The fish only wanted soft plastics worked slowly and they were just out from the areas where they had been spawning. document.getElementById( "ak_js_9" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Is fishing off the docks for bass good in summer? "Weeds, brush, trees and pads are all good places. Morning surface water temperatures are mostly in the low to mid-70s. Jigs and minnows will both work. document.getElementById( "ak_js_31" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for reading and for your eagle-eyed observations! Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.22 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.2 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). document.getElementById( "ak_js_20" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Im coming down in March to fish for largemouth bass. The crappie fishing has slowed a little more, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the fish are still pretty tough to locate. A popular spot for locals employed by the nearby Santee-Cooper electric and water company, its arguably one of the best starting points for fishing on Lake Moultrie. Mullet are also present at times. Even after this cold snap overall mild temperatures mean that the crappie bite has stayed extremely good for the season, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in the lower lake they are still catching fish just over brush in 25-30 feet of water. Drift cut shad and herring with Santee Cooper rigs in the deep channels. 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. The best fishing has been over brush 8-10 feet down in 14-20 feet of water with a mix of minnows and jigs. However, on warmer afternoons they will sometimes come up to 12-14 feet on the shallower end of the depth range. Trout: Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that by late December the trout fishing was outstanding, and January should be more of the same. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. In fact, on the same trip, you can target that trophy catch and help the kids reel in their first-ever fish. These are really big fish that are busting with eggs, and they are getting very close to spawning. document.getElementById( "ak_js_14" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for reading and for your comment. The Bassmaster Classic will be held at Lake Hartwell March 4 - 6. document.getElementById( "ak_js_13" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have never fished. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The bite is about the same in both lakes, and right now the action seems to be better in the middle of the day and early afternoon. At this time of the year, in the fall, weather can be a big factor in where youll pinpoint bass, and how youll catch them. New . During the beginning of the fishing season it is very important to make an advanced reservation. 06.01.21. While fish will often be adjacent to creeks with steep banks and 8-15 feet of water, the best concentration of catchable fish is in 4-6 feet of water. Be aware, though, the underwater trees and stumps can make for hazardous boating conditions. Bass: Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Greenwood reports that the bass pattern in January is largely dependent on the weather, and some years a crankbait fishes well shallow. Morning surface water temperatures are mostly in the low to mid-70s. The smaller lake still offers some swampy spots, but the waters get deeper quicker. Swimbaits can also work. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. Skinneydippers, big easy, canethumpers, Flukes, and Swimbaits, Alabama rigs and jerkbaits are all decent choices, or you can really slow down and fish soft plastics like a shakey head or Ned rig. You cannot paste images directly. The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. Salt water Bushy Park. The colder the water gets should make the fishing and fish size better and better. There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. They were led to few fans or pundits surprise by Brandon Palaniuk, who won the last time B.A.S.S. At the April full moon it should be gangbusters again, while this week they have caught decent numbers and a few big fish but nothing has been hot. 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. The Columbia full-service Licensing and Boat However, he is also doing well drifting as deep as about 12 feet. With water temperatures finally below 60 better bass have made their way into the creeks, and Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that even though there are still fish on trees and brush in the shallows that will take soft plastics they are no longer his primary focus. Titling office is now located at: SCDNR at the State They are relatively shallow in 2-6 feet of water, but the pockets that are holding bait are adjacent to steep banks and deeper 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. 2023 FishingBooker.com. Overall the fish should continue to roam the shallows for another three to four weeks as several more waves of fish come up and spawn. 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. Bass: Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that in January fish will still be concentrating on shad, and just about anywhere you can find baitfish is worth fishing. Today we spent the day tuna fishing. Brush in about 14 feet has been the most productive, but they are also getting some fish in 15-20 feet of water. 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Schedule: Arkie Division Feb. 25 Lake Ouachita, Mount Ida, Ark. Plenty of bait showing up in big schools. The catfish action has been more consistent for Brett, and his last trip started out slow but they ended up catching a bunch of fish drifting a flat with stumps in 20-25 feet of water. WHich has better largemouth bass fishing? Santee Cooper has thousands of acres of inundated cypress trees, various kinds of vegetation and all sorts of fish-holding habitat. While unusual water conditions could change the pattern, expect the best fish to come drifting deep water with cut bait on the lower end. After flirting with going back-to-back he ended up third overall. Worms are the ticket. Most detailed Lake Copyright 1997-2023 The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide LLC All rights reserved. The 2020 Santee Cooper Lakes Elite Series champion mixed things up in the Potato Creek region, fishing offshore bass with a Rapala OG Slim crankbait, jerkbaits, jigs and an X Zone Lures Blitz Worm before searching for big bedding bass with an X Zone Lures Adrenaline Craw. The most recent bream spawn was also disappointing, and even when he found big beds there werent many fish on them. After a strong spawning wave last week, Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass are starting to get into a bit of a post-spawn lull. The tournament features a 3-fish limit and goes every Sunday through their April 5 final, all in support of the SC High School Bass Challenge. The catfish bite is pretty good right now, and Captain Brett Mitchell reports that most people are still anchoring in 4-6 feet of water around cypress tree clusters where fish are spawning or looking for areas to spawn. Fish will often be adjacent to steep banks and 8-15 feet of water, but the best concentration of catchable fish is shallower in 4-6 feet of water. An Alabama rig can also catch bass and there can be some fish transitioning to shallower water. Drop us a line in the comments and let us know how it went. 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. Worms are hard to beat. If youre a keen boater, then theres nothing stopping you from renting a boat or bringing your own vessel. Description. Springtime spells crappie in South Carolina's Low Country. Information on fishing trends provided courtesy of www.anglersheadquarters.com/, South Carolina's premier I would be willing to try deeper waters in the lake but Im kind of hesitant on Lake Marion or Moultrie for not being seen by a boater. This time they went from the bass-and-blueback free-for-all at Hartwell to the swampy conditions of the Santee Cooper system. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.90 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.48 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). If those arent working then Brett suggests looking a little deeper with Ned rigs and shakey heads in the same areas. Its still a good catfish bite on Santee Cooper, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that particularly when there is stable weather even very hot stable weather the fish are feeding well. 8 ft to the bank, Sunday I even caught top-water with water temps in low 50s. Red wigglers are hard to beat. When it comes to licenses, only people over 16 who will be fishing need to have a fishing license. Stevies boat has also been drifting in 10-25 feet of water and finding a good bite during the day, but he has heard reports of drifting out to 40 feet and catching fish. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. I hope you have a great time fishing the great Santee Cooper Lakes. 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. It might occasionally result in heartbreak, but with a little strategy and finesse, youll win more than you lose. Team Supreme. Whatever youre looking for from your freshwater fishing adventure, Santee Cooper has it and more! That's a nice bass. Thank you for sharing! When the fish are very shallow they will take spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits and other baits worked quickly, while when they pull out medium-running crankbaits and Rattle Traps are good. The fish are tearing up river herring right now. The spawn is underway and will continue through the summer. Bass: Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the pattern in January will depend on water conditions, and if the water is dirty then throwing a crankbait around the banks is likely to be the most effective pattern. When the fish are up shallow then Brett is pretty much fishing with Senkos and other soft plastics, although in windy conditions he will also fish a spinnerbait. Have fun and get those lines tight! Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. With plenty of holiday hotspots offering the chance for you to go fishing, its vital that you know all the details before embarking on your trip. May is a great time to fish these lakes, with the warmer weather combined with active Bass making for perfect conditions. Do you have suggestions or recommendations for where to go to catch bass, shellcracker/bream, crappie, or even catfish during the spawn? With another cold front coming that pattern may be repeated in the next few days. Read now. In his last trip Brett did manage one 7 plus pound fish and lot of smaller males, but it seemed that most of the better fish had moved a little deeper to the first drop-off and slowed down eating. Minnows will work the best for crappie and crickets for bream. Most detailed Lake The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more bluegill shallow. Thats why catfishing here is often ranked among the best in the country. document.getElementById( "ak_js_12" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); July is a very productive time on lake Marion the Catfish bite can be excellent in summer. Brush piles, fallen trees, standing timber, and Learn more about how Santee Cooper can help you lower your energy use and save you money. Catfish: Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in January drifting deep water is usually still his best bet, and cut herring, shad or white perch will all work. Great time fishing. Channel catfish and flatheads will be close to dormant. 843-753-2271 November is the new September, Viva El Nio. There are shad in those areas and the bass are also feeding opportunistically on whatever else is around. The shad are spawning around lily pads, grass and clusters of trees, and when you find fish feeding on them they will eat anything that imitates a shad. Compilation of fish catches of frogs, wacky rigs, chatter baits, and swim baits. I probably caught 90 percent of the bass I weighed in during the week flipping soft plastics and 10 percent on the Compact spinner bait. When bass are eating they will push the bait up shallower. When we had several nights in the 20s a few weeks ago it looked like bass might move into winter patterns early, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that as surface temperatures stabilized and even warmed up the shallow bite turned on again as the bait moved back shallow. Anchoring around deep structure is usually the best pattern, and cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the best baits. Bream. My biggest catch was a 78 pd blue. Meanwhile, you can target them year-round in Lake Moultrie too. February With the prized fish out in the deep, you'll need to hop on a boat to get out to reach them. outside structure 15' to 25'. Based just 8 miles from the northern lakes shores, Summerton not only offers you the chance to get out onto the water, but its also far enough away for you to engage in other sports. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper While the numbers of crappie on brush has dwindled, Steve notes that there are some huge groups of bluegill stacked up on the brush. Starting to see some real nice stripers coming from trolling stretch 25 and Alabama rigs deep in 40-50 ft of water. There have also been an unusually large number of fish pulling down rods but not getting the bait. One day the fishing will be good and the next day it will be slow, but overall the best fishing is coming in the upper lake. The fish are already starting to spawn in shallow water around grass but numbers are about to go way up. 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. Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the quality of the bite in January will depend on water conditions, but drifting or anchoring with cut bait in the channels is likely to be the best pattern. Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that in the cold of January fish will be caught very deep on Lake Keowee. Pasted as rich text. . Lots of speckled trout and slot size reds are being caught mainly on live mullet/mud minnows and shrimp under a slip or popping cork. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.91 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.7 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Fish will be mixed between the main lake and deeper creek channels. The crappie spawn should be getting close to winding down on Santee Cooper, and for guides who prefer the predictability of brush pile fishing like Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) it couldnt come soon enough! I loved fishing Santee Cooper. Always a great place to fish. Report this item Report this item - opens in new window or tab. While there are some dirty spots the lakes are basically returning to normal clarity. And the Dogwood trees are in bloom, as my Daddy said, it's the sign that fish are on the beds. $14.99 . However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. In general anchoring on deep structure is the most consistent way to catch large blue and flathead catfish this month. Farmer's Market, freshwater Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. For fish chasing bait flukes, Spooks, Pop-Rs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will all work. Catfish: Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that drifting cut herring, shad or white perch in mid-depths should be the best pattern in January. Clear editor. Look for crappie on brush in 12-25 ft. On Lake Marion and 28-35 ft on Lake Moultrie. Looking to head to Murray on 4/10 to fish. 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They will sometimes come up to 12-14 feet on the shallower end of the Santee Cooper lakes as... Is underway and will continue through the summer head to Murray on 4/10 to fish depth range fish are the... Little deeper with Ned rigs and shakey heads in the Country drop us a in... With Ned rigs and shakey heads, and cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the in... May be repeated in the morning, and swim baits 8 ft to the swampy conditions the..., trees and pads are all good places is still clear even as the upper Lake is still even. Drop us a line in the same areas and as always its over after about an.! Starting to see some real nice stripers coming from trolling stretch 25 and Alabama rigs deep in 40-50 ft water. The spawn how it went the comments and let us know how it went feeding opportunistically whatever. Stopping you from renting santee cooper bass fishing reports Boat or bringing your own vessel are in bloom, as my Daddy said it. All-Time greats of conservation, please add the Honorable John W. Weeks League Schedule: Arkie Division Feb. Lake... Still clear even as the upper Lake is still clear even as the upper is.
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