Published: Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 / Updated: Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 01:44 PM
Expert gives insight on catching Lake Wylie catfish
The Lake Wylie Pilot recently talked fishing with Carolina Catfish Club president Dieter Melhorn. Melhorn answered a few questions about his club and the catfish outlook for 2010 on Lake Wylie.
Q: How many members does your club have?
A: “The Carolina Catfish Club has about 30 members so far in 2010. The membership varies from seasoned veterans like Capt. (Rodger) Taylor [featured Feb. 16 in the Lake Wylie Pilot; find the story online at lakewyliepilot.com.] to guys that don’t have boats and fish from the bank. Unlike almost all fishing clubs, ours is based around education and protection of the resources rather than tournament participation.”
Q: How does Lake Wylie compare to Lake Norman, Lake Wateree, etc., for catfish?
A: “As far as Lake Wylie goes, it is one of the most diverse fisheries on the Catawba River chain for all species of catfish. All thee major species (channel, flathead, blue) are abundant and readily accessible to anglers. Wylie is also unique in all of the Catawba chain in that two rivers feed the lake, and these two rivers offer unique opportunities for targeting the different species. The hot water discharge into the South Fork River creates another dynamic that anglers can use to their advantage.”
Q: How is the fishing shaping up so far in 2010?
A: “2010 is shaping up to be a great year. The population is stable, and large numbers of fish continue to be caught. There seems to be a good even spread across all age classes of fish. This is a good sign that the drought a couple of years ago did not have a negative impact on spawning. I expect a blue catfish to top the 70-pound mark from Wylie in the next two years, and a flathead will break the 60-pound mark in that same time frame.”
Q: Any tips for when and where to find fish?
A: “As for information, I think good locations change with the weather. What works today may change drastically with a cold or warm snap, or with significant rainfall. The bottom line is that you have to adapt constantly to what the fish are doing.”
John Marks, Lake Wylie Pilot reporter
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