Mount Lake in Chesterfield County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Mount Lake is one of the Chesterfield County listings for South Carolina. What surrounds it is open plain. Some 10 miles away sits Chesterfield, the nearest settlement. North Hartsville follows at 14 miles, then Hartsville at 15 miles. Also within reach: McLean Pond some 1.9 miles off, Pate Pond sits 2.5 miles out, Mays Lake some 3 miles off, Merriman Millpond sits 4.5 miles out and Flory Pond some 4.7 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Mount Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Chesterfield County records list bluegill, sawcheek darter and dollar sunfish among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Treat Mount Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 80°F and January near 42°F. No part of the year shuts this water. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan any trip to Mount Lake around it. Long daylight spreads the feeding across more hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try McLean Pond, 1.9 miles away. The position on Mount Lake is worth confirming on the day.