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South Carolina Freshwater Fishing Trends - 9/29/2008
September 29, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com
. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Bream: Excellent. For keeper sized bream move off the banks a bit and fish in 10-15 feet with crickets.
- Catfish: Very good. Fish in 15-20 feet in the mouths of rivers and creeks. Anchor nightcrawlers or minnows on the bottom.
- Trout: Good. Troll in 80-95 feet during the day using large minnows or lures like trolling spoons.
- Black Bass: Slow. From 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. try topwater lures such as buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, and noisy lures like jitterbugs, or crankbaits.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Early in the morning fish topwater Lake Fork or Sebile swimbaits in Magic Shad and shad colors around boat docks and main lake points. Best fishing is coming in the Cane Creek and Mile Creek areas.
- Crappie: Fair. Crappie are in deep water, but night fishermen are doing well off and on by fishing up against bridge pilings with a light to attract bait and crappie.
- Bream: Fair. Bream are still available around the banks in 3 to 15 feet of water.
- Catfish: Very good. At night catfish are moving onto lake flats and feeding very well. Use cut herring or bream.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. Fish are biting at 30 to 50 feet over 100 to 140 feet of water in the channel between Anderson Island and the dam. Downrods with live bait and trolling with downriggers and lead core line are both effective.
- Bream: Good. Bream are in shallow water and continue to feed aggressively. For bigger bream back off the bank into 5 to 15 feet of water and use crickets or worms.
- Largemouth Bass: Slow. Early and late look for topwater action off shoals and points, but the bite is tough right now on Hartwell.
- Striped Bass: Good. For big fish target the area from Smith McKee up with big baits. The lower tail race area has also been productive for numbers of fish and occasional very large ones.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Most anglers fishing for bass are fishing at night with dark plastics worms. There are also isolated reports of good topwater action early in the morning; switch to plastic worms once the sun gets up.
- Crappie: Fair. There are reports of decent numbers of crappie being caught trolling up Beaverdam Creek in the late evening and around structure under lights at night.
Lake Thurmond:
- Catfish: Good. Fish deep with cut or whole herring on the bottom. Bream: Good. Bream fishing continues to be good, even with low water conditions. Fish in 2 to 10 feet of water with crickets or worms.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair. Small striper are being caught in the mouths of creeks, but overall striper fishing has been slow. Looking for cooling temperatures to improve fishing.
- Crappie: Fair. Crappie are deep, but can be caught around bridges at night. Also look for brush in 25 to 35 feet of water although it is hard to find with low water; minnows are producing better than jigs.
- Largemouth Bass: Slow. Try Carolina rigged plastic worms fished deep around points and creek mouths. Occasional schooling activity has been reported, but it is sporadic.
- Largemouth Bass: Slow. Carolina rigged plastic worms fished deep around points and creek mouths.
Lake Wylie:
- Catfish: Very good. Catfishing remains strong, and some very large catfish are also being caught. White perch fishermen are also finding medium sized catfish mixed in with perch schools and feeding on small shad and minnows.
- Bream: Very good. Use crickets or worms and fish shallow structure around the shoreline.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish can be located shallow, and topwater lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jig n pigs, and plastic worms are all working. Buzzbaits have also been effective at night.
- White Perch: Good. Some really nice catches are being made in 18 to 20 feet of water using minnows or silver spoons.
- Crappie: Fair to good. Crappie fishing is fast improving, and fish can be located around in 18 to 20 feet of water around brush.
- Catfish: Very good. Big flathead catfish can be caught in 10 to 15 feet of water around heavy brush which is close to ledges. For numbers of smaller catfish fish the upper part of the lake with stinkbaits, cut bait or worms in 12 to 15 feet of water, and try fishing at night.
- Bream: Very good. Bream action is still very strong in shallow water 3 to 4 feet deep. Use crickets and red worms.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. The best action is coming when fish are schooling on the surface on cloudy days and early and late. These fish can be caught on either traditional topwater lures or crankbaits cast into schools, and the best action is coming in the mid-lake area from Goat Island to the state park.
- Striped Bass: Fair. Increasing schooling activity has been reported in the last few weeks, and largemouth bass and white perch are still mixed in with the schooling striper.
Lake Wateree:
- Catfish: Very good. For numbers of fish target the lake flats using cut bait and gizzard shad. Creek mouths where the creeks meet the main river channel are great places to anchor up for bigger catfish.
- Bream: Good. Bream continue to be caught in good numbers. Fish 3 to 6 feet of water using worms and crickets.
- Largemouth Bass: Slow. Lake Wateree bass fishing remains difficult, and few people are catching fish - even those who do are not reporting consistency from day to day. Look for cooling water temperatures to improve the bite within the next couple of weeks.
Lake Murray:
- Bream: Excellent. Fish in 12 to 20 feet of water using crickets and worms on the bottom.
- Catfish: Good. Catfish are being caught in 8 to 15 feet of water on the bottom. Use cut bait or nightcrawlers.
- Striped Bass: Fair. Striped bass are beginning to spread out and scatter across the lake, particularly in the area from the dam down to Billy Dreher Island. Schooling action is also beginning to be reported around the lake. In the big water near the dam best action is coming fishing downrods in 60 to 70 feet.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Topwater action is still the most consistent bite; very early in the morning and late in the day fish topwater lures like flukes and Zara Spooks.
Santee Cooper System           Â
Lake Marion:
- Catfish: Very good. Both blues and flatheads are biting very well on cut bait. During the day they are holding deep in 25 to 40 feet but they are moving shallower at night and to feed.
- Bream: Very good. Bream are continuing to feed well. Use crickets or red worms.
- Crappie: Fair. Fish are still concentrated around brush down as deep as 25 feet.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Largemouth bass fishing has slowed down with warmer temperatures; try Texas rigged worms around deep structure.
Diversion Canal:
- Catfish: Erratic. Fish on the bottom in 30 feet of water using chicken livers; fish will mainly be eating size, but catfish up to 30 pounds have been caught recently on this bait.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. On days when water is being pulled through the canal fishing has been very good.
- Bream: Fair. Shellcracker are being caught in the canal, but not in great numbers. Fish with nightcrawlers along drop-offs.
Lake Moultrie:
- Catfish: Very good. Catfish continue to bite well in 25 to 40 feet. Fresh cut bait such as strips of gizzard shad, white perch, and mullet are all productive.
- Crappie: Fair. Crappie fishing is beginning to improve and fish are being caught in 10 to 14 feet in Lake Moultrie. Use minnows and jigs around brush, docks, and other structure.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging, but look for shallow bass fishing to improve as water temperatures drop.
Related posts
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South Carolina Freshwater Fishing Trends - 7/14/2008
July 14, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Trout: Very good. Very nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 60 - 80 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone. Fishing early and late is best.
- Black Bass: Excellent. Bass fishing continues to be very strong. Early morning the best action is coming on topwater lures until the sun gets high around 9 or 10 a.m. By 10 a.m. move out to deeper water and throw soft plastics along 10 - 15 foot drop offs on main and secondary points.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Very good. Early in the morning Lake Fork swimbaits have been productive in the upper part of the lake when the baitfish are moving - magic shad and albino colors have been most productive. Spotted bass have been biting very well on Bill Lewis rattle traps and shallow running crankbaits in bluegill and chartreuse orange colors in 5 to 20 feet in the backs of coves and around islands.
- Crappie: Fair. Crappie have moved out to 30-40 feet of water and can be caught fishing up against bridge pilings at night.
- Bream: Very good. Fish crickets in 5 to 15 feet of water.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Fish in 55-65 feet of water with downrods set at 25 to 30 feet. Try out lead core line and lures such as Cisco Kid and other similar ones as the thermocline may be developing quicker than ever.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Early and late there is still good topwater action along points, and as the sun gets higher switch to shaky head worms and Carolina rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water.
- Bream: Very good. Bream have moved into very shallow water and are feeding aggressively.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Try Carolina Rigging or fishing finesse worms in 15 to 20 feet of water, and green pumpkinseed and purple worms are good choices, as is watermelon color. Jigs are also a good choice.
- Crappie: Fair. There are reports of decent numbers of crappie being caught trolling up Beaverdam Creek in the late evening.
- Bream: Good. Fish have moved into shallow water. Use crickets and red worms.
Lake Thurmond:
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Striper fishing in 45 feet of water under the 378 bridge is very strong using live herring. Cut bait fished around points is also producing.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Early in the morning bass are being caught around secondary points using Zara Spooks.
- Crappie: Good. Crappie have moved back out to deeper water but can be caught around brush piles and bridges at night.
- Shellcracker: Excellent. Target shellcracker using red worms, pink worms, and crickets.
Lake Wylie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. First thing in the morning fish topwater Pop-Rs over main channel points in about 8 feet of water - bass are schooling. Night fishing is becoming the preferred time to catch fish - deep crankbaits, dark worms, and jigging spoons are all productive.
- White Perch: Very good. Fish in 18-22 feet of water on drops next to river channels and look for sandy bottoms. Use a minnow or small spoon lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly; crickets will also work.
- Bream: Very good. Use crickets or worms and try to “smell out” the beds.
- Catfish: Good. Use mussels, shrimp, and stinkbaits. Night fishing is good in shallow water.
- Largemouth Bass: From very early until 8 a.m. topwaters and floating worms are productive fished around blocks walls, drops, and riprap. At night fish dark plastic worms around piers or brush piles.
- Striped Bass: Fair. A few anglers are catching fish with bucktail jigs trolled in 30 feet of water.
- Crappie: Very slow. Crappie have moved out over deep brush piles.
- Bream: Good to very good. Use crickets and worms fished in 3-5 feet around docks and tree tops.
- Catfish: Very good. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms in 12 to 15 feet of water and try fishing at night.
Lake Wateree:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair to Good. Throw soft plastics - both floating worms and Texas rigged worms - around shallow grass and docks in the mid-lake area. The Zoom trick worm in green pumpkin has been hot. The best bite is early, but even once it starts to get warmer shallow docks and other shady areas still hold fish.
- Catfish: Very good. For numbers of fish target the lake flats using cut bait and gizzard shad. Creek mouths where the creeks meet the main river channel are great places to anchor up for bigger catfish.
- Bream: Very good. Fish 1 to 5 feet of water using worms and crickets.
Lake Murray:
- Striped Bass: Good. Striped bass fishermen are most successful in the lower lake fishing in 55 to 65 feet. The predominate catch is coming with down rods baited with live herring, although some fishermen are being just as productive suspending cut herring at the depth they mark the fish in the same areas.
- Largemouth Bass: Tough. Early in the day fish topwaters like pencil poppers, Zara Spooks, Sammys, and flukes.
- Crappie: Poor. No one seems to be finding the crappie right now, except a few guides and other anglers who have favorite deep brushpiles.
- Shellcracker: Good. Fish 8 to 12 feet of water on crickets or worms.
- Bream: Very good. Bream are still shallow. Use crickets.
- Catfish: Good. Cut herring and nightcrawlers are producing over most any area of the lake from the campground down to the dam.
Santee Cooper System           Â
Lake Marion:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Some really large bass are still being caught, though; fish Texas rigged worms in slightly deeper areas.
- Catfish: Very good. Towards the dam catfish are in 15-25 feet of water. The bite is hot using cut bait, stinkbaits, or worms.
- Crappie: Fair. Try to locate brush in 25 to 30 feet and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish shallow using worms and crickets.
Diversion Canal:
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish are being caught throughout the canal; some fish are spawning and others have backed off into slightly deeper water. The bite is best when water is being pulled through the canal.
- Catfish: Very good. Anchor or slowly drift cut bait.
- Bass: Good. Largemouth are stacked in the canal around drops where the water goes from shallow to 15 feet almost vertically.
Lake Moultrie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging in deeper water.
- Catfish: Very good. At night large flatheads and blues are both being caught in shallow water. During the day bigger fish seem to be keying on the sides of hills and underwater humps in 18 to 24 feet of water, although they may be shallower at times. Best catches are coming using cut mullet and herring.
- Crappie: Fair. Look for structure in 20 to 25 feet of water and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and shellcracker: Very good. Fish 1-5 feet for bluegills and 8 to 10 feet for shellcracker.
Related posts
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South Carolina Freshwater Fishing Trends - 6/30/2008
June 30, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Trout: Very good. Very nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 50 - 70 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone. Night fishing continues to be productive with large fish and good numbers being caught.
- Black Bass: Excellent. Early morning the best action is coming on topwater lures until the sun gets high around 9 or 10 a.m. Areas that have rocks and some wood seem to be most productive, and the hot lure remains dark swamp crawler green pumpkin Zoom trick worms.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Very good. Early and late topwater action is very good, and Lake Fork Swimbaits and Lucky Craft Sammys fished around boat docks, points and in the backs of coves are productive. Watermelon seed and pumpkinseed are hot colors, and the upper end of the lake has been most productive.
- Crappie: Good. Crappie have moved out to 30-40 feet of water and can be caught fishing up against bridge pilings at night.
- Bream: Good. Fish live crickets, minnows, and worms in 5 to 15 feet of water.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Fish in 50-60 feet of water with downrods set at 20 to 25 feet. Try out lead core line and lures such as Cisco Kid and other similar ones as the thermocline may be developing quicker than ever. Visit the Lake Hartwell message board at SCFishingReport.com for more.
- Largemouth Bass: Very good. In the early morning use topwater lures along points and as the sun gets higher switch to shaky head worms and Carolina rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water.
- Bream: Good. Fish shallow water with crickets and night crawlers.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Overall the topwater bite has been strong first thing, and then later anglers are having to fish deep around the trees. Try Carolina Rigging or fishing finesse worms in 15 to 20 feet of water, and green pumpkinseed and purple worms are good choices, as is watermelon color.
- Crappie: Fair. There are reports of decent numbers of crappie being caught trolling up Beaverdam Creek in the late evening.
- Bream: Good. Fish have moved into shallow water. Use crickets and red worms.
Lake Thurmond:
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Striper fishing in 45 feet of water under the 378 bridge is very strong using live herring.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Early in the morning bass are being caught around secondary points using Zara Spooks.
- Crappie: Good. Look for brush in 20 to 25 feet of water; minnows are producing better than jigs.
- Shellcracker: Excellent. Target shellcracker using red worms, pink worms, and crickets.
Lake Wylie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. First thing in the morning fish topwater Pop-Rs over main channel points in about 8 feet of water. After 10 a.m. or so move deeper and fish the drops using Carolina rigs with an extra long leader- a strong color is watermelon seed dipped in chartreuse glow dye.
- White Perch: Good. Fish in 18-24 feet of water next to river channels and look for sandy bottoms. Use a minnow or small spoon lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly; crickets will also work.
- Shellcracker: Very good. Fish deep drops using red worms fished on a dead line.
- Catfish: Good. Use mussels, shrimp, and stinkbaits.
- Largemouth Bass: From very early until 8 a.m. topwaters and floating worms are productive fished around blocks walls, drops, and riprap.
- Striped Bass: Fair. A few anglers are catching fish with bucktail jigs trolled in 30 feet of water.
- Crappie: Very slow. Crappie have moved out over deep brush piles.
- Bream: Good to very good. The fish are bedding and can be caught using crickets and worms fished in 3-5 feet around docks and tree tops.
- Catfish: Very good. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms in 12 to 15 feet of water.
Lake Wateree:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. The most successful patterns seem to be throwing soft plastics - both floating worms and Texas rigged worms - around grass and docks. The Zoom trick worm in green pumpkin has been hot.
- Catfish: Very good. Creek mouths where the creeks meet the main river channel are great places to anchor up for bigger catfish.
- Bream: Very good. Fish 1 to 5 feet of water using worms and crickets.
Lake Murray:
- Striped Bass: Good. The predominate catch is coming with down rods baited with live herring, although some fishermen are being just as productive suspending cut herring at the depth they mark the fish in the same areas. Night fishing is become more productive, fishing deep with downriggers and lead core lines.
- Largemouth Bass: Tough. Early in the day fish topwaters like pencil poppers, Zara Spooks, Sammys, and flukes. Later in the day switch to Carolina or Texas rigging with larger worms in the 8 inch range off points.
- Crappie: Poor. Try deep brushpiles. Shellcracker: Good. Fish in 8 to 12 feet of water on crickets or worms.
- Bream: Very good. Bream are still shallow. Use crickets.
- Catfish: Good. Cut herring and nightcrawlers are producing over most any area of the lake from the campground down to the dam.
Santee Cooper System           Â
Lake Marion:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Some really large bass are still being caught with Texas rigged worms in slightly deeper areas.
- Catfish: Very good. At the upper end of the lake some large catfish are being caught in shallow water but not consistently. The bite is hot using cut bait, stinkbaits, or worms.
- Crappie: Fair. Try to locate brush in 25 to 30 feet and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Pack’s Landing reports few spawning bream at the upper end of the lake, but lower down towards the dam the bite is very good. Fish shallow using worms and crickets.
Lake Moultrie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging in deep water.
- Catfish: Very good. During the day bigger fish seem to be keying on the sides of hills and underwater humps in 18 to 24 feet of water, although they may be shallower at times. Best catches are coming using cut mullet and herring.
- Crappie: Fair. Look for structure in 20 to 25 feet of water and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and shellcracker: Very good. Most shellcracker have already backed off onto deeper water. Fish 1-5 feet for bluegills and 8 to 10 feet for shellcracker.
South Carolina Rivers
Chattooga River
- Trout: Good.
- Fly Fishing report: The area from Pig Pen Creek up to the North Carolina border should still hold trout, though, and dry flies like the Light Hendrickson, Light Cahill, Addams, and lighter caddis flies tied out of elkhair should produce. Also, any nymph will work and in 2-3 weeks the transition to terrestrial food sources should begin.
Saluda River
- Striped Bass: Fair. The best region is above the zoo, and concentrations of fish are highest up towards the dam. Throw large plugs, topwater poppers, or fish live shad or herring under corks or on the bottom. Remember, no striper may be kept until October 1.
- Catfish: Good. Lots of catfish are being reported caught between Corley Mill and the zoo. Fish cut herring, other cut fish, or nightcrawlers on the bottom in deep holes.
- Shellcracker: Good. Fish deep holes where you can’t quite see the bottom for best results.
Santee Diversion Canal
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. The bite is best when water is being pulled through the canal.
- Catfish: Very good. Anchor or slowly drift cut bait at night.
- Bass: Good. Largemouth are stacked in the canal around drops where the water goes from shallow to 15 feet almost vertically.
Savannah River
- Striped/ Hybrid Bass: Hit or miss. Mullet are starting to come up the river, however, and the striper will not be far behind them.
Related posts
0
South Carolina Freshwater Fishing Trends - 6/23/2008
June 23, 2008
Fishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
- Trout: Very good. Very nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 50 - 70 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone. Night fishing continues to be productive with large fish and good numbers being caught; troll the rivers for best success.
- Black Bass: Excellent. Early morning the best action is coming on topwater lures until the sun gets high around 9 or 10 a.m. By 10 a.m. move out to deeper water and throw soft plastics along 10 - 15 foot drop offs on main and secondary points.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Very good. Early and late topwater action is very good, and Lake Fork Swimbaits and Lucky Craft Sammys fished around boat docks, points and in the backs of coves are productive. Later in the day shallow running crankbaits in 5 to 25 feet and Carolina rigged or shaky head worms in 15 to 40 feet are working.
- Crappie: Good. Crappie have moved out to 30-40 feet of water and can be caught fishing up against bridge pilings at night.
- Bream: Good. Fish live crickets, minnows, and worms in 5 to 15 feet of water.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Fish in 50-60 feet of water with downrods set at 20 to 25 feet. Try out lead core line and lures such as Cisco Kid and other similar ones as the thermocline may be developing quicker than ever.
- Largemouth Bass: Very good. In the early morning use topwater lures along points, and as the sun gets higher switch to shaky head worms and Carolina rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water.
- Bream: Good. Bream have moved into very shallow water and are feeding aggressively.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Overall the topwater bite has been strong first thing, and then later anglers are having to fish deep around the trees. Try Carolina Rigging or fishing finesse worms in 15 to 20 feet of water, and green pumpkinseed and purple worms are good choices, as is watermelon color. Jigs are also a good choice.
- Crappie: Fair. There are reports of decent numbers of crappie being caught trolling up Beaverdam Creek in the late evening.
- Bream: Good. Fish have already moved into shallow water.
Lake Thurmond:
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Striper fishing in 45 feet of water under the 378 bridge is very strong using live herring. Cut bait fished around points is also producing.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Early in the morning bass are being caught around secondary points using Zara Spooks.
- Crappie: Good. Look for brush in 20 to 25 feet of water; minnows are producing better than jigs.
- Shellcracker: Excellent. Use red worms, pink worms, and crickets.
Lake Wylie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. First thing in the morning fish topwater Pop-Rs over main channel points in about 8 feet of water. After 10 a.m. or so move deeper and fish the drops using Carolina rigs with an extra long leader- a strong color is watermelon seed dipped in chartreuse glow dye.
- White Perch: Good. Fish in 18-24 feet of water next to river channels and look for sandy bottoms. Use a minnow or small spoon lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly; crickets will also work.
- Shellcracker: Very good. Fish deep drops using red worms fished on a dead line.
- Catfish: Excellent. Catfishing is easy right now and anglers are tearing up the fish using mussels, shrimp, and stinkbaits.
Midlands Area
Lake Greenwood:
- Largemouth Bass: From very early until 8 a.m. topwaters and floating worms are productive fished around blocks walls, drops, and riprap. Later in the day fishing is tougher and anglers are targeting ledges with Carolina rigs and finesse worms.
- Striped Bass: Fair. A few anglers are catching fish with bucktail jigs trolled in 30 feet of water.
- Crappie: Very slow. Crappie have moved out over deep brush piles and are also occasionally being caught drifting over deep water. Bream: Good to very good. Use crickets and worms fished in 3-5 feet around docks and tree tops.
- Catfish: Very good. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms in 12 to 15 feet of water, and try fishing at night.
Lake Wateree
- Largemouth Bass: Tough. The most successful patterns seem to be throwing soft plastics - both floating worms and Texas rigged worms - around grass and docks. The best bite is early. Night fishing with dark plastic worms around heavy brush is also successful.
- Catfish: Very good. Large fish can be caught on cut bait almost anywhere along the river channel from the upper lake down to the dam. Bream: Very good. Fish 1 to 5 feet of water using worms and crickets.
Lake Murray:
- Striped Bass: Good. Use down rods baited with live herring, although some fishermen are being just as productive suspending cut herring at the depth they mark the fish in the same areas. Deep humps and the towers are both productive, and lower lake creeks are also productive.
- Largemouth Bass: Tough. Early in the day fish topwaters like pencil poppers, Zara Spooks, Sammys, and flukes. Later in the day switch to Carolina or Texas rigging with larger worms in the 8 inch range off points.
- Crappie: Poor. Check deep brushpiles.
- Shellcracker: Good. 8 to 12 feet of water caught on crickets or worms. Bream: Very good. Bream are still shallow. Use crickets.
- Catfish: Good. Cut herring and nightcrawlers are producing over most any area of the lake from the campground down to the dam.
Santee Cooper System
Lake Marion:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Some really large bass are still being caught, though; fish Texas rigged worms in slightly deeper areas.
- Catfish: Very good. At the upper end of the lake some large catfish are being caught in shallow water but not consistently. The bite is hot using cut bait, stinkbaits, or worms.
- Crappie: Fair. Try to locate brush in 25 to 30 feet and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish shallow using worms and crickets.
Lake Moultrie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging.
- Catfish: Very good. Drifting is productive, as well as anchoring and fishing cut bait on the bottom when the lake is too calm to drift. Best catches are coming using cut mullet and herring.
- Crappie: Fair. Look for structure in 20 to 25 feet of water and fish minnows vertically.
- Bream and shellcracker: Very good. Fish 1-5 feet for bluegills and 8 to 10 feet for shellcracker.
South Carolina Rivers
Chattooga River
- Trout: Good.
- Fly Fishing report: The dry fly season is winding down, and fishermen are starting to head north for colder waters. The area from Pig Pen Creek up to the North Carolina border should still hold trout, though, and dry flies like the Light Hendrickson, Light Cahill, Addams, and lighter caddis flies tied out of elkhair should produce.
Saluda River
- Striped Bass: Fair. Some striper have been caught in the river but overall fishing is still down. Throw large plugs, topwater poppers, or fish live shad or herring under corks or on the bottom.
- Catfish: Good. Lots of catfish are being reported caught between Corley Mill and the zoo. Fish cut herring, other cut fish, or nightcrawlers on the bottom in deep holes.
- Shellcracker: Good. Fish deep holes.
Santee Diversion Canal
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. The bite is best when water is being pulled through the canal.
- Catfish: Very good. Flathead catfish up to 50 and 60 pounds are being caught in the canal at night. Anchor or slowly drift cut bait.
- Bass: Good. Largemouth are stacked in the canal around drops where the water goes from shallow to 15 feet almost vertically.
Savannah River
- Striped/ Hybrid Bass: Hit or miss. When the correct gates are open on the Lake Thurmond Dam action can be fast, but at other times fish are not feeding.
Related posts
1
South Carolina Freshwater Fishing Trends - 6/16/2008
June 16, 2008
- Trout: Very good. Nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 50 - 70 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone.
- Largemouth and Redeye Bass: Excellent. Fish have finished spawning but are still up against the banks. The hot lure remains dark swamp crawler green pumpkin Zoom worms.
- Smallmouth Bass: Excellent. Fish Texas rigged worms around rocky points and shallows.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish Carolina rigged worms in watermelon, chartreuse, and pumpkin seed colors around islands and boat docks. Around the North end of the lake Lake Fork swimbaits in magic shad, blue back herring, and pearl white are producing good numbers of fish slow rolling around points and coves.
- Spotted Bass: Very good. Spots are biting very well on shallow running crankbaits fished in 18 to 25 feet of water. Fish the upper part of the lake around Mile Creek and High Falls.
- Crappie: Good. Crappie have moved out to 20-25 feet of water and can be caught fishing up against bridge pilings at night.
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. From 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. lots of fish are breaking water all over the Seneca, but many of them are short. Later on large schools of fish are being marked from 30 to 35 feet, but enticing them to bite is difficult.
- Largemouth Bass: Very good. Some bass are still shallow and being caught on spinnerbaits. In deeper water many anglers are targeting bass fishing large worms like the Zoom Mag 2 in Tequila Sunrise, black and green pumpkinseed colors. Later in the day many people are Carolina rigging around points.
- Bream: Good. Bream have moved into very shallow water and are feeding aggressively.
- Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Try Carolina Rigging or fishing finesse worms in 10 to 15 feet of water. Green pumpkinseed and purple worms are good choices, as is watermelon color.
- Catfish: Good, using cut bait and nightcrawlers along the bottom.
- Bream and shellcracker: Good. Fish have already moved into shallow water.
Lake Thurmond:
- Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Striper fishing in 45 feet of water under the 378 bridge is very strong using live herring.
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Early in the morning bass are being caught around secondary points using Zara Spooks.
- Crappie: Good. Look for brush in 20 to 25 feet of water; minnows are producing better than jigs.
- Shellcracker: Excellent. Target shellcracker using red worms, pink worms, and crickets.
Lake Wylie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. After 10 a.m. or so move deeper and fish the drops using Carolina rigs with an extra long leader- a strong color is watermelon seed dipped in chartreuse glow dye. Finesse worms in cotton candy, kudzu and green worked very slowly are also productive.
- White Perch: Fair. Fish in 18-24 feet of water next to river channels and look for sandy bottoms. Use a minnow or small spoon lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly.
- Shellcracker: Very good. Fish deep drops using red worms fished on a dead line.
- Catfish: Very good. Anglers are catching large numbers of catfish fishing with mussels, shrimp, and stinkbaits.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Early, late and nights are the most productive times to fish for bass right now. Use floating worms around rock piles, brushpiles and drop-offs along the bank.
- Crappie: Slow. Crappie have moved out over deep brush piles.
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish 2-5 feet of water using crickets and red worms.
- Catfish: Very good. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms, and try fishing at night.
Lake Wateree:
- Largemouth Bass: Tough. Some schooling action is beginning to be reported and spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and plastic worms are all producing off and on - people are throwing everything and have yet to find a pattern that is consistently working.
- Crappie: Fair. Trolling with jigs and minnows is most effective, and the June Creek area has been productive.
- Catfish: Very good. Target big blue cats using cut bait fished on the edges of holes. Fish are being caught on stinkbaits, worms, cut bait, and live bait fished on the bottom.
- Bream: Very good. Fish 1 to 5 feet of water using worms and crickets.
Lake Murray:
- Striped Bass: Good. Best action is coming fishing down rods with live bait in 30 to 60 feet of water. Cut bait is also working well in the middle of the day, and early and late look for schooling fish chasing bait up to the surface.
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Early morning topwater with pencil poppers, Zara Spooks, and buzzbaits may be productive. Later in the day switch to shaky head worms in watermelon candy and green pumpkinseed colors fished in 2 to 15 feet of water.
- Crappie: Poor. Check deep brushpiles.
- Shellcracker and bream: Good. Fish red worms and baby nightcrawlers around the banks and a few feet off.
- Catfish: Good. Cut herring and nightcrawlers are producing over most of the lake.
Santee Cooper System           Â
Lake Marion:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Fish Texas rigged worms in slightly deeper areas.
- Catfish: Good. Towards the dam catfish are staying deep during the day but being caught shallow at night.
- Crappie: Slow. Crappie are likely making their way towards deep water haunts for the summer.
- Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish shallow water along the banks near Rimini Swamp, Santee Park, Stump Hole.
Lake Moultrie:
- Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging.
- Catfish: Good. At night large flatheads and blues are both being caught in shallow water. Drifting is productive, as well as anchoring and fishing cut bait on the bottom when the lake is too calm to drift. Best catches are coming using cut mullet and herring.
- Crappie: Fair. Look for structure in 20 to 25 feet of water and fish minnows vertically.
- Shellcracker: Very good. Fish are being caught around cypress trees, especially where they meet lilies. Fish worms shallow.
South Carolina Rivers
Chattooga River
- Trout: Good.
- Fly