LakesideNews

Hartwell Fishing Report

Lake Jocassee

Trout: Very good. Very nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 70-90 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone. Fishing early and late is best.
Black Bass: Excellent. Areas that have rocks and some wood seem to be most productive, and the hot lure remains dark swamp crawler green pumpkin Zoom trick worms.

Lake Keowee

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Very good. Early in the morning when the baitfish are moving Lake Fork swimbaits fished in 10 to 25 feet of water in the backs of coves have been productive for spotted bass in the upper part of the lake – magic shad and albino colors have been most effective.
Crappie: Fair. Crappie have moved out to deep water but night fishermen are doing well off and on by fishing up against bridge pilings with a light to attract bait and crappie.
Bream: Very good. Fish crickets in three to 15 feet of water.

Lake Hartwell

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Try out lead core line and lures such as Cisco Kids and other similar ones. Also, look for fish stacked up near channels and other 40- to 65-foot deep areas. Largemouth Bass: Good. Early and late there is still good topwater action off shoals and points. Deep running crankbaits may also be effective, and deep, shaded boat docks are productive.
Bream: Very good. Bream are in very shallow water and are feeding aggressively.

This information is provided by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources with the aid of fishing trend reporters from the following businesses: Jocassee Outdoor Center, Fishing ole, and Lake Hartwell Fishing and Marine.

For South Carolina freshwater fishing regulations visit: www.dnr.state.sc.us/regs/pdf/freshfishing.pdf.

Choosing right gear is a good investment

In my business, it’s very common to meet people who would love to pick up the sport of fishing but aren’t sure how to get started when it comes to rods, reels, tackle, and lures. With the wealth of tackle available today, it’s easy to make choices that might not be effective for your angling situations.

In this month’s column, I’m going to focus on the basics you’ll need to get the job done for multi-species angling. While you might fish for bass most of the time, it’s really nice to have the equipment and lures for a panfish or trout excursion as well. You really don’t have to spend a fortune to pick up the things you’ll need to have a lot of fun on the water. When getting started, an investment in the right gear will save money in the long run. When it comes to lures, I’m placing emphasis on a select few proven killers. If you’re a seasoned angler, you should definitely stock these in your tackle bag as well. A good analogy for rod and reel combinations as well as lures would be a comparison to tools. Certain tools are made for specialty tasks while others might perform well in a wider range of situations. Keep in mind that not one rod and reel will do everything. As a kid, I remember learning that you don’t cast bass lures (for long anyway) on ultralight tackle. Buy the best rod and reel combinations your budget will allow. Good news is that quality has become readily affordable over the last decade or so. One proven method is to select a series of rods and reels you are confident in and buy different sizes within the same family. This way you know what to expect every time you pick one up to make a cast. Many anglers who make their living fishing the pro circuit take this approach.

Three versatile combos

Three outfits should get nearly any freshwater angler in the Southeast started out nicely. One of these should be an ultralight action. In most cases this will equate to a spinning rod. Typically, lengths range from four and a half to five and a half feet. These are very adequate for handling four- and six-pound test line. Longer ultralight rods up to seven feet or more are available and provide some pretty interesting options. I actually use a seven-foot model on small trout streams with no length issues whatsoever. Pair your ultralight rod with a small reel that easily handles four- to six-pound test. Avoid the super tiny reels. The small spool cuts casting distance. A spinning reel comparable in size to the Shimano 1000 series is the way to go. This will solve the distance problem and the weight will balance out the whole package much better. For outfit number two, go with another spinning outfit. Choose a six and a half foot rod in a medium action. Pair this with a somewhat larger spinning reel comparable in size to the 2500 series by Shimano. This becomes a tool to handle eight-pound test line and is indispensible for fishing lightweight bass lures such as grubs, slip shot rigs, tiny spinnerbaits, and small size crankbaits. This combination represents the lighter end of bass tackle but it’s spent a lot of time in my casting hand. The third tool in your box should be another six and a half foot rod in a medium heavy action. A seven-footer would not be a bad choice either. This rod can be either spinning or baitcasting. If this one is a spinning outfit, you’ll top out with 12-pound test line. Select a model about the size of a Shimano 4000 series. At this point you may not believe it but I do not own any Shimano reels or rods. However they have a fine reputation and the sizing is a good yardstick for comparison purposes. Opt for a baitcaster and you can easily handle 14-, 17-, or 20-pound test line which can be handy if you’re fishing in a stained water or heavy cover situation. When it comes to baitcasting reels, size is not a huge issue. Any standard spool model will work well on the rod. The key here is to play with a few and pick one that feels good in your hand. By this I mean you should ask an associate if you can mount it on a rod and check it out. Display handles are great but nothing beats holding the real thing in your hand. These days, most anglers opt for the low profile models. Expect to spend about $80 for a good quality baitcast reel (unless you find a hot sale price).

Favorites that produce

Whether picking up one of those three outfits to tie on a lure or considering expansion to another combo or two, never forget that the bait you’re fishing will often dictate the rod and reel choice. For panfish and trout lures which typically weigh in at 1/8th ounce or less, the ultralight gear is the obvious answer. When it comes to bass lures, finesse style plastics, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and smaller topwater plugs will give you best performance on the medium action spinning rod. If you’re tossing larger or deep diving crankbaits, consider spooling up with 10-pound test versus the eight-pound string. Many reels come with a spare spool which makes this an easy switch on the water. When it comes to fishing plastic jerkbaits, worms, jigs, large topwater plugs, and spinnerbaits, the medium heavy action outfit will yield the best results. Today’s array of lures and rigging supplies is nothing short of mind boggling. It’s safe to say you’ll find many favorites on your own along with word of mouth and information sources such as fishing publications and the internet. If you would like a very sound base that will put fish on the end of your line try the following baits. For trout and panfish, small in line spinners are hard to beat. Pick up a couple of Rooster Tails, Mepps, or Panther Martin Spinners in the 1/16th ounce size. Pick something bright along with something dark and you’ll be in business. Miniature diving plugs such as the Bitsy Pond Minnow by Strike King are killer lures as well. Crankbaits run the gamut of depths and actions but I’m only going to focus on a couple. You should definitely have a couple of Rapala Shad Raps in number five and seven sizes. You’ll not go wrong with the natural shad color. This lure is legendary in its effectiveness. These will cover the four- to six-foot depth range and sport a tight swimming motion. For a wider wobble pick up a couple of Bandit 200 series crankbaits. These will run about six or seven feet below the surface. Also ask for a couple of minnow shaped jerkbaits as well. The Long A and Rattlin’ Rouge are both super choices. Opt for natural baitfish colors. I mentioned in line spinners for trout and panfish. In larger sizes these are deadly on bass. Grab a couple of 3/8th or 1/2 ounce sizes in chrome and white combinations. To round out your wire baits ask for advice on buzz bait and spinnerbait choices in the 3/8th ounce size. Plastic baits are a world of their own. To keep things simple start out with a green Zoom Trick Worm. This can be fished with or without weight. For weight let’s forget the separate hook and sinker deal and pick up a pack of lead heads designed for “shakey head” fishing. Three sixteenths ounce is a good all around weight.

OK. We’re almost there in the lure category, I promise. You’ll want four-inch Tripple Ripple grubs (pumpkin with chartreuse tail) and 1/8th ounce lead heads along with white pearl Zoom Super Flukes and 4/0 Daichii Copperhead hooks for rigging these. If you’re going after striped bass, toss in a couple of white half ounce bucktail jigs. Lastly, don’t forget to throw in a few small and large topwater plugs in baitfish colors. The Heddon Tiny Torpedo and Super Spook will get the job done when the fish want it on top.

Don’t forget fresh line

There are many other excellent lure choices out there and believe me I own quite a few of them. I’m sure to have more before all is said and done. But, with this basic tool set you can catch fish north to south from coast to coast. Line is often the most neglected part of an angler’s fishing gear. If I’m walking the fishing department on a busy day, I’ll almost always get two or three situations like this: After assisting someone with the exciting stuff, I’ll ask if they need line. When the customer tells me that he or she already has some, I’ll ask how old it is. Last year’s vintage or longer is often the answer. While line does hold up under controlled temperature and light conditions, I don’t recommend fishing with anything approaching a year in age. This is especially important if you’re going on a fishing trip to that destination you’ve been planning for a long time. Good line does not cost much. I personally use Tourney Tough line. I like the way it performs along with the price. When it comes to color I am convinced that green is the way to go in any daylight situation. Fluorocarbon is another option to traditional monofilament. It’s clear and close to totally invisible in the water with many devoted fans. However it does sink so it may not be the greatest choice for topwater lures and its lesser degree of limpness can be a hindrance on smaller spinning reels. Super line products bring on a new set of choices altogether. As with lures, there are many great line choices so talk with sales associates who get feedback from lots of customers along with their own experiences.

Finally, a few accessories always come in handy. You’re going to need a good storage system for your lures and terminal tackle. While hard tackle boxes are very traditional, do yourself a favor and grab a soft side modular type system. These are very affordable and offer much greater versatility. You’ll want a couple of accessories as well. The very basics are line clippers for cutting and retying jobs along with needle nose pliers to make easy work of challenging hook extractions.

In closing, you can get by with less than what I’ve outlined here or invest in more as you’re sure to do as the passion for fishing grows. Anyhow, these are sound selections to get you started on the right path. Take care and enjoy the lake!

Tommy Wilkinson is assistant manager for Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Duluth. E-mail Tommy at tommy@lakesidenews.com