Fishing at Upper Deerwood Lake, Sumter County, South Carolina

• Overview

  Upper Deerwood Lake is set in Sumter County, South Carolina. It lies 187 feet above sea level. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Supplies mean a trip to Sumter, 3.4 miles off. Cane Savannah is 3.6 miles and Cherryvale 3.7 miles. In the same area: Lower Deerwood Lake (0.1 miles), Second Millpond out at 0.9 miles, Loring Millpond (1.8 miles), Sawmill Pond out at 1.9 miles and Mathis Pond (3.3 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Upper Deerwood Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Public wildlife records from this area list bluegill, chain pickerel, margined madtom and redbreast sunfish. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. The near bank of Upper Deerwood Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 81°F for July and 44°F for January. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Upper Deerwood Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Lower Deerwood Lake, 0.1 miles out. Where Upper Deerwood Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.