Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. 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. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. With the full moon this past weekend the bream fishing was decent, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in the end the May full moon seems to have been kind of in-between. The Santee Cooper Lakes offers some of the best fishing in South Carolina and we have some of the top fishi ng guides in South Carolina working out of Blacks Camp. Cut perch and chicken have both been working about the same for him. River herring is fishing the best right now. As predicted the Elite Series Pros absolutely wrecked the bass at Santee Cooper two weeks ago, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that most of the fish were caught very shallow and often looking at them on beds. best baits. Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that patterns in February are almost entirely dependent on weather. Most detailed Lake Wateree The spawn is underway and will continue through the summer. top water and swim baits will work good. 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. Mullet are also present at times. They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. 2018-19 SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. While the striped bass do not seem to be schooling right now on Santee Cooper, Captain Steve English reports that in the lower lake they have been catching a ton of fish deep. Water temperatures are in the low 60s and there is some dirty water rolling into the lakes. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. The fish they are catching are coming on soft plastics. While he is still fishing soft plastics around trees right now, very soon fish should start to follow shad into the creeks and he will be getting on more of a shad bite. Morning surface water temperatures range wildly from the mid-50s on the lower lake in the big water to the mid-60s in protected backwater ponds. The action for both species has been very good, and they have caught some monster crappie and found really large concentrations of bluegill. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. The shad are spawning around lily pads, grass and clusters of trees, and when you find fish feeding on them they will eat anything that imitates a shad. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. While he hasnt found the bass out that deep Brett is also finding that largemouth have moved out that way, and from what he has seen the best action is coming in about the 10-15 foot range. Long lining the deeper creeks are starting to produce some crappie. Brett Mitchell agrees that the deep bite is good during the day, but he also notes that first thing in the morning there have been good reports of fish caught shallow. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper However, by the end of January many of the better fish were already starting to move off the deep brush, and this month fish should continue to make their move shallower. with sandy bottomsis the areas to look for. USGS 02148000. Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in February catfish on Lake Wateree should be mixed between shallow and deep. Santee Cooper Crappie Fishing Pautzke Bait 43.6K subscribers Subscribe 15K views 3 years ago Springtime spells crappie in South Carolina's Low Country. One of these guides is Captain Brett Mitchell, who concurs that there have been good and bad days but has been targeting his efforts in 15-25 feet of water. Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that drifting cut herring, shad or white perch in mid-depths should be the best pattern in February. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working. However, for right now the fishing is really good and Brett reports that with water temperatures where they are anglers should look as shallow as possible. However, the most effective pattern has typically been casting at shallow cover with jigs. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. For now the best pattern is fishing worms or crankbaits around stumps in about 6 feet of water, and while there have been some fish caught on topwater lures that bite is waning. While they arent targeting them they are also picking up a fair number of big bream while fishing minnows on the same crappie brush, and so it may be time to start bream fishing! Surprising bass news from CATT winners - AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 7 Fishing Report Updated February 15, Hewitt and Lawshe break 27 and post a 9.41(!) Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! While drifting mid-depths is still working pretty well, it seems that some of the biggest fish were caught around shallow stumps. Early in the month they will take minnows fished around deeper schools of bait, while later in the month they will be caught trolling in the creeks as they begin to stage for the spawn. A recent stocking of fish for a kids fishing event should have improved trout fishing recently. You can also anchor in 10-20 feet around likely areas such as ledges and at the mouths of the canal. Despite this, a bit of a topwater bite is starting to come on and there are also some bass chasing bait fish. Give us a call at 803-492-7924 so that we can co-ordinate your needs. Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm. He is now targeting bass following bait which will move in and out of the creeks following current. If the CBC goes forward somebody will still crush them, but its anybodys guess what the pattern will be. He has found the best action 14-18 feet down over 25-35 feet of water. For some reason jigs are working better than minnows, out-fishing them 5-1 or so. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. The water temperatures have still not dropped quite enough to really change the bass fishing, and Brett reports that if anything it seems likes the fishing has gotten tougher. Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. Jim at 912-210-2877 to book your catfishing adventure. It would not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too. One day they may want nothing but mullet, the next day they could show a preference for gizzard shad or bream, and the next day only the people fishing menhaden are filling coolers. The bream fishing has slowed up between moon phases, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that with the full moon coming up on the 16th another big wave of fish should be up shallow. Worms are the ticket. Fish may even start fanning beds, and there could be females thinking about laying eggs in spawning pockets before temperatures drop. Minnows are working the best. Capt. Jamestown (Santee River) USGS 02171700. The area doesnt seem to make a whole lot of difference with smaller fish very spread out, and he is just going. You do not have to move a quarter mile away. 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. Congaree at Columbia. Santee Cooper Lakes CatfishnFool Fishing Guide Service Call or Text Captain Wayne Vining 803-238-0596 captwayne@catfishnfool.com View Larger Map I am an U.S.C.G Licensed Santee Cooper Fishing Guide, with over 40 years of fishing experience. By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. Bream. length. Santee Cooper Lake Marion is home to some BIG bass and April is PRIME TIME for the spawn! Herring, shad and mullet are all working well. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.90 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.48 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). This heat wave over the next few days is likely to get some fish thinking about spawning, but as happens every year they will get run out when temperatures drop. The best fishing has been over brush 8-10 feet down in 14-20 feet of water with a mix of minnows and jigs. Morning surface water temperatures range between 85 and 90 degrees. Santee Cooper has thousands of acres of inundated cypress trees, various kinds of vegetation and all sorts of fish-holding habitat. In his last trip Brett did manage one 7 plus pound fish and lot of smaller males, but it seemed that most of the better fish had moved a little deeper to the first drop-off and slowed down eating. When the water cools then the brush bite for bream should pick up, and the canal should fill up with shellcracker. 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). 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. With another cold front coming that pattern may be repeated in the next few days. Overall fish should continue to be caught on free-lines, planer boards and by casting at birds, but there should also still be a down-line bite for deeper fish. 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. The top rated upstate crappie lake in the past few years has been Lake Hartwell and that's predicted to remain the exact 2017. Fresh Santee-Cooper Fishing Reports Top Santee-Cooper destinations Cross Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Summerton Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Eutawville Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Fishing Seasons & Latest Fishing Photos February With the prized fish out in the deep, you'll need to hop on a boat to get out to reach them. 141 spots Part of the famous Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers. Morning surface water temperatures range between 85 and 90 degrees. Worms are hard to beat. While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. Farmer's Market Closed now : See all hours. 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. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. And, few lakes in the country can rival the. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. 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. Our heaviest trip was over 1400 lbs. 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. Its also a period when anglers pursuing other species will catch trout. 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. February 2. Drifting and bouncing the bottom is working well, and there are also intermittent spots where you can anchor up and catch fish. 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. 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 Brett has been targeting the topwater action and bream fish more, there are also fish that can be caught on soft plastics in 2-4 feet around trees and there are also fish around deeper brush piles. Following the birds and covering water with free-lines or planer boards is usually the best pattern. Throughout the day drifting in 5-15 feet of water has been productive. Morning surface water temperatures are around 73 degrees. However, this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn. Striped bass: Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports it was a really good January for striper, and they are hopeful the fish dont get too scattered in February. Scdnr Fishing Report - santee cooper fishing report 2018. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. They chiefly used cut gizzard shad and white perch baits on medium-heavy "Mad Cat" fishing rods. Joseph will have all the gear you need ready . The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. However, especially on warming trends the bite has been very good anchoring in shallow water first thing in the morning. 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. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. 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. Bream are biting crickets. Inky has been in 6 t.v. Phone Numbers | Accessibility | Sign in or You can report an outage, downed powerline or other issue to us at 888-769-7688. If those arent working then Brett suggests looking a little deeper with Ned rigs and shakey heads in the same areas. 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. There are still a ton of striped bass in the canal, and drifting blueback herring has been the preferred technique. I finished in top 10 in serveral tournaments. Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. You dont want to fish large, flats pockets like the ones fish would spawn on. Stevie reports that they are still catching some fish shallow at night but the daytime bite has been pretty tough. A lot of times only a 100-yard move will do. Nothing is good but brush in about 14-20 feet has been the most productive, and generally the fish are 8-10 feet down. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.13 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.04 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). He switched over to catching channel catfish, and on dip baits they have been wearing them out in the canal. Our top priority is to satisfy. They will be caught on shakey head worms, jerkbaits, and square-billed crankbaits. However, at times anchoring shallower produced better in January so be flexible. Read more fishing reports fromSantee Cooper and other popularplacesat the AHQ Report! Inky is one or the most well known & respected bass guides on the Santee Lakes and has been offering guide services for 35 years Inky is also a USCG licensed guide & a member of the SCCGA. 326 Little Brooke Lane That's what's made it one of the most storied destinations in the history of professional bass fishing. 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. Discover waterways in South Carolina with interactive maps containing recent catches, fishing spots, and reports of the latest fishing activity. Even though they are seeing a lot of bait shallower for right now there does not seem to be much feeding on them. Santee Cooper lakes - Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie - are famous for their copious fishing grounds. The blues were on the deeper end of that range, while when he pulled back to 35 or less feet he encountered more channels. With up-and-down water temperatures the bass are in a pretty typical early winter pattern, and Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that means that fish will move back and forth between very shallow and slightly deeper water as the bait does the same. South Carolina Fishing Reports. Waterbodies: Santee River; Species: Largemouth Bass; Smallmouth Bass; . While the topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. 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