Lake Wylie

[smallieking]

Planning a trip to lake Wylie this spring. I'm a pa guy and not fimilar with southern fishing. What is the best time to fish this lake? March? April? May???

[the reel ess]

18 hours ago, smallieking said:

Planning a trip to lake Wylie this spring. I'm a pa guy and not fimilar with southern fishing. What is the best time to fish this lake? March? April? May???

Mid-to-late April should probably be full-swing spawning period. That time the air temp is usually approaching or in the 80's. And there's no sin in catching bass off the bed down here. Plenty of bass to reproduce. March can be great, but it can also be like Feb, with cold fronts and cold rains ruining your plans. It can be really hit and miss for spawn. If it stays cold too long, bass will move up and spawn out fast before the last full moon before May.

I just looked in my journal from 2015. I made a note on 5/8/15 that all spawning activity was over. So I'm going to say most of it is done in Apr.

Might I suggest you go just a little further south and try L. Wateree? It's a lot less crowded, the water is a little more off-color as well. There are plenty of coves with no houses where you can be the only person fishing there. I grew up on it. I'll even send you some spots if you like since I don't fish it much anymore. Honesty March thru late June is great on that lake. Post-spawn (May to early June), big females will be hanging around still shallow and will hit a frog in the water lilies that are taking over the lake. Or you can beat the bank and visible cover for shallow bass. Winter drawdown usually discourages them bit the lake has been flooded this winter.

[the reel ess]

Hope I didn't give too much info.

[smallieking]

Thanks for the info. One of my best friends moved to Charlotte NC so I was planning on fishing near there as well as visiting him. I'm not much of a sight fisherman. Here in pa we don't sightfish much for spawners. I was wondering if a prespawn or post spawn pattern couldn't produce a lot of fun fish catches. How much farther is wateree from Wylie? 

[the reel ess]

Wateree is maybe an hour south. Prespawn would be a better bet for good action. Postspawn can be slow. Then after a couple weeks the fish will turn on again, still hanging around shallow cover in coves and creeks. Of course the morning bite is best that time of year. Topwaters are fun. Spooks, Pop R's and buzzbaits early. Maybe all day if overcast or raining.

I know people who fish Wylie a lot. They love spinnerbaits, cranks and Culprit 6 or 8"worms in the red shad purple. Dropshot is good there too. It can be kinda clear for this region.

[smallieking]

Okay thanks for the info I may plan a trip in early April where some bass may be on beds but most are still in a presspawn stage and I think I may fish both lakes while I'm down there 

[the reel ess]

BTW, if you really want to be alone, check out Fishing Creek Reservoir and Stumpy Pond on the map. They're smaller bodies of water on the same river chain with almost NO fishing pressure. And they're a little closer than Wateree. It's not uncommon to be the only person on Stumpy Pond. I kayak there sometimes and have never gotten skunked there. But the name is appropriate. Get a map and keep to the middle (old river bed) while running your motor. In prespawn, you can trim your target area to probably 1/3 of the lake. But it's small enough to fish the whole thing. FC, Stumpy and Wateree require an SC license. I'm not sure how it works on Wylie. since it's a border lake between SC and NC.

[smallieking]

Well I'd imagine if I got a sc license I could fish Wylie and wateree. But that's something I will look into. Thanks for all the info it's most appropriated. I got some figuring out I gota do and if I have any questions I'll be sure to hit you up. Thanks again

[spartyon8]

High rock lake and Lake Tillery are about 45 min north of Charlotte. I enjoy them quite a bit

[Jd_Phillips_Fishin]

I'd go to Norman, you want nonstop action just throw some sort of soft plastic and it'll be game on

[blongfishing]

I fished a tournament on Wylie last May and I had never visited it before. It was a great lake and I enjoyed fishing it. The fishing was good then and fish were even biting topwater. Any time from spring to really early summer would be a good time to go. I am not sure exactly what the fish would be doing because of the insane weather here in SC. If they have that tourney again this year then I am going back because I loved it.

[Pondboss16]

Lake Wylie is great in the summer not for bass for catfish. Every time i try to bass fish i always end up with a big ol channel cat on the end of my line. Best lake around is Norman! i catch some huge largemouth and smallmouth in the summer time!!!!

[lo n slo]

there is NO reciprocal license agreement between NC and SC. you'll need to purchase both for Wylie if you plan on fishing the entire lake.