Thats why its the number-one stop for freshwater anglers in the Palmetto State.. In the lakes, drifting across clay & mussel shell bars in 4' to 8' of water using cut bait are catching the bigger fish . I hope you have a great time fishing the great Santee Cooper Lakes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My wife and I have kayaks and we live in Santee. Click here for 30 day free trial! Thanks for reaching out. The water temperatures have still not dropped quite enough to really change the bass fishing, and Brett reports that everything he is catching is coming around scattered wood and grass in the 4-6 foot range. A variety of cut baits will work. I meant Lake Marion in my post, but I have some friends in Columbia that have told me that the fishing is picking up in the Dreher Island area. Growing to larger-than-usual sizes, youll need to make sure youve got a dish big enough to cook up this popular Panfish at the end of the day. Lake Marion is home to the state-record Largemouth Bass, so youll have the chance to go for a trophy-sized catch. Most detailed Lake These creatures are available in the shallow waters as they prepare to spawn. Today we spent the day tuna fishing. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.81 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.51 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The upper lake has slowed down but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. The Santee Cooper lake system includes not one, but two lakes, including South Carolinas Inland Sea and the states third-largest lake. You can find plenty of stripers in 30-45 ft this time of year. The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. Youll want to flip and pitch a Texas Rig, too. Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.24 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.82 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Again, a topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. The fish are still on deeper brush and wood in 20-35 feet, and on his last trip out Steve caught a bunch of fish including five over 2 pounds. Santee State Park on Lake Marion is a great place to try your luck with Largemouth Bass and Stripers (closed season for Striped Bass is from June 16 through September 30). Top Rated Plus . Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. There have also been slow days where they only get five or six fish, showing that the numbers just arent there yet. The key to locating bass is finding bait, and they will take Alabama rigs, jerkbaits, small jigging spoons and more. When temperatures are cold and the water is relatively clear a jigging spoon can be effective. Where would we stay? Luckily the catfish bite has been really good on Santee Cooper, and both Steve and his son Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) report that they are filling boxes with fish pretty quickly. The first thing you need to consider is that fish retreat to the deeper waters after their spawn, and this is where youll find your Catfish. Its a pretty good crappie bite right now on the lakes, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that they are catching some good fish on deep brush about 22 feet down over 38 feet in the lower lake. A cagey few mixed in some pre-spawn action and by the end of the tournament a few competitors were even targeting fry-guarders. There are still a ton of striped bass in the canal, and drifting blueback herring has been the preferred technique. Morning surface water temperatures range wildly from the mid-50s on the lower lake in the big water to the mid-60s in protected backwater ponds. The AHQ Report is your source for exclusive fishing reports, tournament updates, and more! Santee Cooper Country Bass Fishing with Inky Davis specializing in large mouth bass only check out this site for one of Santee Cooper lakes most famous Bass fishing guides. Operating as a retreat for plantation owners in its early days, Summerton is still a place for relaxation. Fishing is pretty good everywhere, and the new pattern is that there are starting to be a lot of fish caught shallow drifting in 12-15 feet of water on the ledges near deep water. Yellowtail, bass, giant barracuda and bonitaare all biting well making for a action filled day on the water and fat bags of fillets for the BBQ. For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the water of your choice. The five major bait species in the lakes are gizzard shad, threadfin shad, American shad, blueback herring, and menhaden, which immigrate and emigrate from the lakes based on seasonal patterns. Some of the biggest ones have been coming in the 20-22 foot range. Conditions Report. The catfish bite seems to be improving, and Captain Stevie English reports that drifting in relatively shallow water he is catching lots of good blues and channels on herring. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. Most detailed Lake Jocassee frogs and buzzbaits are working well, Brushhogs, Texas rigged worms, Senko's fished slow, Series 1 Bandit , 1.5 KVD Strike King, and Spro (John Saw quite a few fish moving in shallows, mostly Bucks. update the fishing reports each week through the fishing season, reporting on fishing success, Minnows, chartreus gigs are the Come in spring for the Striper bite, or target Largemouth Bass in the shallows in spring. creek channel ledges are the areas to fish. Agree bud have contacted every crappie guide in area with no reply except one who says he doesnt do crappie. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. Fish Consumption Advisories, SCDNR at the State Whatever you choose, theres plenty for you to make the most of your holiday. Let's hear from you guys about this area or elsewhere, it's Bass fishing in the greatest season of the year! Bass: Tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that in January the pattern will depend on weather and water conditions, but crankbaits, Alabama rigs and jigs should all produce. Shallow-water bass fishing means different things to different people, but on Santee-Cooper, shallow water can mean really shallow water, even in the dead of winter. Anglers seem to either be on them or not, and in this weeks Sunday Showdown Series the best 3-fish limit was an impressive 18 pounds. 1-803-478-7289 If we can be of any further assistance or if you're looking for A camping spot, food or any other lodging Look no further. Drop us a line in the comments and let us know how it went. Thus, to the Ring of Honor memorializing Americas all-time greats of conservation, please add The Honorable John W. Weeks. There were certain key backwaters and areas that seemed to hold more and bigger fish, but the true Holy Grail was to find a place that would replenish itself with one 20-plus-pound bag opportunity after another. We told you that there was something for the whole family when fishing in Santee Cooper, and Crappie just proves that. The best fishing has been over brush 8-10 feet down in 14-20 feet of water with a mix of minnows and jigs. The best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. Top Rated Plus . More trip open. The more general pattern seems to be fishing with soft plastics like Trick Worms around trees, stumps and points. document.getElementById( "ak_js_6" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on October 27, 2021 Earlier most of the shallow fish were in the ponds but now they are everywhere. His best performance was Day Three, when he sacked 27 pounds 7 ounces to claim a good spot in the top 10, although he never brought less than 21-10 to the scales. They are dirt shallow, and today just fishing while waiting for a camera guy Brett has caught a bunch of fish in no more than a foot or two of water. Mossy Oak Fishing Report: Bassmaster Elite Series Santee Cooper, 49 - The Pursuit of a Turkey in Every State Across the Country, Bill Lowen Fishes Various Lures at Santee Cooper Bassmaster Tournament, Brandon Palaniuk Catches His Biggest Bass in the Santee Cooper Tournament, Brandon Palaniuk's Preparation for the Santee Cooper Bass Tournament, Bill Lowen Explains His Lures and Equipment for the Santee Cooper Tournament, John W. Weeks: Conservation Legend, 20-Million-Acre Man, Mossy Oak Joins The Given Right as Title Sponsor, Launches New Digital Series, The History of the Legendary Bayou Meto WMA, A Comprehensive Guide to Buying Rural Land. Not as good as the warmer months but you can still catch the more active fish on spoons. Our fishing Rain Jacket and Rain Pant should never leave the boat, and thats particularly true over the next handful of weeks, as April showers bring May flowers. 1 lb. recreational fishing regulations, Report Im glad to hear you love the lake as much as we do! Find recent fishing reports, catches, and top anglers on waterways in South Carolina as you explore interactive fishing maps on Fishidy. The fish they are catching are coming on soft plastics. If youre a semi-proficient sight fisherman, bring craws and creature baits for the fish you can see among the pads and cypress knees. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. Worms are hard to beat. You can also fish a minnow under a cork. The upper lake is getting muddy and water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Nov 16, 2020. On a warm trend fish will head into the creeks where they can be caught trolling jigs and minnows in 8-15 feet of water, while another group of fish (so far mostly males) will be up on the banks looking for areas where they will spawn. There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. Even with the crappie spawn winding down the shellcracker spawn is about to explode, and Steve reports that they are already catching a few in shallow water but its about to get really good. The Fish photos include Blue Catfish (Also Called Catfish ), Striped Bass (Also Called Striper, Linesider, Rockfish ), Flathead Catfish (Also Called Yellow Cat, Mud Cat, Johnnie Cat, Pied Cat, Mississippi Cat, Shovelhead, Mudcat, Motley Cat, Appaloosa), White Catfish (Also Called Catfish ), Channel Catfish (Also Called Graceful Catfish, Catfish ). Yellow Bass - Fair: Start shallow with a small jig or jigging spoon tipped with several spikes or a waxworm. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. Book a trip with Captain Bill and fully enjoy the opportunity of a lifetime. The crappie fishing remains a little slow, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that in the afternoon they are only picking up a few fish here and there on brush. 10 Tactics for Santee-Cooper Bass Lakes Marion and Moultrie might be full of bass, but without a good game plan you could get skunked; these 10 tips will put you on the fish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_8" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on October 20, 2021 Striped bass: Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that in January on Lake Murray fish should continue to be caught on free-lines, on planer boards and by casting at birds. Morning surface water temperatures are around 53 degrees. Lakes Fish Camp Brush in 25-35 feet of water is holding the most fish, with most of the fish about 10-12 feet off the bottom. Wanted to plan a trip. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.08 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.96 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Your previous content has been restored. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more bluegill shallow. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should catch fish. He is a friend of mine and wins virtually every tournament he fishes there. Depending on what they are on Brett will then turn to jerkbaits, Carolina rigs, swimbaits or spinnerbaits. Wish us luck, Santee Cooper Fishing Report by Ray Sedgwick. It shouldnt be long until fish start to move into the creeks following shad and become catchable on topwater lures, swimbaits and square-billed crankbaits. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. Because the best fishing grounds change on a regular basis this time of year, its always a good idea to check in with local anglers about where the good fishings at. The fish they have caught have been 8-12 feet down over brush in 15-20 feet of water. Updates. document.getElementById( "ak_js_11" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We will be coming to lake marion this weekend any suggestions on the catfish? Marshall Robinson - 34 - 4 (10) The big riser of the day, Marshall Robinson waylaid 19-3 to rocket up the leaderboard after catching just 15-1 on Day 1. information from bait shops, marinas and fishing guides. 2020 All rights reserved. Most of the fish are still probably roaming offshore suspended and chasing bait, but when temperatures drop just a few degrees they should finally start to move into the creeks following shad and become catchable on topwater lures, swimbaits and square-billed crankbaits. Most detailed Lake Wateree To locate fish Brett is largely fishing history in areas that he knows shad stack up, but anglers with less experience on Santee should use their depth finder to look for bait in the deeper parts of pockets adjacent to the shallow areas where they are fishing. FishingBooker has a number of guides to choose from in Santee-Cooper, and you can filter your search for the species you want. document.getElementById( "ak_js_34" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have traveled to Santee Cooper lakes and rivers several times and had good luck every time. These services are no longer offered at 1000 Assembly Street in Downtown Columbia. Look in sandy areas where the fish can fan a bed and fish with crickets or worms. Most detailed Lake Greenwood Herring, shad and mullet have all been working. He said that he is booked all weekends in March and April, but still has weekdays open. Does that sound like wishful thinking? Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.13 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.04 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Santee Cooper water levels are up to 75.47 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.44 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). They are also catching some good bream on the same brush. Santee Cooper By Benjamin Bunting March 23, 2021 in Fishing Reports Share Followers 1 Reply to this topic Start new topic Benjamin Bunting Members 17 Location 223 Basswood Avenue, Summerville, South Carolina 29483 My PB: Between 11-12 lbs Favorite Bass: Largemouth Favorite Lake or River Santee Cooper Lakes including the Cooper River Cut herring seems to be the perfect bait and drifting they are picking up a steady assortment of blues and a few good channels. Santee Cooper provided a challenge from the weather gods in the form of constant changes. Learn more. With the lakes still clear Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) is still finding the bluegill and crappie deep. Updates. You can explore a number of guides in the area on FishingBooker. This adds a real sense of mystery when fishing, especially at dawn or dusk. With the crappie fishing slow Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) took a break from them last week, but this weekend he will be after them again. From 1939 to 1942 the lakes were created in a hydroelectric project by the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly known as Santee Cooper.The lakes vary from shallow swamps at the upper end of both lakes (but most famously Lake Marion) to the vastness of Lake Moultrie 14 miles across at its widest point and appearing to be a great, open bowl. While he is still fishing soft plastics around trees right now, very soon fish should start to follow shad into the creeks and he will be getting on more of a shad bite. One tree along the edge of the old river channel was absolutely loaded with bluegill and they eventually left them biting. Fish will be mixed between the main lake and deeper creek channels. Nor may it be copied, published, rewritten, or redistributed. Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. Catfish: Guide Jerry Kotal reports that January is not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up channel catfish around bait schools. Aug 23, 2021. Today we went out with 6 passengers who ignored yesterdays fish count and understand that fishing is more about spending time in nature than harvesting meat. Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! What triggers turkeys to gobble? Bouncing a crankbait that dives 6-8 feet off the bottom around stumps is an excellent pattern, and small swimbaits and spinnerbaits will also catch fish. Its been a good week for catfish on Santee Cooper, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that you can catch them pretty much everywhere right now. Striped bass: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in January there should continue to be lots of 3- to 7-pound striper caught on the lower end of the lake around birds. 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 The vast amount of shallow water in the Santee Cooper lakes has distinct advantages for early season largemouth bass fishing. The are no hills like that. into the May full moon. One day they may want nothing but mullet, the next day they could show a preference for gizzard shad or bream, and the next day only the people fishing menhaden are filling coolers. Flats, hills and about anything in the 10-20 foot range is worth drifting. The photo under the title Cross is not a picture of Cross SC. Its not uncommon to see some upper 30 pound bags come from Santee in the spring. Thank you for sharing! However, as the biggest prizes in Santee Cooper are further out in the middle of the lakes, fishing from shore is not a popular choice around here. 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