Multiple species of fish are in spawning mode, with stripers, largemouth bass and crappie in their annual reproductive rituals. Fish the edges of the creeks. south carolina santee cooper By adbassfishing April 22, 2019 in Southeast Bass Fishing Followers Reply to this topic Start new topic 36 Posted April 22, 2019 I am planning on going to Santee this Friday for the first time in my boat. They will take minnows fished around deeper schools of bait. The crown jewel of the nearly 50 publicly accessible green tree reservoir hunting area is the famed George H. Dunklin, Jr. Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area (WMA) south of Stuttgart. There are also a few fish being caught on brush piles, but the majority of the fish seem to be suspended offshore where they are chasing bait. Swimbaits can also work. The bass on Santee Cooper are doing exactly what they are supposed to doing, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that they have been catching fish that are chasing shad in the backs of pockets. Bass Species Present: While Santee Cooper is world-renowned for its monstrous striped bass and channel catfish populations, only largemouth bass were eligible to be weighed in during the Elite Series events. 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. Anchoring on same bars using stink baits have been productive for smaller WHich has better largemouth bass fishing? January Fishing Report. I was fishing a flat and spotted a brush pile off to the side of my boat. After some really good catfish action a couple of weeks ago the bite has gotten tougher on Santee Cooper, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that it certainly seems like the last cold front put the fish off. Book your campsites NOW! Click here for 30 day free trial! 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. Before the cold front at the beginning of this week there were starting to be some bream around the banks, but for now the weather seems to have pushed them out to the same brush the crappie are on. 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 can find plenty of stripers in 30-45 ft this time of year. Thanks for reading and for your question. New . We had 13 on 1 trip and 9 on the next. In this Santee Cooper tournament, I ran up the river and fished channel swings and current breaks with three or four types of lures. Shallow running crankbaits, spinnerbaits and small swimbaits are all good lure choices. Casting small jigs and tight lining minnows will work the best. There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. 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). 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. webmaster@dnr.sc.gov, State Starting to see some real nice stripers coming from trolling stretch 25 and Alabama rigs deep in 40-50 ft of water. The remote lakes are surrounded by stunning scenery, giving you the perfect getaway. They will usually stop at brush coming out from spawning areas where they can rest before going deeper. More trip open. So, get in the kitchen and try something new. 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. Crappie and white perch: Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that in January fish will be set up in the front sections of creeks in deep water. 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. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. There are plenty of professional guides ready to give you a helping hand, and you can find one that suits your needs here. Thats why its the number-one stop for freshwater anglers in the Palmetto State.. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_7" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Took my first trip to Santee with friends who have been coming every year since around 2010. This adds a real sense of mystery when fishing, especially at dawn or dusk. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. Santee Cooper has been known to be one of the best bass fishing locations in the country for throwing a squarebill around wood. Etc. The fish they have caught have been 8-12 feet down over brush in 15-20 feet of water. You'll find it at Inky Davis Web Site. Cross is a popular starting point for Lake Moultrie, however youll most likely need to camp there. Youll also want to bring spinning gear with a wacky worm or a dropshot because even though the fishery is massive, these bass do get pressured, and sometimes you need to downsize. He wasnt the only Mossy Oak performer to get to compete for all four days: If youre headed to Santee Cooper in mid- to late-March, be sure to bring some pre-spawn staples like jerkbaits, vibrating jigs and Carolina Rigs, just to keep the bass honest, but in normal weather years expect the masses of fish to be super-shallow, looking to reproduce. However, it seems that bait is not making a huge difference as pretty much whatever he puts on the hook has been getting eaten. 06.01.21. Its a pretty simple pattern for catfish right now, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that early you need to be anchoring in shallow water. Spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits will all work. New . With a full moon occurring during the tournament, that led most anglers away from pre-spawn staging areas and into backwaters and shallow flats facing the bank and retaining heat. Cut herring, river herring, bluegill and shad are all working. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.73 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.51 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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. Luckily, they also bring some of the best bass fishing of the year, so stay tuned for more tips and reports from our Mossy Oak team. Nor may it be copied, published, rewritten, or redistributed. Wheres best to cast your line on Santee Cooper lakes? Despite this, a bit of a topwater bite is starting to come on and there are also some bass chasing bait fish. Level: 07.18.21. During the day Stevie is having the best success drifting in 15-25 feet of water with 20 feet the key depth. Farmer's Market 100 pounds over 4 days is possible. (803) 854-2131 Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.54 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.26 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Mitsubishi Electric private charter wrangled 91 yellowfin and 2 bluefin. We have one but cant pull camper and boat at the same time. In contrast, to catch a bigger fish concentrate on shallower water. While the numbers of crappie on brush has dwindled, Steve notes that there are some huge groups of bluegill stacked up on the brush. The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. Today we spent the day tuna fishing. Fresh Santee-Cooper Fishing Reports Top Santee-Cooper destinations Cross Tomorrow: 46 / 40 F Summerton Tomorrow: 46 / 40 F Eutawville Tomorrow: 46 / 40 F Fishing Seasons & Latest Fishing Photos January The subtropical climate of South Carolina makes Santee Cooper the place to be for some fishing action. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_8" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on October 20, 2021 For beginning trappers, it is vital to understand what a dog-proof trap consists of and how they work. Your previous content has been restored. Throughout the day we were able to scrape up a great catch of yellowfin tuna. Santee Cooper provided a challenge from the weather gods in the form of constant changes. But the most reliable pattern is that in January on Lake Greenwood an Alabama rig is likely to be effective, either shallow, deep, or both. You must be a registered Camper to fish in Lakes 6 & 7. 267 sold . When that happens the fish retreat to the first break, and they will set up around some type of structure like a brush pile or tree in 4-8 feet of water. We will be fishing the Coronado Islands. Even with water temperatures about to drop again on Santee, Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports bass should stay for a while in the creeks as temperatures are in the ideal range. "Captain Randy Kramer is running the boat today. The bass fishing has been pretty tough recently, but Steve reports that while some fish can be caught shallow he believes the best way to catch good ones right now is reeling a crankbait just over brush piles. The bass are not on every piece of cover. Water temperatures have dropped enough that smaller bass are starting to move into the creeks, but Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that things are running behind this year and so there has not really been a rush of bait in there yet. Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. Fishing Guide Locations on Santee Cooper, SC Santee Cooper lakes - Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie - are famous for their copious fishing grounds. Both lakes are clear and water temperatures are in the upper 70s in the morning and low 80s by the afternoons. Most detailed Lake Wateree You. The lakes are joined by the 6 mile long Diversion Canal to form a system with 160,000 acres of water and 450 miles of shoreline spanning parts of 5 South Carolina counties Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg and Sumter. Some of the fish are starting to get out on brush again, and they have had some decent days on brush. 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. Most detailed Lake Hartwell While the fish are shallow they are still not on very flat areas like they will spawn on, and they are more likely to be outside of those areas where there is deeper water nearby. They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Things worked out remarkably well for the Mossy Oak team, as six of our seven anglers finished in the money and remarkably four of them were in the overall top nine finishers. This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream 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). As the month progresses and more bass start to guard fry, think topwaters, frogs and flukes to raise their ire and get them to strike. Lakeside Marina seems to be your best bet for renting a boat on the Santee Cooper lakes. They will be after the bream again this weekend and will report back. The feat has become a growing trend among the turkey hunting community in recent years with hunters across the country making the Super Slam a lifelong hunting goal. 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). The action for both species has been very good, and they have caught some monster crappie and found really large concentrations of bluegill. 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. AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 2 Fishing Report Updated January 13, Hudson wins first Sunday Showdown Series event of the season, AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 1 Fishing Report Updated January 6. During spawn season, you can try exploring the shallow waters around Taylors Landing on Lake Marion, or around Elliotts Landing on the other end of the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. Lots of crappie are on the deeper brush. The best action has been in creek-like areas. document.getElementById( "ak_js_15" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I will be fishing in early May 21 for largemouth bass. In the cold weather the bream fishing has really slowed down, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that they are still catching some nice crappie even though they are having to work for them. 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. The co-state record largemouth bass was caught out of Lake Marion (16-2 caught in 1949), until 1993 the world record freshwater striped bass came from Santee Cooper (55 pounds), the state record white crappie came from Lake Moultrie (5-0 caught in 1957), and the state record shellcracker (5-7.5 caught in 1998) came from the Diversion Canal. Santee Cooper Lakes Lake Guide JOHN C. LAND III SPORTSFISHING FACILITY Santee Cooper Lakes Landings & Ramps SPORTSMAN'S WAREHOUSE Santee Cooper Lakes Bait & Tackle MARSHALL'S MARINE, INC. Santee Cooper Lakes Boat Dealers & Repairs SANTEE STATE PARK Santee Cooper Lakes Cabins INKY DAVIS Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Guides RAMADA INN SANTEE Overall the catfish are just eating really well right now, although they are displaying a strong preference for herring. Late last week anglers first noted that bucks were moving up, and then Friday and Saturday some big females came up. wigglers and crickets are your best offering. This is one of the best months of the year to catch big fish. Weve landed plenty of fish each time to include a 58 lb cat (Blacks Camp guide) when I was younger. You can get a good bite after dawn and in the late afternoon, and night fishing is also very good. Crappie: Captain Roland Addy reports that in January most of the crappie on Lake Greenwood will be found suspended where the creeks meet the main channel. document.getElementById( "ak_js_22" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Where would one rent a boat in that area. After a fishing morning recently, Freeman did some riding around, looking for shellcracker beds in areas he hasn't fished yet. And the Dogwood trees are in bloom, as my Daddy said, it's the sign that fish are on the beds. Nothing is good but brush in about 14-20 feet has been the most productive, and generally the fish are 8-10 feet down. As we are between moon phases at the moment, Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that the shallow breambite is a little off but they are getting nice numbers of bluegills around brush on crickets. moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in The biggest catches seem to be coming on brush piles in 8-12 feet of water, but this is pretty specialized fishing for hard-core locals as you really have to know the lakes and where the cover is. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. The key to locating bass is finding bait, and they will take Alabama rigs, jerkbaits, small jigging spoons and more. If it gets very cold then fish should group up in deeper areas. He switched over to catching channel catfish, and on dip baits they have been wearing them out in the canal. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are still in the upper 50s. There is some speculation that the population is down right now, and they do generally go in cycles, but there also seem to be some seasonal factors at play. However, often the bite slows down from December and its even more important to wait a little later in the day until things warm up. Warmer water is often found at the very backs of the creeks on Santee Cooper, and as a result Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that a lot of bait is also back there right now. 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. 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. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. Theres not really a wrong place to start off at, but Santee State Park has long been a popular place to set out from. Another slow day at the islands coupled with a great catch from our code boat Liberty has resulted in us switching our run back to offshore fishing. February With the prized fish out in the deep, you'll need to hop on a boat to get out to reach them. 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. Bass: Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that in January bass should still be caught deeper in the main lake and at the mouths of creeks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_14" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for reading and for your comment. 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