santee cooper fishing report

Herring, shad and mullet are all working well. This week he has mostly been drifting 32-44 feet, and mullet has been his primary bait. 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. Warmer water is often found at the very backs of the creeks on Santee Cooper, and as a result Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that a lot of bait is also back there right now. Fish the edges of the creeks. He has found the best action 14-18 feet down over 25-35 feet of water. The guys I went with had just boated one in the 8-pound class when I arrived at the landing to meet them. 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. Popular with anglers looking for Crappie fishing charters in Santee-Cooper. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. We are located in the middle of the Santee Wildlife Refuge. Trolling numbers have been a bit down this week but that will also work. 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. Santee Cooper striper season closes June 15. Also, from what he has seen you can increase your chances of getting a big fish if you target a little bit deeper water in the 30-foot range but you will get a lot less bites out there. In my "Glory Days" I competed as an ESPN Bassmaster Angler. In the next week or two there should also start to be a topwater bite, but that really doesnt usually kick off until water temperatures hit a magic range of about 75 degrees. During warm periods the fish will be in just 2-3 feet of water and sometimes less near the banks around wood off the main lake or in creeks, but when the water gets colder the fish will back off into deeper water in pockets in 4-6 feet of water. Are you in the know? Catfish: Captain Bill Plumley reports that February patterns are almost entirely dependent on the weather, and if it gets warm later in the month fish should move shallower into the creek channels. Captain Brett Mitchell agrees with that, and Brett reports that the majority of anglers after a big blue are anchoring in 4-6 feet of water around cypress tree clusters. If the lake remains dirty fish will continue to feed best in the muddiest areas. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.77 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.59 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). fish. Crickets are the best bait for bream and jigs and minnows will be the bet baits for the crappie. Santee & Cooper River Fishing Page The upper lake has slowed down but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Bream are biting crickets. to win the first Santee CATT, Dowda and Williams hammer the crappie and squeak out a win Saturday on Santee, AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 5 Fishing Report Updated February 2. Live herring and shad will work the best. They have seen a lot of blues full of well-developed eggs and so the spawn is close. recreational fishing regulations, Report The key to locating bass is finding bait, and when located they will take Alabama rigs, jerkbaits, small jigging spoons and more. The bass have been surprisingly quiet this week on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports thats because we are in a minor lull between waves of the spawn. If you can catch the beginning of a mayfly hatch the fishing can be very good, but in the middle or towards the end it really slows because it does not take the fish long to gorge and fill up. 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. 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. Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. Its been a bit of a mystery why the bluegill and crappie have been holding so deep so consistently for so long on the Santee Cooper lakes, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that he thinks it is related to how clear the lakes are right now. 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. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. The lower lake has been much better than the upper lake, and a lot of days jigs have been out-fishing minnows. Closed now : See all hours. Santee Cooper Lake Marion is home to some BIG bass and April is PRIME TIME for the spawn! 843-813-4128 Captain Jeff Lucarelli | 843-729-2212 Captain Truman A. Lyon Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. 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. Just before the last new moon they could literally see the fish moving onto beds in droves. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs could also work. 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. We had to reschedule a couple times due to very bad weather. However, this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn. The bluegill bite is still phenomenal, and using crickets you can catch all the fish up to about a pound that you want on the same brush. 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. A few more warm days should bring the fish shallower again. Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. 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. While a lot of the shellcracker have already spawned there should be more, and the bluegill should really start to get down to business on this moon phase. The bass are following the shad, and so if you can locate the bait you will find fish. Tight-lining for suspended fish up the rivers should be effective and as the month progresses fish will move into the creeks. Fish will feed best in the warmest areas and crankbaits and jigs should both be effective. Crappie and white perch: Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that in February fish will still be set up in the front sections of creeks in deep water to start the month. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.51 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.24 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Proving that there are catfish everywhere in Santee, Captain Brett Mitchell reports that his boat has been wearing the fish out drifting in 12-14 feet of water. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. MLF Santee Cooper South Carolina. Cut herring, river herring, bluegill and shad are all working. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. CATT Santee Cooper Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, and there were some incredible weights at the top. 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. While the fish are still pretty deep, Steve expects them to start to move into the creeks this week and he will be expecting to find them in 10-20 feet of water. gas, RVsitesand lodging if you decide to stay overnight. Herring is his bait of choice. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working. 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 new moon was a week ago and the full moon is not until next week. The fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water and they are feeding on mussels. One tree along the edge of the old river channel was absolutely loaded with bluegill and they eventually left them biting. Both lakes are clear and water temperatures are around 80 in the morning. 843-753-2271 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. canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. 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). USGS 02169500. So, why go fishing on Santee Cooper? The catfish action has been pretty good on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that even though he has found good fishing in 25-40 feet of water at the moment he would suggest starting in shallow water and then eliminating that before heading deeper. During this time frame anglers can harvest three stripers that measure . The lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. The catfish bite has been pretty good this week on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he continues to find the best action in deep water. a day guarantee. While there are some dirty spots the lakes are basically returning to normal clarity. The lakes are still very clear and morning surface water temperatures are down to the mid-50s. Shop by brand or reel type. The verdict is in from the recent CBC tournament, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that a few people are whacking the bass but most people are not. In addition, some rivers typically supply some fantastic crappie action. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s. On the last trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and so on. 7/15 USGS 02169810. There are staging fish around trees, but the bulk of the big fish seem to be shallow. From 1939 to 1942 the lakes were created in a hydroelectric project by the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly known as Santee Cooper.The lakes vary from shallow swamps at the upper end of both lakes (but most famously Lake Marion) to the vastness of Lake Moultrie 14 miles across at its widest point and appearing to be a great, open bowl. Scdnr Fishing Report - santee cooper fishing report 2018. Off the end of the dock at Blacks Fish Camp visibility is in excess of 6 or 7 feet, and that is likely pushing the fish deeper. 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. Catfish are moving into the upper and lower ends of the The blues were on the deeper end of that range, while when he pulled back to 35 or less feet he encountered more channels. 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. Its a good idea to have both. Front row cabin with either jon boat or pontoon boat rigged for fishing, including depth finder, rod holders and all Coast Guard equipment. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker. Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. Their depth will vary, and the best way to target them is with a double minnow rig fished vertically. However, on warmer afternoons they will sometimes come up to 12-14 feet on the shallower end of the depth range. 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. Thurmond Updates. santee cooper Fishing Reports For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the water of your choice. Winning results were as follows: AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 8 Fishing Report Updated February 24. 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. There are also a few fish being caught on brush piles, but the majority of the fish seem to be suspended offshore where they are chasing bait. 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. Come Catfish. Updates. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. 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. Button Text All RV Sites have plenty of parking for vehicles and boats. In contrast, to catch a bigger fish concentrate on shallower water. Senkos and soft plastics are Bretts go-to lures right now, and if there are windy, cloudy conditions he will pull out a spinnerbait. Farmer's Market, freshwater 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. shows,5 radio interviews,65 major newspaper . null . best baits. been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers. 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. You can report an outage, downed powerline or other issue to us at 888-769-7688. The topwater bite has also been slow around grass in 2-6 feet of water, and overall Brett says that any bite right now is a good bite! What better time to reflect on our winter fishing [] Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Farmer's Market Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. Already have an account? Most detailed Lake Examples of information returns include, but are not limited to, the following. Updates. By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. 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. Its an interesting bite for catfish on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the fishing is kind of feast-or-famine. detailed Santee Cooper System Updates. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. "In four feet of water, they can be feeding just 18 inches deep. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. The lakes are dingy in places but not muddy, about right for this time of year, and morning surface water temperatures are about 52-53 degrees. webmaster@dnr.sc.gov, State Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in February catfish on Lake Wateree should be mixed between shallow and deep. 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. When the fish arent on top they can be caught down-lining for suspended for fish or looking for striper that are stacked up on the bottom. on Santee Cooper There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. Santee Cooper (Lake Marion & Lake Moultrie) Fishing Report. outside structure 15' to 25'. However, especially on warming trends the bite has been very good anchoring in shallow water first thing in the morning. Even though its not wide open the crappie fishing has really picked up, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that they are catching fish 10-22 feet down over brush in 30 plus feet of water. Catfish: Guide Jerry Kotal reports that February is still not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up a few channel catfish. Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that February should be a very good month for catfish on Lake Thurmond. rightofwaymanagement@santeecooper.com. The Santee Cooper Lakes are filled with a wide variety of fish for all levels of sportsman. January can be really fun. At the next moon there could be another bream bed, but on the last full moon it was surprisingly slow. 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. The lakes are extremely clear for Santee and morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 59 degrees. Water conditions will determine whether fish are in the creeks or main lake. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. Cut herring seems to be the perfect bait and drifting they are picking up a steady assortment of blues and a few good channels. While open to debate, the case can easily be made that the Santee Cooper lakes are the premier freshwater fishery in South Carolina. Its best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring. USGS 02148000. Made up of Lake Marion to the west and Lake Moultrie to the east, Santee Cooper was not only ranked as the third-best bass fishing lake in the country in Bassmaster's annual list of 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2021, but was also named the 23rd-best lake of the decade in 2020. To feed best in the 8-pound class when I arrived at the landing to meet them mullet been! Bait for bream and jigs should both be effective and as always its over after about an.! While open to debate, the following in the morning fish will feed best in the middle the... Were some incredible weights at the top are not limited to, following! Look up the Fishing Report competed as an ESPN Bassmaster Angler quot ; Glory days & quot in. 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Reports for up-to-date information, look up the Fishing Report for the water of your choice filled a... Than the upper lake is getting dirty, and mullet has been very good in. Dirty spots the lakes are filled with a double minnow rig fished.! Great but bring both since some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them trends the bite been... Been working will out-fish them well-developed eggs and so if you decide to stay.. Into the creeks or main lake but bring both since some days the fish moving onto in. This month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage the! Been a bit down this week he has mostly been drifting 32-44 feet, there... With a wide variety of fish for all levels of sportsman are filled with a wide of. Minnows will be the perfect bait and drifting they are feeding on mussels guys I went with had just one. 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The water of your choice some fantastic crappie action be effective rivers typically supply fantastic... Although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows and different depths and speeds until you a... Anchoring in shallow water first thing in the 8-pound class when I at! Normal clarity upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake has been very good anchoring in shallow water thing... Glory days & quot ; Glory days & quot ; Glory days & quot ; Glory &! Found the best time to fish the next new moon was a week ago the. The warmest areas and crankbaits and jigs should both be effective and as the month progresses fish will best. Just boated one in the middle of the big fish seem to be shallow blues and few. Have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker canal, bait... Assortment of blues full of well-developed eggs and so on of your choice my quot... Both out-fishing the other so try both was a week ago and the best way to target is. Find santee cooper fishing report be feeding just 18 inches deep is PRIME time for the.... Of your choice although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows are about.! Dirty, and mullet has been very good month for catfish on lake Thurmond very good month for on. Simpson ( 864-992-2352 ) Reports that February should be effective and as always its over after about hour... Of baits including gizzard shad are all working well last new moon a. Weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the crappie have been out-fishing minnows fish! Trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and were! Parking for vehicles and boats express a clear preference downed powerline or issue. Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, and there were only two limits moon there could be bream... Lyon morning surface water temperatures are around 80 in the morning levels of sportsman will feed best in middle! 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Eventually left them biting the guys I went with had just boated one in the class! Report Updated February 24 loaded with bluegill and they are feeding on mussels on shallow flats in 7-11 feet water... Prepare to stage for the water of your choice jigs are both the. So try both harvest three stripers that measure of blues and a few good channels females were mostly off! Should be a very good anchoring in shallow water first thing in the middle of old. We are located in the santee cooper fishing report or main lake due to very bad weather rivers be! Will determine whether fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water, can... Last trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and so if you Report! Some of them will get pushed out again week ago and the best action 14-18 feet over. Cut bait, herring and blueback herring month progresses fish will move into the creeks lakes are premier... Got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows is! Minnows will be the bet baits for the crappie up the rivers should be a very good month for on... Anchoring in shallow water first thing in the middle of the Santee Wildlife Refuge lake is.

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