Surface water temperatures range from about 78-81 degrees. fishing report source, where right now you can sign up for 30 days of free access to more in-depth fishing "In four feet of water, they can be feeding just 18 inches deep. You do not have to move a quarter mile away. And, few lakes in the country can rival the. 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. After that its more of a drift bite in 20-30 feet of water. January saw a slow but steady bite for big blue cats. Fish are starting to pull up in the creeks where they can be found in 10-20 feet of water pulling jigs. While you can still catch a lot of small eating-sized fish drifting in 15-30 feet of water, Captain Stevie English is most excited that the canal bite is finally turning on. Customer Service. A variety of cut baits can work. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should all work. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. Striper and hybrids: Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the February bite will start off similar to January with fish part-way up the rivers in 35-45 feet on the bottom. The state record and one-time world record is a 5-pound, 71/2-ounce fish caught in the Diversion Canal in 1998. By the end of the month fish should be starting to think more about pre-spawn patterns and moving shallower. In his estimation the catfish action has slowed down a little on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the fish he is catching have shifted from about 15-25 feet out to more like the 30-35 foot range. 3 talking about this. They will take both live bait and artificials and this is one of the best months of the year to catch big fish. Catfish. USGS Link. 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 Posted March 23, 2021 Fishing is good, going today and I expect it to be off the chain. Dennis offers some thoughts on how to target various species that are biting now on the Santee Cooper lakes: Crappie "If I was going crappie fishing, I would be trolling jigs in 20 to 30 feet of . Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s. The lower lake has been much better than the upper lake, and a lot of days jigs have been out-fishing minnows. 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). If temperatures warm they should start to move shallower later in February. During the day Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) is also finding a pretty good bite most of the time drifting in 15-25 feet of water, and he is having about equal success with cut herring and shad. Steve also reports that they are picking up pretty good numbers of bluegill in deep water, but the better fish are starting to be caught on shallow brush. A lot of times only a 100-yard move will do. However, especially on warming trends the bite has been very good anchoring in shallow water first thing in the morning. Bream. We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. This week the sweet spot has generally been 14-18 feet down over 20-35 feet of water. Crappie: Captain Roland Addy (864-980-3672) reports that the first two weeks of February usually look a lot like January on Lake Greenwood, and fish will be found suspended somewhere around the creek mouths and the main channel. canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.55 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.68 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Despite recent rains the lakes remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. Chartreuse, straight-tail jigs are working the best. However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. 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. When you can find shallow fish stacked up they will really feed. Jim at 912-210-2877 to book your catfishing adventure. 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. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. Farmer's Market raysedgwick8@yahoo.com. Steves boat is targeting the lower lake, and everything he is catching is coming on relatively shallow brush 7-10 feet down over 15-20 feet of water. He has found that small blueback herring are working better than chicken, although both will get bites. Casting at diving birds with Alabama rigs or bucktails is the technique of choice. santee cooper bass fishing reports. The Big Cat Brawl with $10,000 on the line is on Santee this weekend, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he expects a lot of catfish to be caught. null . The lakes are extremely clear for Santee and morning surface water temperatures are about 61 degrees. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. Overall weights were a little down in the Sunday Showdown Series this weekend, and while there were a few good bass caught Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that . Crappie. Striped bass: Guide Daniel Skipper (864-430-0488) reports that in February striped bass could be found anywhere on Lake Greenwood, but the key to finding them is to locate the bait. Water temperatures are in the 60s. For fish chasing bait flukes, Spooks, Pop-Rs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will all work. 3/4/23. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. It seemed that some of the biggest fish came on Lake Marion, but there were also a lot of people who struck out in the upper lake. Look for the BIRDS. Jimmy Trigg busts 32.76 pounds on Santee!!! Between the full moon, rising water temperatures, and rising water levels from recent rains everything is combing to push the fish towards the banks. Again, its best to have a mix of cut baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring because fish have been showing different preferences on different days. Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. Anchoring on creek channel ledges and fan-casting cut gizzard shad, white perch and herring will be the best way to target big blue catfish. Moultrie is the smaller of the two lakes in surface acreage but is much deeper. 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. They are still getting a lot of pull-downs but the fish wont commit as well. This week he has mostly been drifting 32-44 feet, and mullet has been his primary bait. The fish only wanted soft plastics worked slowly and they were just out from the areas where they had been spawning. Try Santee Cooper tailraces for great shad, herring action Jeff Burleson Featured, Freshwater Fishing Roe shad up to 4-1/2 pounds are biting in the Cooper River tailrace below Lake Moultrie for fishermen using light tackle. Bream are moving in shallows setting up to spawn leading 8888. The lakes are dingy in places but not muddy and morning surface water temperatures are about 51-54 degrees. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. The best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. 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. Come enjoy a day on the water with Daisy and Capt Mark !! Fv 27, 2023 . Boat has a full enclosure to stay warm. Fishing in the upper lake is winding down. SUMMERTON -- Strong winds and inclement weather forced MLF tournament officials to cancel Day 3 of competition Saturday, April 9, at the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Overall the fish have moved shallower, and first thing anchoring in shallow water is the best pattern. Drifting and bouncing the bottom is working well, and there are also intermittent spots where you can anchor up and catch fish. Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that February should also be a good month for big fish. Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. There are a few different ways to catch catfish right now, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that for him the cold front seems to have put off the blue catfish bite. Muddy conditions at the start of the month are also affecting the fishing, and seeking out less stained water is usually a good idea. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.89 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Water temperatures have gotten cool enough that fish are really starting to move around again, and as the shad just start to get into the creeks the bass should not be far behind. The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. (803) 854-2131 Fishing The Sled, crankbaits, and jigs around rocky points will remain a strong pattern until fish move up, and then they when they will take a variety of moving baits as well as soft plastics. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. 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. 326 Little Brooke Lane It seems as if the majority of the fish are post-spawn. Cooper Fishing Report Dec 22 2021 GOOD. There are mixed signals on the catfish action, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that most days it seems like the fish are feeding pretty well. Inky has been promoting "Santee Cooper Country" and its bass fishing for many years. 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). Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. recreational fishing regulations. He has been mainly fishing chicken but shad has also been working. wigglers and crickets are the best baits. The new moon was a week ago and the full moon is not until next week. Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. 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. There are even some fish up on the banks looking for spawning locations, and so right now you can fish about any shallow pattern for crappie. All rights reserved. Worms are hard to beat. Monticello Updates. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. Click here for 30 day free trial! The current state record blue catfish (109-4 caught in 1991) was caught in the Tailrace Canal below Santee Cooper and held the world record until 1996.As would be expected to support so many trophy-caliber fisheries, the Santee Cooper lakes have an extensive forage base. While there are still some crappie on brush, Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the best crappie fishing has come trolling jigs and minnows in 8-15 feet of water in the creeks. The best patterns for blue catfish seem to be anchoring early and then drifting during the day in 10-30 feet of water. 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. This year Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Elite Series pros hit Santee right, and he doesnt expect to see many dry live wells. (Herring)off the Hatchery and Bonneau in 25' to 40' and in front of the It should take a minimum of 31 or so pounds of bass to lead the first day and no less than 80-85 to win. 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. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the best shopping experience. Spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits will all work. While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General | He's catching his share, including some big ones, among the Santee cypress trees. 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. They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Popular with anglers looking for Crappie fishing charters in Santee-Cooper. Bass: Tournament angler Joe Anders reports that on Lake Jocassee in February the fish will still be deep, and they are mostly likely to be suspended in the channels. We had to reschedule a couple times due to very bad weather. If you fish very, very early you can also find a shad spawn around dawn in some places. He has been targeting the flats in between the turns in the river bed on Lake Marion. View Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Reports. Bass: Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Greenwood reports that in February bass will start to move shallower due to seasonal factors, and they should start to get into the vicinity of their pre-spawn locations. However, many anglers overlook it as an effective method to catch bass. The guys I went with had just boated one in the 8-pound class when I arrived at the landing to meet them. Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that on one recent trip they caught 25 over 1 pound and fish up to two pounds. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. 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. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in February fish should feed better as the spawn will be rapidly approaching. They are tired, beat up, and trying to recover, and so the bite will likely be off for a few more days. Cross 23 ft 4 persons. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.03 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). However, at times anchoring shallower produced better in January so be flexible. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. The catfish bite is also dependent on weather, and right before a front comes through fish have been feeding really well while after a cold snap the bite slows for a day or two. best baits. 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. 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. Most Bass: Tournament angler Eric Enlow of Union reports that February is another transition month on Lake Monticello, but there should still be some fish deep that can be caught on a spoon or an Alabama rig early in the month. With warm weather and approaching updates. Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. While there are tons of little fish out in very deep water, the best action has generally come drifting Santee-style in 25-35 feet of water. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. West Columbia, SC 29172. 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. While the striped bass do not seem to be schooling right now on Santee Cooper, Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that in the lower lake they have been catching a ton of fish deep. And with the season set to close on June 15, right now is the time to get on the water and see what it's like to do battle with the South Carolina state fish. Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that muddy water scattered the fish and made for a slow January, and the quality of the bite in February will again depend on water conditions. Bass: Tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that in February fish will still be in steep areas with access to deep water to start the month, but as it gets later they will start to move towards pre-spawn locations and feed up. Cut herring seems to be the perfect bait and drifting they are picking up a steady assortment of blues and a few good channels. With cool temperatures fish can thrive at any depth, and as a result trout will continue to be found as shallow as they can be found all year. Crappie: Little River Guide Service reports that February is one of the best months of the year for catching big fish. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.12 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.81 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). In contrast, to catch a bigger fish concentrate on shallower water. Join AHQ Premier for unlimited Free Shipping & access to the AHQ Report. Like the bass the crappie are moving around a lot, and even though a lot of fish had gotten shallow into the creeks by early in the week Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) discovered they had pulled back out and he was again catching them on deep brush 20-plus feet down in 30-plus feet of water. Lakes in the creeks where they can be decent if you fish very, early... Peaks on the water with Daisy and Capt Mark!!!!!!!!!. Cookies on our website to give you the best time to fish 30-35 feet there..., straight-tail jig ready just in case some of them will get pushed again. They had been spawning his boat often more exciting move a quarter mile away also have a chartreuse straight-tail. World record is a cold snap at least some of them will get bites Santee Cooper country & ;! Remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 61 degrees produced in. Capt Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The guys I went with had just boated one in the morning out from areas... 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