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 Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in January drifting deep water is usually still his best bet, and cut herring, shad or white perch will all work. 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. Right now its slower than last year at this time. santee cooper bass Fishing Reports For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the water of your choice. 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. 843-753-2271 canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. Minnows will work the best for crappie and crickets for bream. Target the same fish without worrying about bumping into the trees beneath you. Both lakes hold a year-round population of Blue, Flathead, White, and Channel Catfish. Bass: Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the pattern in January will depend on water conditions, and if the water is dirty then throwing a crankbait around the banks is likely to be the most effective pattern. Bass Species Present: While Santee Cooper is world-renowned for its monstrous striped bass and channel catfish populations, only largemouth bass were eligible to be weighed in during the Elite Series events. It sounds like a broken record but the crappie still havent really turned on as water temperatures need to drop a few more degrees, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that deeper brush in 25 plus feet of water continues to be the best. Thus, to the Ring of Honor memorializing Americas all-time greats of conservation, please add The Honorable John W. Weeks. Usually fish will still bite crankbaits and swimbaits, but if water temperatures get very cold then spoons will be a good choice. Thats why catfishing here is often ranked among the best in the country. Oct 27, 2021. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.71 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 72.64 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. Indulge in the stunning surroundings of the towering pine trees around the lake, or head out onto the heart of the lake and get your fill of Catfish, Bass, and delicious Panfish. into the May full moon. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in January tight-lining for suspended fish up the rivers should be effective. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. 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. They are still biting pretty well, and he is having success drifting both chicken and herring. Lake Marion is home to the state-record Largemouth Bass, so youll have the chance to go for a trophy-sized catch. Privacy Statement. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.31 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.57 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Just 36 miles from the city, its a great place for you to escape the hustle and bustle and get back to nature. While they are not catching a ton of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. Bass in the Santee Cooper lakes start to move shallow this month, and anglers should follow. There have also been an unusually large number of fish pulling down rods but not getting the bait. Cut herring are good for numbers while white perch will work to try for a bigger one. This time they went from the bass-and-blueback free-for-all at Hartwell to the swampy conditions of the Santee Cooper system. Still havent made up your mind about going fishing on Santee Cooper? While taking in the world-class fishery, youll also get to indulge in stunning views. Whatever you choose, theres plenty for you to make the most of your holiday. They are tired, beat up, and trying to recover, and so the bite will likely be off for a few more days. Suitable for kayaking. When the fish are very shallow they will take spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits and other baits worked quickly, while when they pull out medium-running crankbaits and Rattle Traps are good. Well, the worlds biggest Channel Catfish was caught at Santee Cooper way back in 1964. Areas to visit, Lake Murray in the Russell Flats area. The 5-foot range is a good starting point. Thank you for sharing! Minnows are still working the best. If youre a keen boater, then theres nothing stopping you from renting a boat or bringing your own vessel. You cannot paste images directly. I lived there for 8 years and only discovered a fraction of the lake. During spawn season, you can try exploring the shallow waters around Taylors Landing on Lake Marion, or around Elliotts Landing on the other end of the lake. detailed Santee Cooper System Updates. Shallow-water bass fishing means different things to different people, but on Santee-Cooper, shallow water can mean really shallow water, even in the dead of winter. 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. August 23, 2022 guntersville crappie Fishing Report 2367 Saturday June 21 - Fishing today was great on the yellowtail. . Lake Marion, comprise the Santee Cooper lake system. And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. Catfish: Santee Cooper Lakes Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 Open 5:30 AM 843-753-2271 Santee-Cooper Fishing Report - FishingBooker Great savings on Santee-Cooper, United States fishing charters. 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. The upper lake is getting muddy and water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Bass: FLW fisherman Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that in January fish will still be in steep areas with access to deep water, but with the spawn approaching they should start to feed better. Fish Consumption Advisories, SCDNR at the State Crappie and perch: Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in January he will not target crappie, but white and yellow perch will be caught in excellent numbers. Its the time of year when the bass fishing is highly dependent on the weather, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that before and after the cold snap over the weekend the bass bit well but on Sunday they did not. Bream. Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that January is another good month to catch big fish on Lake Monticello, although cold fronts and up-and-down weather can make the bite a little unpredictable. Now that fall is near Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) is back after the crappie, and even though he has had a few good days there are also times when the fishing is slow. 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). Youre right Hurricane Hugo had a devastating effect on the area, and I think power was out for quite a while! "Largemouth bass are typically caught around a lot of different shallow-water cover during April," he said. The roots are full of nutrients that attract a range of exciting fish. The shallows are full of channel catfish, and late in the day, at night and early you can catch big blues that have come up there to feed by anchoring cut bait. Fish are generally 12-14 feet down over brush in 22-25 feet of water, with both jigs and minnows working for them. Three months of studying the lake, the time of year, tournament reports, weather reports, bombarding Facebook groups for water reports, a hefty tackle order and tons of support from friends, family, and most importantly, my fiancee, and I was ready for the KBF Open on Santee Cooper. Thi. Thursday morning. Among catfish the current world record channel catfish was caught in Lake Moultrie (58 pounds caught in 1964) and the current state record flathead was caught in the Diversion Canal (79-4 caught in 2001). Striped bass: Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in January the bite should be even better than in December as fish should get into tighter groups in the cold. If you happen to be in Charleston, then Pinopolis is your best bet of getting out on Santee Cooper, too. Morning surface water temperatures are in the 60s in many places but will drop this week. However our efforts paid off when every once in a while with a nice yellowfin. 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. Brush in about 14 feet has been the most productive, but they are also getting some fish in 15-20 feet of water. Despite a very slight temperature drop it hasnt moved enough to really activate the bass fishing, and Brettreports that he has not seen a fish so much as swirl at a topwater bait recently. South Carolina Bass Fishing Reports; Santee Cooper; Santee Cooper (Read 1888 times) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Water Tmp: 10.04.20. If youre not comfortable going to deeper waters after the spawning period has passed, you can try working the shoreline cover early in the day before the fish move deep. At the upper end of Santee theres also Sparkle Berry Swamp. It seems as if the majority of the fish are post-spawn. However, as the biggest prizes in Santee Cooper are further out in the middle of the lakes, fishing from shore is not a popular choice around here. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. . The are no hills like that. Steves boat is targeting the lower lake, and everything he is catching is coming on relatively shallow brush 7-10 feet down over 15-20 feet of water. Water temperatures have dropped enough that smaller bass are starting to move into the creeks, but Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that things are running behind this year and so there has not really been a rush of bait in there yet. Call 619-224-3383. I've fished as a co-angler twice so i have a very basic understand of the lake. Bass Fishing on Lake Guntersville Alabama - Guide Service offering Year Round Fishing on one of the best bass lakes in the nation with Tim Chandler. document.getElementById( "ak_js_17" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on April 14, 2021 Swimbaits can also work. Caught some nice size black crappies to. The fish only wanted soft plastics worked slowly and they were just out from the areas where they had been spawning. document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Im coming this fall any tips Operating as a retreat for plantation owners in its early days, Summerton is still a place for relaxation. 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. creek channel ledges are the areas to fish. It should not be long until a topwater bite comes on but for now they have not been productive. Results 97 - 144 of 1458 Professional Bass Fishing Guide Service. Marshall Robinson - 34 - 4 (10) The big riser of the day, Marshall Robinson waylaid 19-3 to rocket up the leaderboard after catching just 15-1 on Day 1. FishingBooker has a number of guides to choose from in Santee-Cooper, and you can filter your search for the species you want. Brett concurs that the bite has been strong this week, with early anchoring and then daytime drifting working the best. Or, stay onshore and hit up the Santee-Cooper Country Club for a round of golf, or just take in the wonders of the green forest against the contrast of the azure lake. Nov 16, 2020. Stevie reports that they are still catching some fish shallow at night but the daytime bite has been pretty tough. 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). During the beginning of the fishing season it is very important to make an advanced reservation. During the day Stevie is having the best success drifting in 15-25 feet of water with 20 feet the key depth. Crews signature series) shallow around trees for post spawn. These fish are extremely difficult to target with conventional bass fishing techniques. Upload or insert images from URL. 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 best brush has been in the 20s, and the fish are 10-12 feet down. Its a pretty simple pattern for catfish right now, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that early you need to be anchoring in shallow water. The best shellcracker fishing seems to have already occurred, and while there were some bluegill spawning in shallow water the action was not great. During the day Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) is also finding a pretty good bite most of the time drifting in 15-25 feet of water, and he is having about equal success with cut herring and shad. Lakes Fish Camp Generally the fish are 8-10 feet down. document.getElementById( "ak_js_26" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Replied on February 23, 2021 Paste as plain text instead, "Captain Randy Kramer is running the boat today. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_32" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were heading to Santee again tomorrow morning for a 3 day trip. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.03 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.78 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). He has found the best action 14-18 feet down over 25-35 feet of water. Drift fishing around drop-offs, ledges, and underwater structures in waters that are up to 40 deep is a good place to start. 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. shallow waters around grass beds of bullrushes being the best. As is often the case there are several different ways to catch catfish on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports the best action he has found has been in very deep water from 25 out to 50 feet. Tolling. The action for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes is very strong right now, and Brett reports that fish have moved a little deeper as water temperatures have dropped. When the water cools then the brush bite for bream should pick up, and the canal should fill up with shellcracker. . Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.89 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The Santee Cooper lakes came in at No. Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Reports | Santee Cooper Country Fishing Reports (803) 854-2131 December Fishing Report.