Fishing Report for March

Lake Russell: (unchanged from Feb. 28)

• Crappie: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that crappie should move up before too long, but for now they are mixed in with the spots and perch in about 40 feet of water around bait schools. Minnows fished vertically are the best bet. Crappie can also be caught fishing at night under bridges with lights. Tie up in 20-25 feet of water and fish minnows under the light.
• Striped bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that striper fishing has gotten tougher. With up and down temperatures the bait is pretty scattered, and striper have been difficult to locate. The best bet to locate fish is to look for the birds and troll free lines and planer boards with big live bait while covering a lot of water. The lower end around Beaver Dam and the Rocky River has been most productive.

Lake Thurmond:

• Hybrid bass: Fair to good. Best results in front of the dam in 20-30 feet with downlines. The fish also seem to be roaming in packs right after dark.
• Crappie: Fair. Water temps are still in the high 40’s, but oddly there is some action around 6 feet from the bank. Some results still around 15 feet down over trees.
• Striper: Fair. Catch fish around 2-25 feet in the upper lake on planer boards. Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish are biting well on mock jigs and are beginning to move shallower.

Lake Wylie: (unchanged from Feb. 28)

• Catfish: Slow to fair. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that unstable weather is making for a tough bite, but if the weather stabilizes for three or more days the fishing should improve quickly. The most likely pattern remains targeting the middle to lower end of the lake focusing on the riverbed, the mouths of deep creeks and adjacent deepwater flats. Blue cats will be moving back and forth from the riverbed to the flats, depending on a variety of factors, but they are generally following the bait movement. The best technique seems to be slow drift fishing in 30-55 feet of water, which allows anglers to cover lots of water looking for scattered fish. The best baits include gizzard shad and small pieces of cut fish (the size of a quarter coin). Channel catfish are also being caught, but in less numbers than blues during the winter.