Water temperatures are likely to drop as much as 10-15 degrees in the shallow lake with this hard freeze, and he expects bass to run out of the shallows like their houses are on fire. You dont want to fish large, flats pockets like the ones fish would spawn on. raysedgwick8@yahoo.com. The action for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes can still be really good, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that right now the fish seem to be unusually particular about what bait they will eat. There is also still a good anchored bite early and then a good deeper drift in 25-40 feet of water. 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. 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. 9 reviews #1 of 1 Restaurant in Pineville $$ - $$$ Seafood. 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. 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. Look in sandy areas where the fish can fan a bed and fish with crickets or worms. This weekend Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) has several trips for crappie again after some time off, and his best guess is that the fish will be scattered 10-20 feet down over middle depth to deep brush. The spawn is underway and will continue through the summer. 110,600 acres View Map Premium Mapping Find Local Fishing Spots on the Interactive Map! The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. FOIA | Privacy Policy | Report Light tackle, tiny lures producing great catches during annual run While they are not catching a lot of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. Check if there's an unpleasant odor that arrives from the lake. The two reservoirs cover over 170,000 acres combined, plus a 6-mile . The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. 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 most recent bream spawn was also disappointing, and even when he found big beds there werent many fish on them. Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that February should be a very good month for catfish on Lake Thurmond. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. If you're not familiar with the lake . Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s. 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. Bass: Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in February fish will still be related to deep brush or rock until it gets time for them to move towards their pre-spawn and then spawning locations. 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. These services are no longer offered at 1000 Assembly Street in Downtown Columbia. Santee Cooper Lakes were ranked third in Bassmaster Magazine's list of 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2021, and they earned the 23rd spot as best lakes of the decade in 2020. Stevie reports that they are still catching some fish shallow at night but the daytime bite has been pretty tough. With a relatively mild winter the crappie fishing has not slowed down yet on Santee Cooper, and even though Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that by the middle of December he has usually abandoned the upper lake both lakes are still fishing very well. The upper lake is slow but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.51 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.53 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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). Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.76 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are dingy. Herring is his bait of choice. Click here for 30 day free trial! The fish can be a little finicky in February, but they do still eat, and by the end of the month the bite is often improving. He switched over to catching channel catfish, and on dip baits they have been wearing them out in the canal. 1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201 As the weather warms they will begin to stage for the spawn and can be caught trolling in the backs of creeks. Everything he is catching is coming around scattered wood and grass in the 4-6 foot range. 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. Its not the way he prefers to catch them, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass on Santee Cooper have moved deeper and hes now having to target fish in 8-15 feet. As a result fish are scattered out pretty much everywhere, and he has caught some fish on brush but there are also some fish being caught up shallow around bank cover. The fish they have caught have been 8-12 feet down over brush in 15-20 feet of water. Its a good idea to have both. Closed now : See all hours. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. 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 page is for all the local clubs and fishermen in the area to share tournament and fishing information. They are catching everything casting at shallow stuff with jigs, be it grass, stumps or lily pads. 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. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is clear. Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that patterns in February are almost entirely dependent on weather. Learn more. This time of year can be some of the best time of the year to catch alot of fish. moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in Artificial lures like small swimbaits and flukes on a Scrounger head will often out-fish herring, and if there is a weak morning bite its often a sign of a strong afternoon bite. Right of Way Management. 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. The best patterns for blue catfish seem to be anchoring early and then drifting during the day in 10-30 feet of water. Mayflies have been hatching periodically and will continue to do so for the next month or two. But the bite has been very good, and yesterday they caught 29 crappie in the upper lake and 50 bluegill and 8 crappie the day before in the lower lake. Form 1099-INT (interest earned or paid) Form 1099-DIV (dividends, including those from stocks or mutual funds) 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). Bass: Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that in February fish will still be concentrating on shad, but what lures they will be willing to eat will depend on water temperature. The Palmetto Trail passes through the Resort. If you follow this pattern during April, I promise you're going to catch catfish and even maybe a monster. Lunkers are still in shallow, with a little spawning View Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Reports. Usually they are back in protected areas, and grass is often a magnet for them. Trout: Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that in February the trout fishing should continue to improve from what has been a good January. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. The top rated upstate crappie lake in the past few years has been Lake Hartwell and that's predicted to remain the exact 2017. While there are some dirty spots the lakes are basically returning to normal clarity. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.21 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.19 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The State Farmers Market has convenient parking and easy access to both I-77 and I-26. Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) Waterbodies: Santee River; Species: Largemouth Bass; Smallmouth Bass; . AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2022 Week 25 Fishing Report - Updated June 23 by Jay 23 June, 2022 June 23 Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.12 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.09 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. 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. He has had the best luck drifting in 10-20 feet of water on cut herring, although at night he is finding much better fishing out deep in 25-40 feet. Cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the best baits. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. Cut herring are good for numbers while white perch will work to try for a bigger one. During this time frame anglers can harvest three stripers that measure . Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. 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. With over 20 years guiding experience fishing the Santee Cooper Lakes, we offer a 100 lb. 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. This time of year you will see some of the biggest stripers coming from trolling stretch 25 and Alabama rigs deep in 40-50 ft of water. wigglers and crickets are the best baits. outside structure 15' to 25'. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. 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. Updates. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. Come enjoy a day on the water with Daisy and Capt Mark !! However, this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn. We are also starting to catch some real nice fish long lining in 30ft. 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. One tree along the edge of the old river channel was absolutely loaded with bluegill and they eventually left them biting. Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that on one recent trip they caught 25 over 1 pound and fish up to two pounds. Cast plastic swim baits into the schools. The AHQ Report is your source for exclusive fishing reports, tournament updates, and more! Fish Consumption Advisories, SCDNR at the State The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. The upper lake has been fishing a bit better than the lower lake recently, and the best action has come 12-14 feet down over brush in 22-25 feet of water. Obviously bait is up there first thing because we are nowhere close to the other reason catfish come shallow to spawn. Some of the fish have already started to spawn while others are shallow looking for spawning areas. 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. Still catching plenty of catfish in 40 to 55 foot of water as well as shallower flats and creeks in 2-25 ft. We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. They are still getting a lot of pull-downs but the fish wont commit as well. With another cold front coming that pattern may be repeated in the next few days. He has found that small blueback herring are working better than chicken, although both will get bites. They will be caught on shakey head worms, jerkbaits, and square-billed crankbaits. 2018-19 SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. Now is the time to catch the fish of a lifetime. Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. The upper lake has slowed down but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Fishing live bait on Santee-Cooper is an excellent wintertime tactic. You do not have to move a quarter mile away. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. However, they are really having to work for them, and the bite usually gets tougher in the heat, so before long he will be taking a break from the crappie. If it stays cold then they will stay deeper. 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. Morning surface water temperatures have hit the lower 60s. Catfish: Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in February drifting deep water is still the best bet, but on very warm days there can be a night/ evening bite in shallow water. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. Boat rentals and fish guides are also available. Front row cabin with either jon boat or pontoon boat rigged for fishing, including depth finder, rod holders and all Coast Guard equipment. Multiple species of fish are in spawning mode, with stripers, largemouth bass and crappie in their annual reproductive rituals. Brett has only been fishing shad-colored crankbaits, but red crankbaits, swimbaits and more should also work. At the beginning of the month fish should be closer to the river channel or the mouths of creeks where they can be caught tight-lining deep, but if conditions warm significantly in the backs of creeks then fish should move shallower into pre-spawn locations. On the other hand Captain Brett Mitchell is fishing shallower in 15-25 feet of water, drifting over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Diverse fishery also offers excellent largemouth, catfish, Crappie and bream. 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. Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that early in the month winter patterns will be unchanged, but as water temperatures begin to warm in February bass will start to migrate toward shallower water and structure as the pre-spawn stage begins. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. About 3 feet of water has been the magic number for catching these fish. Winning results were as follows: AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 8 Fishing Report Updated February 24. Crappie and Bream: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that January continued to produce a few good crappie on minnows around deep brush, and early February should be the same. It was another good weekend for bass on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Sunday Showdown Series tournament was won with a three-fish limit of 19 pounds! The catfish action is still a little slow on Santee, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that if you work hard you can still put a nice box of fish in the boat. Morning surface water temperatures range between 85 and 90 degrees. 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. Perhaps the most exciting action right now is coming for striped bass, and while you cant count on it there has been a fair amount of schooling activity in the upper lake. Some schooling in shallowflats has At approximately 2789 feet 850 meters above sea level and pierced with sundry. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. Boat has a full enclosure to stay warm. 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. These fish are extremely difficult to target with conventional bass fishing techniques. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. Santee & Cooper River Fishing Page And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. 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. Toyota Series - Lake Guntersville - Day 2 weigh-in (2/18/2023) Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that February can yield some big fish on Lake Monticello, and anchoring around deep structure is usually the best pattern. Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. 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. Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he is seeing about the same thing, and on one recent trip the sweet spot was about 16-18 feet. We are around a full moon now so the next one should bring the biggest wave of spawners. 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