action remains spotty and fish can be found in some parts of the creeks but not everywhere.

In addition to the creeks there are still plenty of fish on the main lake, and in both locations spinnerbaits and buzzbaits are working pretty well. Fish can also be caught on jigs and worms around docks.

There is schooling activity, but again it is not as good as it will get. 

 

September 30

Lake Wylie is at 96.3% of full pool. Surface water temperatures in the morning have risen to around 84 degrees. The lake remains relatively clear, although there are some slightly stained areas in the creeks. 

Even though it’s still hot there continues to be some seasonal improvement in the bassbite on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that fish are starting to spread out between the main lake and creeks. Fish seem to have gone as far back as about half-way into the creeks, although of course there are always some resident fish in the very backs. However, the bulk of the fish seem to be waiting on cooler water before moving too far in.

There is already widespread schooling activity, especially early and late, although it is generally individual fish and not large groups coming to the surface at one time. This is taking place on both the main lake and in the creeks. 

Topwater baits lake buzzbaits, Whopper Ploppers and walking baits are all working, and fish can also be caught on jigs and big worms around docks. 

Overall Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that the blue catfish bite is fair, mainly because fish are so scattered right now. While later in the season bait and then fish will be grouped up in the main channel on the lower end, for now they are only starting to move that way.

The best bet for blues is drifting, and 20-25 feet is a good range to probe. Fish will be around some sort of bottom structure and there will often be a small patch of fish when you catch one. Shad, white perch and bream will all work.

The flathead bite on the upper end of the lake and in the South Fork rates as good to very good, and Rodger reports that anchoring cut gizzard shad, cut white perch or live bream will work. 

 

September 19

Lake Wylie is at 96.6% of full pool. Surface water temperatures in the morning are in the low to mid-80s. The water remains relatively clear.

With the cooling temperatures this week on Lake Wylie there is already a marginal improvement in the bassbite, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that topwater action has improved. There is some schooling activity at the mouths of creeks, which should only get better in the next few weeks. 

On the main lake there are still some groups of fish up shallow eating bream, and bass can also be caught around docks on jigs or big worms. 

There are still some fish in deeper areas in 18-23 feet but that bite should be dying out. 

 

September 13

Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool. Surface water temperatures in the morning are in the mid-80s, rising to the high-80s by afternoon. With very little rain the water is relatively clear.

Water temperatures are rising again on Lake Wylie, and without seasonal cooling tournament bass angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that fishing is pretty tough. In the Thursday Night Tournament Trail championship the winner had about 14 pounds per day, but second place was in the 10-11 pound range. 

With water temperatures still very hot there has not been any further movement into the creeks, and the best activity remains early and late on the main lake. There are some groups of fish up shallow eating bream, and bass can also be caught around docks on jigs or big worms. 

There are still some fish in deeper areas in 18-23 feet.

 

September 5

Lake Wylie is at 97.2% of full pool.  Water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s.

After the slightly cooler weather water temperatures are starting to slowly decline on Lake Wylie, and as a result tournament bass angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that there are some fish moving off the main lake into the creeks. In the afternoons there has also been some schooling action at the mouths of creeks and in the front sections. 

The topwater bite has been improving, with the best activity still early and late. However, daytime fishing has gotten better than the night bite.

There are still some fish in deeper areas in 18-23 feet, but that bite is declining.