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The newest Lake Wylie fishing report, updated September 15, can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-lake-wylie-ncsc-fall-2017-fishing-report/
September 8
Lake Wylie is at 96.4% of full pool and water temperatures are falling into the upper 70s/ lower 80s. Water clarity is a little down and even on the lower end the water is brownish green.
As temperatures drop on Lake Wylie, Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there is a very good catfishbite on both the upper and lower ends of the lake, even though fish are pretty spread out. On the upper end there is a really good morning drift bite, and Rodger’s boat has been picking up about as many flathead catfish as blues – to go with some channels. In the Catawba River arm he has been having about equal success with gizzard shad from Wateree and local bluegill, and he has found that fish are on the ledge in 14-20 feet of water. The morning bite has been better than the afternoon action. Fish have been running up to a little over 20 pounds.
On the lower end of the lake the bite has been deeper, and drifting with cut bait Rodger has found nice blues averaging about 12 pounds in 35-45 feet of water to go with occasional 10 to 20-pound range flatheads. The fish seem to be oriented to the deep flats instead of the channel. His boat has also picked up some channel catfish on the shelf in 20-25 feet of water. The best bite has taken place when there is a steady 7-10 mile per hour wind; when it is flat calm the bite slows down. In the last few days cut bluegill have been working well enough that Rodger is not even netting gizzard shad.
August 31
Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool, and water temperatures have dropped from the low 90s into the mid-80s in the last few days. The water was clear before the latest round of rain came through.
On the bass front, guide and FLW fisherman Bryan New (704-421-5868) reports that fishing has gotten super tough – catching Lake Wylie bass is as difficult as Bryan has ever seen. The offshore pattern that was good earlier in the summer has really slowed down, likely in part because of heavy pressure on the fish all summer. You can still catch them but you have to really slow down and fish a shakey head or a Texas rig.
Probably the better pattern now is to fish in the 8-15 foot range off of points. Both creek and main lake points will hold fish, but the creek points should get better soon. Fall may be starting early this year and Bryan predicts that in the next week or so fish will start migrating into the creeks in significant numbers. A shakey head worm remains the bait of choice for these bass.
There has also been some random schooling activity, and while it is not a pattern you can count on yet it’s worth having a topwater bait tied on. Most of the schooling action has come off creek channel points, mainly on the lower end of the lake.
