Generally, there’s not much boating traffic or even much shoreline angling, although shoreline fishing is a consideration if you do not have a boat or only limited time. In addition to quality fishing, you can truly enjoy a highly enjoyable day of fishing away from the crowds.

Lake Wylie is a very popular and productive fishery and despite being so close to major population centers, the lake continues to produce excellent results.

One of the real keys to Lake Wylie is the lake is very productive during the summer months, as well as spring and fall.

The typical shallow-water cover and object-type fishing occurs here during the spring. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, worms and crankbaits all produce excellent results for both quantity and quality fish. The shoreline targets are prime places at this time of the year, although fish will be orienting to specific patterns. Be flexible and willing to change as needed to keep up with the largemouths as the spring progresses: You’ll need a good game plan to stay current with the fish patterns.

The physical nature of the lake is such that the mainstream Catawba River is full of humps, ridges and flats near deep channels at reasonable depths. This makes Lake Wylie a highly poplar and productive summertime fishery. By working these main-lake humps and ridges, fishermen are able to exploit the bass population in fairly shallow water. A good point here is there are a number of different lures that can be quite effective.

Deep-diving crankbaits are highly popular and productive. In addition, bottom bumpers, such as plastic worms rigged either Texas or Carolina style, will produce. Patience is a real key, according to most local largemouth anglers. This is often feast-or-famine type fishing. If you work potentially good structures but don’t get bass action, keep checking other areas, but return to areas where you’ve caught fish in the past. Generally, at some point during the day, the largemouths will move to the feeding grounds and become active.

Even during midsummer, this action can sometimes occur during the midday stretch of high heat and humidity. The movement of forage and current (if power generation is occurring) will combine to bring the pieces of the puzzle together.

The Santee River is one of the more underutilized bass fisheries in the state. The river not only produces excellent bass fishing in terms of numbers of fish but trophy fish as well.

Ross Self noted that the water flow in the river is a key to the fishing quality. The river, he said, is full of healthy largemouths and it’s an excellent resource from the Wilson Dam all the way to the salt water.

The lake is full of debris, such as downed trees, logs and stumps. Safe navigation is a key consideration. However, the flip side of that is there is no shortage of targets for largemouth anglers to fish.