McCray Lake Fishing in Sumter County, South Carolina

• Overview

  You will find McCray Lake in Sumter County, South Carolina. It sits at 148 feet above sea level. At about 32 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Supplies mean a trip to Cane Savannah, 1.2 miles off. For a city, Columbia is 34 miles off. Water in the same corner: Montagues Pond near enough 1.4 miles, Burns Pond 2.2 miles, Burnt Gin Lake near enough 2.4 miles, Dwight Pond 2.8 miles and Elliott Lake near enough 3.4 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on McCray Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include bluegill, chain pickerel and dollar sunfish. Treat it as evidence of what swims in the area. The shape of McCray Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 80°F and January near 44°F on the long-run figures. It fishes twelve months of the year. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. The season on McCray Lake rarely departs from it. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Montagues Pond, 1.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For McCray Lake in particular, ask before you travel.