Spring and fall fishing is the most popular with the muskie angler. Casting or trolling the bays in April and May with large deep-diving plugs provides the best chance for hooking a muskie. Later, the increase in water temperature drives the muskie to deeper water and during the summer months and into early fall trolling the dam area of the lake should provide the best action, especially during early morning and evening.

Largemouth bass fishermen have the most success from mid-lake to the upper or shallower end. Working artificial night crawlers or live night crawlers and spinner baits on early warm March and April days should provide some action in the shallow bays. In late April and May, long sloping points worked with the same lures plus deep-diving lures should produce fish. During the summer, morning and evening hours are productive, working the shoreline first and then deeper structures during mid-day.

Smallmouth bass are caught mainly from mid-lake to the dam. Early spring fishing in April should provide the best action. Live night crawlers and spinner baits should be worked around the rocky shoreline and shaley points. Deeper structures such as long sloping points with dropoffs into deep water are productive during the summer months. Sometimes trolling these deep points and breaks with deep-diving lures and spinner baits produces good results.

Fair to good bluegill fishing is experienced from May through July on worms and larval baits.

Saugeye fishing is excellent year round at Piedmont Lake. Winter ice fishing and early spring fishing over submerged roadbeds and drop-offs at the lower end of the lake produce good catches. Verticle jigging jigs or spoons tipped with either minnows or night crawlers and blade baits such as cicadas and sonars are popular with anglers. During late spring, summer, and fall months, saugeyes disperse throughout the lake and can be taken by trolling or drifting over shallow flats and long sloping points. Early morning and late evening are typically peak feeding times for saugeye.

Both shovelhead and channel catfish in Piedmont Lake are at a premium. Excellent results are achieved during July, August, and September by fishing with night crawlers, shrimp, chicken liver, or large suckers just off the bottom at night. The designated trotline area in the upper end of the lake is especially good.