Fishing Lake Wateree

AKA: Wateree Reservoir

Popular Fish Species
Lake Wateree Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
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Wateree Lake, SC

Popular Fish Species Lake Wateree, SC

Lake Wateree Popular Fish - Black Crappie

Black Crappie Fishing

Local anglers are catching nice baskets of crappie on Lake Wateree, and they are running in good sizes this year. Black crappie are the main target here, but white crappie, in smaller numbers, also make this lake their home. Crappie fishing is easy and requires simple, basic gear. Any fishing pole, reasonably small line and crappie jigs or small hooks baited with live bait, creates the ideal setup. Add a bobber and you can set the depth you prefer the bait to maintain.The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. Because crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Lake Wateree Popular Fish - Striped Bass

Striped Bass Fishing

Due to their large size, and an on-going stocking program by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, striped bass are a favorite of many locals and fishing guides at Lake Wateree. They are plentiful, run in schools and can grow to bragging size. In Spring and Fall work the upper end of the lake where water is flowing into the lake. Look for deeper water in the river channel, as a holding place for stripers. In Summer and Winter, stripers hang out in deeper water during the day Morning often draws the stripers to much shallower water, look for them from the surface down to around the 20-foot range as they feed on shallow-running schools of bait. The lake is filled with plenty of baitfish and sunfish to to keep the fishery thriving. Being successful at fishing for stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers which are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Live bait is very effective here, and stripers can be caught year round.

Lake Wateree Popular Fish - Blue Catfish

Blue Catfish Fishing

Catfish anglers are enjoying some very good blue catfish fishing, including some very large blues on Lake Wateree. Most of the local guides offer catfish trips, and these big blues are the favorite target. The state record blue catfish is over 110 pounds. Fishing for blue catfish is most often productive during spring through summer around any kind of structure. Blue catfish are primarily found in large rivers, along the main channels, in and around tributaries flowing into impoundments of major river systems. They tend to move upstream in the summer in search of cooler temperatures, and downstream in the winter in order to find warmer water.The river end of the lake is often the area where the bigger catfish are caught. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig with cut bait or other popular catfish baits. Other catfish in the lake include channel and flathead catfish.

Lake Wateree Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth, white perch, yellow perch, striped bass and chain pickerel at Lake Wateree in South Carolina.

A highly desirable recreation getaway, Lake Wateree is an ideal destination for camping, boating and fishing. This 13,000-acre lake is located in the north-central part of the state, at Great Falls, SC. Outdoor enthusiasts will find over 200 miles of shoreline to explore for fishing.

Over a dozen access points, including 8 boat launch ramp areas, are scattered around the lake. The delightful array of fish species in Wateree Lake includes bass, striped bass, perch, crappie, catfish, chain pickerel and numerous species of sunfish. Lake Wateree State Recreation Area offers easy boating and bank fishing access, including portage of canoes and kayaks.

Primary fish species residing in Lake Wateree

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Wateree Lake Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: NEARBY
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Wateree Marina
Rentals: Kayaks, canoes and pontoon boats
803 475-1224

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Buck Hill Landing Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the southwest corner of the lake, off Buck Hill Landing Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

June Creek Landing Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off River Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Lake Wateree State Park Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off State Park Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Molly Creek Landing Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off Island Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Taylor Creek Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off River Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Watertree Creek Landing Boat Ramp
Located in the northwest section of the lake, off Shangri-La Drive, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Watertree Marina Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, east side, off Becca Lane, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

White Oak Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the southeast section of the lake, off Baron Dekalb Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with docks and paved parking.

Marinas

Dutchman Creek Marina
5546 River Rd
Winnsboro, SC 29180
803 482-3067

Wateree Marina
Lake Wateree, South Carolina
Camden, SC 29020
803 475-1224