gas, RVsitesand lodging if you decide to stay overnight. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. In bream news, Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that there are still some outstanding catches of shellcracker around grass in less than 6 feet of water. Conditions reports for this lake are available when This week he has mostly been drifting 32-44 feet, and mullet has been his primary bait. However, during the day the best pattern is still drifting in 25-40 feet of water when fish pull out deeper. 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Schedule: Arkie Division Feb. 25 Lake Ouachita, Mount Ida, Ark. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees. Despite a very slight temperature drop it hasnt moved enough to really activate the bass fishing, and Brettreports that he has not seen a fish so much as swirl at a topwater bait recently. The shallow bite has been better in the evenings, and that should stay true through the weekend. Perhaps the most exciting thing going on Santee right now is the striped bass bite in the canal, and drifting blueback herring over the rocks has been dynamite. You. What more could you want from your fishing trip? Its the time of year when the bass fishing should be starting to pick up again on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that is exactly whats happening. Brush in about 14 feet has been the most productive, but they are also getting some fish in 15-20 feet of water. 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). While unusual water conditions could change the pattern, expect the best fish to come drifting deep water with cut bait on the lower end. FOIA | Privacy Policy | Report If December is any indication they will continue to move around a lot, and one day you could find a big school in one area but then overnight it could be 5 or 6 miles away. 326 Little Brooke Lane Call Seaforth at (619) 224-3383 to get in on the action. Bass: FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that in January fish will still be in steep areas with access to deep water, but with the spawn approaching they should start to feed better. I fished from my Old Town Predator PDL. Base yourself out of Santee itself and you can enjoy anything from a camping adventure to a deluxe holiday. In colder conditions they will move deeper and towards the bottom, while in warmer conditions they often move more towards the creeks and shallower. This material may not be posted on another website. information from bait shops, marinas and fishing guides. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.59 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.18 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Have you ever gone fishing on Santee Cooper? The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. During the day Stevie is having the best success drifting in 15-25 feet of water with 20 feet the key depth. The crappie fishing has also been surprisingly off this week, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) notes that in addition to the moon phases the weather has been another factor that has really slowed the bite. We're having some really good trips lately. "Largemouth bass are typically caught around a lot of different shallow-water cover during April," he said. This weekend will be a totally different situation, however, and with temperatures dropping into the mid-20s and 25 mile per hour winds out of the north he expects that many fish will abandon their beds. Most detailed Lake Wateree document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for getting in touch, were happy to answer any questions you have! The bream catch is still at best sporadic, but Captain Stevie English reports that they are still catching some nice crappieeven though they are having to work for them. Mitsubishi Electric private charter wrangled 91 yellowfin and 2 bluefin. Open 5:30 AM It took me like 45 minutes to get that giant in. The smaller lake still offers some swampy spots, but the waters get deeper quicker. Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that in the cold of January fish will be caught very deep on Lake Keowee. Good to hear they are getting shallow there. Santee Cooper is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and it's tough to beat the skinny water action of March. There are shad in those areas and the bass are also feeding opportunistically on whatever else is around. He and his son have still caught some fish on the same deep brush that has been producing. 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. Its mostly a soft plastic bite and topwaters still are not producing. There are plenty of professional guides ready to give you a helping hand, and you can find one that suits your needs here. The Santee Cooper lake system includes not one, but two lakes, including South Carolinas Inland Sea and the states third-largest lake. Fishing Resources Get the latest fishing reports, hire fishing guides and more to help you make the most of your fishing trip in South Carolina. Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with FatherandSonOutdoors Stripers. outside structure 15' to 25'. He has had the best luck drifting in 10-20 feet of water on cut herring, while Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) is concentrating more on the 15-20 foot range. Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) Learn more about how Santee Cooper can help you lower your energy use and save you money. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. They are catching everything casting at shallow stuff with jigs, be it grass, stumps or lily pads. Surface water temperatures range from about 78-81 degrees. About 3 feet of water has been the magic number for catching these fish. With the warm front this bite may slow a bit as the shad may start to spread out more and fish may also start to roam, but they should still be in the same general areas. By this weekend the shallow crappie bite could be wide open as well on Santee, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that this week he has actually found more fish on deep brush. His son Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) is catching them in about 25-30 feet of water. 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. Swimbaits can also work. Crickets and minnows are the best baits. Does that sound like wishful thinking? Free shipping . visited the sprawling fishery. 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. Herring has been out-fishing everything else. 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. 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. Youre right Hurricane Hugo had a devastating effect on the area, and I think power was out for quite a while! This is a mega Catfish Stock Event at Santee Lakes. Largemouth Bass Spawn Water Temperature and Moon Phase. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. And the Dogwood trees are in bloom, as my Daddy said, it's the sign that fish are on the beds. While the striped bass do not seem to be schooling right now on Santee Cooper, Captain Steve English reports that in the lower lake they have been catching a ton of fish deep. document.getElementById( "ak_js_35" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for reading and for sharing your experiences with us! Most detailed Lake The latest Santee Cooper Fishing Reports from Canal Lakes Fishing Reports. 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. Whether youre a beginner or a pro, theres always something for you in Lakes Marion and Moultrie. If the CBC goes forward somebody will still crush them, but its anybodys guess what the pattern will be. So we'll keep you updated as the day goes on. Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. Crappie, bream, shellcrackers, stripers and cats make Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion hot spots Thats why catfishing here is often ranked among the best in the country. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_8" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on October 20, 2021 Paste as plain text instead, With so many panfish up shallow its no surprise that the catfish are in the same areas, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that first thing anchoring in shallow water has been producing very well. And he found plenty. Its an interesting bite for catfish on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the fishing is kind of feast-or-famine. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.77 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.59 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Youll want to flip and pitch a Texas Rig, too. Updates. Cast plastic swim baits into the schools. Thanks for reading and for your insightful comment. 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. Brian Cope Bass Fishing, Breaking News, Fishing Tournaments, Newsletters Santee will host Bassmaster Elite anglers March 17 - 20 The Bassmaster Elite Series has released its 2022 schedule, and the tour will make two stops in South Carolina next season. 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. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Striper and hybrids: Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the January patterns should look fairly similar to those from December, and fish will still be in the same areas up the rivers where the bait is holding typically in 35-45 feet of water. Its best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring. $14.99 . At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. They were led to few fans or pundits surprise by Brandon Palaniuk, who won the last time B.A.S.S. Theres not really a wrong place to start off at, but Santee State Park has long been a popular place to set out from. Lunkers are still in shallow, with a little spawning best baits. document.getElementById( "ak_js_36" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is the smallest size motor you would take out I see people on kyaks but everyone says not our 5 hp for around the banks. 1 lb. 2018-19 SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I live this lake and am planning even now a trip to celebrate my turning 60. Where would we stay? There should also be a group of deeper fish out on the main lake that can be caught on underspins or jigs fished over humps and around bait. The are no hills like that. Come along year-round and theres plenty to keep the whole family entertained. They are still getting a lot of pull-downs but the fish wont commit as well. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.71 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 72.64 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Where can I get information about when to launch and where to fish the swamps in the upper part of Lake Marion? Chartreus Fishing with a jigging spoon is probably the best way to catch them. There have also been an unusually large number of fish pulling down rods but not getting the bait. 13.0 in. However, he is also doing well drifting as deep as about 12 feet. It sounds like quite a productive trip. Your link has been automatically embedded. In most major species categories the lakes have produced state or even-world record class fish. The best patterns for blue catfish seem to be anchoring early and then drifting during the day in 10-30 feet of water. Thursday morning. Never left with out at least 100 pounds of cat fish. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Meanwhile, you can target them year-round in Lake Moultrie too. going on , grasses and pads are your places to concentrate on. This sleepy town is a great base for all your vacation needs. However, the most effective pattern has typically been casting at shallow cover with jigs. While the bluegill and crappie continue to hold deep in the clear conditions on Santee, Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the bite is still really good around offshore brush piles. The lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.27 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.20 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. The biggest fish still seem to be coming on brush piles in 8-12 feet of water with crankbaits and soft plastics, but you have to know the locations of a lot of brush to catch fish this way. We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. Its been an outstanding week or two for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that they have been filling boxes with good fish in the 10 plus pound range. The crappie are starting to move around on the lakes, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that there are not as many fish on the deep brush piles as there were a week ago. Thank you. 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). This heat wave over the next few days is likely to get some fish thinking about spawning, but as happens every year they will get run out when temperatures drop. Yellow Bass - Fair: Start shallow with a small jig or jigging spoon tipped with several spikes or a waxworm. 267 sold . A total of 98 pounds even over four days was a virtuoso performance by The Prodigy, from whom weve come to expect nothing less. It seems as if the majority of the fish are post-spawn. Im delighted to hear that you want to get into fishing! Most Chartreuse, straight-tail jigs are working the best. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. Some spawning fish will be taken, plus a lot of bass will be back . Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.22 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.99 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Captain Bobby Winters (843-751-3080) reports that there are times, however, after it gets very cold when the only bites he can get from big fish are in shallow water anchoring around structure like mussel beds. Its a tale of two lakes with the catfish, and Captain Stevie English reports that in the upper lake action has been really slow for him while the fishing in the lower lake has been good. In the lakes, drifting across clay &mussel shell Bass Top water baits and swimbaits are turning on with some furocious explosive bites, Stripers Season is open October 1st good catches have been coming in and the fish are schooling. Generally the fish are 8-10 feet down. Most detailed Lake Wylie Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that on one recent trip they caught 25 over 1 pound and fish up to two pounds. shallow waters around grass beds of bullrushes being the best. 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. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General. New . The bluegill are also still piled up on the same brush, and they are catching some really nice bream on crickets. Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. They will be after the bream again this weekend and will report back. When fishing on Santee Cooper, youll want a boat to get to the most productive fishing grounds. We use cookies on our website to give you the best shopping experience. With warm weather and approaching The upper lake has slowed down but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Shallower brush in 14-15 feet of water is still not producing and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. The Sunday Showdown Series had their first tournament of the season yesterday on Santee Cooper out of Black's. Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. Oct 28, 2020. Click here for 30 day free trial! document.getElementById( "ak_js_13" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have never fished. If it gets very cold then fish should group up in deeper areas. One of these guides is Captain Brett Mitchell, who concurs that there have been good and bad days but has been targeting his efforts in 15-25 feet of water. He has found the best action 14-18 feet down over 25-35 feet of water. If youre a keen boater, then theres nothing stopping you from renting a boat or bringing your own vessel. The crappie fishing has been really tough again this week, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports they arent exactly sure why. Skinneydippers, big easy, canethumpers, Flukes, and Right now its slower than last year at this time. Do you have suggestions or recommendations for where to go to catch bass, shellcracker/bream, crappie, or even catfish during the spawn? 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. 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. Monticello Updates. After about 10 oclock the fish move deeper and it switches over to a drifting bite, and about 15-18 feet of water has been the magic depth. wigglers and crickets are your best offering. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. Canal Strong summer patterns are starting to take off for bass on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that there is a topwater bite especially in areas where bream are spawning. 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Townson ( 864-324-2065 ) reports they arent exactly sure why come along year-round and theres to... We will do our best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad river! For where to go to catch bass, shellcracker/bream, crappie, or even catfish during the day the.. Sign that fish are post-spawn in 20-35 feet that have a mix of baits including gizzard shad American. Out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will take... Key depth meanwhile, you agree to its use of cookies a trip to celebrate my turning 60 anything a. Cover with jigs surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees mostly a plastic! Private charter wrangled 91 yellowfin and 2 bluefin keep the whole family entertained, big easy, canethumpers Flukes! Rvsitesand lodging if you have suggestions or recommendations for where to fish the swamps in the mid- to upper.... 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