Wateree Crappie

[Ole Scout]

Fished Wateree Creek area yesterday with moderate success. Surface temp was 67. Water was dingy. The day started slow with the bite picking up around 1 PM. Fish were scattered and were caught on minnows in 15 to 21 feet of water at a depth of 12 to 18 ft. Two of us kept 34 crappie and four thugs. Threw back three white perch(hate to see them start biting) and a few tater chips. Several folks trolling jigs with some success. Looks like the big bite may be just around the corner with a couple of weeks of cool nights and low 70's days.

[big "E"]

Thanks for the report ole scout , Noone ever posts on this board.I'm glad to see someone is using it.I tried several times just to raise a couple posts and always no takers.The nc board has gotten so big everyone gravitates to it.Eric.

[Ole Scout]

Yea, nc would be my home board , but I thought I would see if I could generate some ineterest on this one. steve

[big "E"]

Good luck , I'll keep trying back , and maybe some folks will take notice.Eric.

[Bowfin]

I'll bite . I'm new here, and new to targeting crappie. I usually get skunked when I go. Do you have to spider-rig and use minnows to limit on crappie? I usually to prowl Stumpy Pond, Cedar Creek/Watteree, and Fishing Creek from my yak, but now that it's getting colder I'll start using my Jon. i only carry a few rods, typically fish artificials, and don't have the tackle to spider rig. I'm tired of going home with nothing but a grin to show for my fishing outings.

Keeping 34 crappie moderate success? I haven't caught 34 fish this entire year.

Bowfin

[Ole Scout]

Bowfin a lot of people spider rig and troll with jigs fall and spring at wateree. During colder weather about the only thing the crappie want are the minnows. I fish mainly with minnows and use four to five rods and drift or troll at wateree. Have trolled with jigs and done okay, but just haven't done it enough to be comfortable with it. Everyone has their preference I'm sure. Oh, the 34 was for two of us so you could say 17 each.steve

[big "E"]

I'll bite . I'm new here, and new to targeting crappie. I usually get skunked when I go. Do you have to spider-rig and use minnows to limit on crappie? I usually to prowl Stumpy Pond, Cedar Creek/Watteree, and Fishing Creek from my yak, but now that it's getting colder I'll start using my Jon. i only carry a few rods, typically fish artificials, and don't have the tackle to spider rig. I'm tired of going home with nothing but a grin to show for my fishing outings.

Keeping 34 crappie moderate success? I haven't caught 34 fish this entire year.

Bowfin

bowfin , some of the nightstalkers are going to be in your area this sat. night.We plan to possibly fish stumpy by night and then try some stripers in the morning on cedar creek.If you'd like to come out and barge up with us you are more than welcome.You can probably learn a lot from all these guys as crappie is what we target predominantly.I'd bring the jon if I were you and you can tie up along side one of our boats.I think me bam bam ,dan , and possibly cspen are coming down.Let me know and we'll meet you at the ramp.Eric.

[Bowfin]

Thanks for the invite. I have to do some work on my motor before I can spend much time on the water, plus I don't have any night fishing gear, just getting started. The motor runs, but bogs down and hardly moves the boat after running it for a few minutes. Looks like I might need a fuel pump and a carb gasket. Won't really know until I get it open.
That floating barge idea sounds pretty good, though. I'll defintely have to meet up with you folks sometime and do that. What hours you folks usually fish. Sounds like an all-nighter.
you guys ever catch any incidentals like bowfin when your're fishing these waters around here? I've been trying to locate some on the Catawba and they've been pretty elusive so far. They aren't much for eating, but they sure hit hard and fight strong.

Bowfin

[rango]

Im heading to wateree a day or so next week, maybe even more. Ill be puling hal flies, sliders, tubes and augers. I got hooked on trolling about 20 years or so down at wateree and have been out of it for the past couple years but am ready now to start pulling jigs. the only time ill troll is spring and fall, with wylie being my favorite in the spring and wateree in the fall. Ive got a friend thats got a place on colonels creek so thats where ill probably put in. he was a big time troller and knows colonels creek like the back of his hand and hes put me on some spots thats always been hot so im itching to get started. is anyone pulling jigs that wants respond? ole scout, what lake is your home lake?

[big "E"]

Thanks for the invite. I have to do some work on my motor before I can spend much time on the water, plus I don't have any night fishing gear, just getting started. The motor runs, but bogs down and hardly moves the boat after running it for a few minutes. Looks like I might need a fuel pump and a carb gasket. Won't really know until I get it open.
That floating barge idea sounds pretty good, though. I'll defintely have to meet up with you folks sometime and do that. What hours you folks usually fish. Sounds like an all-nighter.
you guys ever catch any incidentals like bowfin when your're fishing these waters around here? I've been trying to locate some on the Catawba and they've been pretty elusive so far. They aren't much for eating, but they sure hit hard and fight strong.

Bowfin

Yeah we pull a lot of almost all nighters , mostly cause we're jawing about this and that and missing bites.Never caught many bowfin in the catawba chain , but at the spillway canal at santee we had a pretty good time with them.They were spawning or something as they were everywhere.You would see a swirl on the surface and cast a nightcrawler to it and BAM!Didnt like the teeth on those suckers though.Anytime you wanna go let us know.We mostly fish wylie though , dont get down that way much as its a little bit of a drive.Let me know.Eric.