Lake Wheeler Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SUMMER. Summer fishing is best during low-light periods. Early mornings and evenings find bass feeding along weedlines, docks, and shoreline cover. As the sun rises, fish move to creek channels, submerged timber, and main-lake points. Water temperatures warm considerably in Summer, so bass feed shallow, early and late in the day. As the day warms, they are typically caught in 10 to 20 feet of water. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on threadfin shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are typically caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 12 to 20 feet deep. Drop shots, and wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

FALL. Cooling temperatures concentrate baitfish in creek arms and coves. Bass aggressively feed before winter, making fall one of the most productive seasons. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 3 to 12 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

WINTER. Bass remain catchable despite colder water. Slow presentations around deep structure produce the best results. The cold of Winter will isolate largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are usually in the low high 40's to mid 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending from 15 to 25 feet deep over deeper structure. In January they may move as deep as 35 feet. Bass often move a bit shallower on warm, sunny days. Also, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools, 5 or so feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, spoons, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

SPRING. Spring offers the year's best bass fishing. Pre-spawn fish stage along secondary points before moving into protected coves to spawn. Post-spawn bass recover around nearby wood and docks. When water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits are typically get bites just away from the shoreline. In early Spring they feed aggressively in about 8 to 15 feet of water, and prepare for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 5 to 12 feet deep. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass when they are not shallow.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

SUMMER. Summer crappie move into deeper water during the day, relating to submerged brush, standing timber, and creek channels. Low-light periods often produce the best action as fish suspend higher in the water column. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 12 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 20 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs and deeper docks. Some of the best fishing is early morning, late evening, or night. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. Cooling temperatures bring crappie into creek arms where they follow schools of baitfish. Fish feed aggressively and often suspend around brush and timber. As Fall begins cooling the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 6 to 15 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 12 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. Winter crappie form large schools over deeper water near timber and creek channels. Vertical presentations are usually the most productive. The water temperature drop into the 30's and low 40's. The shallows turn cold, causing crappie to migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Typically they are caught using a very slow presentation, in 15 to 25 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports often come from anglers targeting standing timber and brush piles. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into slightly shallower water to feed.

SPRING. Spring is the premier crappie season as fish move shallow to spawn around brush, wood, and shoreline cover. Limits are common during peak spawning activity. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 6 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as black crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 6 to 10 feet of water. Once they move out of the shallows, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Current Fishing Report: Poor To Fair To Good To Very Good To Excellent

SUMMER. Summer provides excellent channel catfishing as warm water stimulates aggressive feeding. Fish patrol creek channels, flats adjacent to deep water, and riprap after sunset. In Summer, slow-moving water, at the river end of the lake may draw catfish to feed. Otherwise they are scattering, locating cover in slightly cooler water. Reports indicate the most successful anglers are using nightcrawlers, cut bait, minnows or shrimp. In June, most channel cats hold in 12 to 25 feet during the day, and more shallow during the night. Fishing from late in the day until midnight produces some of the best results, as this is their prime feeding time.

FALL. Cooling temperatures keep catfish actively feeding as they follow schools of baitfish and forage along channel edges and flats before winter. Fall is one of the better times of year for catching channel catfish. Early in Fall they cruise the shallows in 8 to 12 feet of water, in search of food. Later in the season they migrate shallower, to flats and channel edges on the main body of the lake, in 8 to 20 feet of water. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure. Road beds, stumps, wood, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Drift fishing or slow-trolling baits along mid-depth structure is popular and generally productive. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup, with cut bait, nightcrawlers, shrimp or prepared baits. They typically remain in these areas and feed aggressively in preparation for Winter.

WINTER. Catfish become less active during winter but continue feeding in deeper water. Slow presentations with natural baits are most productive. Cold Winter weather drives channel catfish to gather in deep pockets, ledges and holes. They become virtually dormant, especially once the water cools into the mid 40's to mid 50's. They hole up in pockets, along river channels, ledges, deep holes, and structure in the basin areas from 18 to 30 feet deep, slightly deeper in January. Here, they await the warmer water of Spring. Slow presentations, especially cut bait, can still entice strikes. Often during mid day, through the afternoon, anglers report catching them a bit shallower on the same structure.

SPRING. Spring fishing improves steadily as water warms. Pre-spawn fish feed heavily along creek channels before moving shallower to spawn in late spring. Water temperatures have typically risen into the high 50's, and channel catfish are migrating into coves, and up into the river. Early in the season, look for them 8 to 18 feet deep during pre-spawn. They hold here, and feed aggressively, around relatively shallow cover until water warms into the mid 70's. At which time (usually May or June) they begin the spawn process. They spawn in 2 to 10 feet of water. Following the spawn, they move out toward the basin in 8 to 15 feet of water. Anglers are using slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs to get, and keep, the bait close to the bottom. Later in Spring focus on shallower flats, during late evening and into the night.