Lake Wylie 9-29-1021

I met up with Uncle Remus this morning at Ebinezier landing around 7:00.
We hit the water ready to put some perch in the box. Bluebird sky's and light wind. Water temperature was 78.7. If my memory serves me right. We tight lined minnows until around 1:00. We ended with 32 on the clicker. 1 crappie, 8 cats, and the rest were perch with 10 large ones that took a ride home with Uncle Remus. The man the myth the legend in action in the second picture. I got a great video of the eagle but I can't figure out how to post it? Thank you Uncle Remus for another great time on the water!Attachment 409689Attachment 409690Attachment 409691

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Looks like you guys had a great time. That eagle sighting is worth the trip. Congrats on the catch and good time.:)

Thanks for the pics and report. Man seeing all the eagles lately sure is nice. Keep getting those rascal perch.

Thanks for the report!
Is it just me or does Wylie seem to be slipping on crappie? Just dont see the reports of good crappie fishing there like you used to.

Far as those tuxedo buzzards, theyre getting plentiful about everywhere now it seems.

Fishfinder8, thanks for the report and pictures. As to the video you have to have it on a you tube account from what I've heard. Remus said you'll had some nice fish. Glad you'll made a trip out to scout the lake.

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Originally Posted by TreednNC

Thanks for the report!
Is it just me or does Wylie seem to be slipping on crappie? Just dont see the reports of good crappie fishing there like you used to.

Far as those tuxedo buzzards, theyre getting plentiful about everywhere now it seems.

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I have seen a decline in my results. Not in numbers but in size. I’m not a biologist but I’d like a 10 inch size limit. That’s what I use. I’m having to catch 70-100 fish to get 10-20 10 inch fish. The bigger fish over 13 inch are pretty rare. I might catch 1 per trip. I know there is a cycle lakes go through, hoping we are at the bottom of the cycle. I’m seeing the same thing at Norman also, but I’ve only been fishing Norman for a couple years.


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You'd think the big catfish would keep those small crappie in check. But youre right....a size limit would help. I dont know why people save many of those smaller fish even if they just prefer fish on-the-bone. And even with that, I'm a big guy and three 9" fish along with the trimmings is a big meal for me. Atleast with all those smaller fish you know the future looks bright for crappie fishing on Wylie.:)

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Originally Posted by tackleboat

I have seen a decline in my results. Not in numbers but in size. I’m not a biologist but I’d like a 10 inch size limit. That’s what I use. I’m having to catch 70-100 fish to get 10-20 10 inch fish. The bigger fish over 13 inch are pretty rare. I might catch 1 per trip. I know there is a cycle lakes go through, hoping we are at the bottom of the cycle. I’m seeing the same thing at Norman also, but I’ve only been fishing Norman for a couple years.


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Norman has been a sleeper for quality crappie for the last 15 years. Actually, as long as I can remember Norman has had good length fish, they just haven’t been chunky as Wylie or yadkin fish. They’re coming around but nothing like High Rock fish.

I hit Wylie this afternoon and started with minnows on a few brush piles. Caught maybe 8 in 2 hours but was having trouble staying over brush which pontoon. Decided to try trolling in 15 to 18 FOW. Pulled 4 long lines with double jigs and 4 rods with double hook bottom bouncing with minnows. I caught between 40 or 50 crappie. Most were in the 9” to 11” range. Several over 12”. Bigger fish were on jigs but numbers were caught on minnows.

I never heard of bottom bouncing with hooks while longlining. That's a new twist to try. What size weight are you using? Congrats on your catch.:)

I use a 1oz 1/2 with 2 hooks about a foot above weight and another foot above that. You can always crank them up a little off the bottom as well.

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Originally Posted by tackleboat

I have seen a decline in my results. Not in numbers but in size. I’m not a biologist but I’d like a 10 inch size limit. That’s what I use. I’m having to catch 70-100 fish to get 10-20 10 inch fish. The bigger fish over 13 inch are pretty rare. I might catch 1 per trip. I know there is a cycle lakes go through, hoping we are at the bottom of the cycle. I’m seeing the same thing at Norman also, but I’ve only been fishing Norman for a couple years.


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I agree with tackleboat except he is better than me I can mostly catch about 50. But I see the same thing about size. There is a lot of nine inch or less size. If I am grocery shopping I drop my 10 inch size to 9.5 inch. If I have some in freezer I will release them all unless someone in boat wants them. Most of the time I will keep 5 above 10 inch for a fresh dinner for two. I will not keep any above 13 inch. Not that has been too much of a problem lately.

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Originally Posted by gabowman

I never heard of bottom bouncing with hooks while longlining. That's a new twist to try. What size weight are you using? Congrats on your catch.:)

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Just tight lining off the front and slow trolling off the back! We usually run .5 / .7 and it works as long as everything is matched up on weights up front. :fish

Uncle Remus and sweetie's dinner last night. Left over sweet tea.Attachment 409796

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Lake Wylie needs to change size to 10 inch minimum and lower the limit to 15 per person for about 2 years. Would be nice to get a lot of signatures signed to a letter to change the size limit.


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Originally Posted by cutbait

Lake Wylie needs to change size to 10 inch minimum and lower the limit to 15 per person for about 2 years. Would be nice to get a lot of signatures signed to a letter to change the size limit.


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I think go the opposite direction. No limits. There’s a pile of smaller fish there. It’s almost impossible to overfish them.

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Originally Posted by TreednNC

I think go the opposite direction. No limits. There’s a pile of smaller fish there. It’s almost impossible to overfish them.

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But them small fish turn into bigger fish. If they would let them grow for a few years


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i was trolling with jigs and couldn't keep the channel cats off the hook. I'm not complaing though.

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Originally Posted by cutbait

But them small fish turn into bigger fish. If they would let them grow for a few years


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That’s not how crappie management works though. Usually the only limiting factor with them is that there are too many for whatever system they’re in. The pile of 7-9” fish like more than likely a result of that rather than a size limit thing. Think back to when SC side of Wylie didn’t have limits. It was cranking out lots of fish and big fish. The “feel good” aspect of size and creek limits put the squash on that. Look at HR. When they had a limit, they were over run with small fish. They still are, even without a limit of any sort now. They’re also producing lots of 2s, several 3s a year, and even 4s the last couple years.

Theres an interesting Podcast on The Crappie Connection that explains the biology and process behind this. Although I did major in Fish and Wildlife Management, and remember vaguely hearing the same things in our fisheries classes, the biologist on that podcast goes much more in depth about it.

There was a time when there were no big crappies in Wylie and you had a hard time catching crappie by the perch being dumped into our river and lake systems. They are gaining back in numbers but not quite to the size some folks want. If you want size you need to take the smaller ones also plus stop tournaments that take large amounts of crappie out each time for weigh ins that don't get released back into the system. Image tournament guys taking all 1.5 and 2 pound fish by 30 or more boats 2 to 3 times a year plus every crappie guy on the lake trying to keep 20 fish a limit. Add all of this plus the poor spawning time frames we've had, it is not a pretty picture for crappies. If everyone is keeping the 10 inches or above what's the chances of getting bigger crappie? I prefer the smaller size for eating fileted or on the bone! :twocents
I guess a good question is what is the perfect spawning size? :popcorn

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Originally Posted by TreednNC

That’s not how crappie management works though. Usually the only limiting factor with them is that there are too many for whatever system they’re in. The pile of 7-9” fish like more than likely a result of that rather than a size limit thing. Think back to when SC side of Wylie didn’t have limits. It was cranking out lots of fish and big fish. The “feel good” aspect of size and creek limits put the squash on that. Look at HR. When they had a limit, they were over run with small fish. They still are, even without a limit of any sort now. They’re also producing lots of 2s, several 3s a year, and even 4s the last couple years.

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Not everyone knows about High Rock being a dang good crappie lake! :highfive

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Originally Posted by BigDawgg

There was a time when there were no big crappies in Wylie and you had a hard time catching crappie by the perch being dumped into our river and lake systems. They are gaining back in numbers but not quite to the size some folks want. If you want size you need to take the smaller ones also plus stop tournaments that take large amounts of crappie out each time for weigh ins that don't get released back into the system. Image tournament guys taking all 1.5 and 2 pound fish by 30 or more boats 2 to 3 times a year plus every crappie guy on the lake trying to keep 20 fish a limit. Add all of this plus the poor spawning time frames we've had, it is not a pretty picture for crappies. If everyone is keeping the 10 inches or above what's the chances of getting bigger crappie? I prefer the smaller size for eating fileted or on the bone! :twocents
I guess a good question is what is the perfect spawning size? :popcorn

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You have more years in it than I do, but I can remember BIG perch and BIG crappie in the 2005-2015ish time frame. Lots of fish too. Pete missed the 3lb mark a few times by an ounce or two back then, and a lot of us caught 2lb+ fish without trying real hard.