Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.35 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.2 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5), and while the lower lake is still clear dirty water is making its way down. This includes spinnerbaits, swimbaits and crankbaits. 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. 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. Customer Service. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker. Santee & Cooper River Fishing Page At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. In the lakes, drifting across clay &mussel shell Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. 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). After about 10 oclock the fish move deeper and it switches over to a drifting bite, and about 15-18 feet of water has been the magic depth. USGS 02169810. Fishing Resources. Santee Cooper in mid-March is some of the best fishing in the country. Overall, based on what he is seeing the fish are still very spread out. There are mixed signals on the catfish action, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that most days it seems like the fish are feeding pretty well. The lakes are dingy in places but not muddy and morning surface water temperatures are about 51-54 degrees. Again, a topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. Congaree at Columbia. Skinneydippers, big easy, canethumpers, Flukes, and The State Farmers Market has convenient parking and easy access to both I-77 and I-26. Most detailed Lake Mullet are also present at times. 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. While the numbers of crappie on brush has dwindled, Steve notes that there are some huge groups of bluegill stacked up on the brush. The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. Read now. The upper lake is slow but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. 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. Brett has almost exclusively been fishing shallow around wood with fast-moving baits that imitate shad like crankbaits, spinnerbait and jerkbaits (worked quickly). Open 5:30 AM The Santee striper fishing report for early June 2022 is plenty good. Everyone over the age of 16 will need a South Carolina fishing license to fish on Santee Cooper. Throughout the day drifting in 5-15 feet of water has been productive. 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. Right in front of Blacks there has been some good fishing in 10 feet and at the same depth anywhere out of Russellville the same is true. If temperatures warm they should start to move shallower later in February. 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). 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. Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. Despite recent rains the lakes remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Crickets are the best bait for bream and jigs and minnows will be the bet baits for the crappie. Lots of crappie are on the deeper brush. At times fish can also be found schooling. Post-spawn fish are supposed to recover from the spawn around cypress trees in 2 to 4 feet, but right now hes not finding as many hungry fish up there as expected. Darryl Smith. Its not the way he prefers to catch them, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass on Santee Cooper have moved deeper and hes now having to target fish in 8-15 feet. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. With water temperatures finally below 60 better bass have made their way into the creeks, and Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that even though there are still fish on trees and brush in the shallows that will take soft plastics they are no longer his primary focus. For some reason jigs are working better than minnows, out-fishing them 5-1 or so. The best brush has been in the 20s, and the fish are 10-12 feet down. Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that early in the month winter patterns will be unchanged, but as water temperatures begin to warm in February bass will start to migrate toward shallower water and structure as the pre-spawn stage begins. Even though he is hearing those same reports from deeper water, Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) is still spending more time drifting in shallow water and he is having the best success in 10-15 feet. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. The Palmetto Trail passes through the Resort. Closed now : See all hours. Minnows are still working the best. Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. Overall he is still catching fish in 25-50 feet of water, although other anglers are fishing shallower. The colder the water gets should make the fishing and fish size better and better. 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. a day guarantee. Thornhill said a cold-weather mindset will help fisherman catch more bass at Santee Cooper during February, in addition to understanding the how, when and where. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. The Big Cat Brawl with $10,000 on the line is on Santee this weekend, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he expects a lot of catfish to be caught. Location 223 Basswood Avenue, Summerville, South Carolina 29483 My PB: Between 11-12 lbs Favorite Bass: Largemouth Favorite Lake or River Santee Cooper Lakes including the Cooper River Posted March 23, 2021 Fishing is good, going today and I expect it to be off the chain. Salt water Bushy Park. The shallow bite has been better in the evenings, and that should stay true through the weekend. 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. When that happens the fish retreat to the first break, and they will set up around some type of structure like a brush pile or tree in 4-8 feet of water. Fears set the B.A.S.S. 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. Trolling numbers have been a bit down this week but that will also work. 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). 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 The best patterns for blue catfish seem to be anchoring early and then drifting during the day in 10-30 feet of water. Drifting mid-depths has not been productive, although that could change as temperatures settle into winter patterns. Overall the catfish are just eating really well right now, although they are displaying a strong preference for herring. 9 reviews #1 of 1 Restaurant in Pineville $$ - $$$ Seafood. 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. 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). 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. Creek channels are a great place to start. Shop by brand or reel type. While open to debate, the case can easily be made that the Santee Cooper lakes are the premier freshwater fishery in South Carolina. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General | The lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. Santee Cooper is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and it's tough to beat the skinny water action of March. Right now its slower than last year at this time. 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. I finished in top 10 in serveral tournaments. With a June full moon right around the corner expect some really strong bream fishing for the next week, and Steve reports that he is already starting to see fish making beds. There were some good fish in the 20-30 pound range caught on chicken, but the best bait seems to be river herring and gizzard shad. Strong summer patterns are starting to take off for bass on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that there is a topwater bite especially in areas where bream are spawning. The crappie fishing has also been surprisingly off this week, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) notes that in addition to the moon phases the weather has been another factor that has really slowed the bite. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. The lower lake has been much better than the upper lake, and a lot of days jigs have been out-fishing minnows. It should have happened a few weeks ago, but the fish are just now starting to feed well in the canal. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. null . Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. 9302 Old Number Six Hwy, Santee, SC 29142 You can also fish dip baits in the canal to catch a lot of fish. With the heat wave and new moon Brett is cautiously optimistic that another big group of fish will come up. 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. Crickets and minnows are the best baits. 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. A few more warm days should bring the fish shallower again. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. If you fish very, very early you can also find a shad spawn around dawn in some places. Field staff update the fishing reports each week through the fishing season, reporting on fishing success, lake levels, water temperatures, and other important information. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. (803) 854-2131 These are really big fish that are busting with eggs, and they are getting very close to spawning. The five major bait species in the lakes are gizzard shad, threadfin shad, American shad, blueback herring, and menhaden, which immigrate and emigrate from the lakes based on seasonal patterns. The bite over the weekend was a little sporadic for catfish, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that even though one tournament team managed three fish that went for 124 pounds (with a big fish over 50) most teams only managed one or two fish. The lower lake has fished a little better than the upper lake. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.67 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.31 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Overall its been a slow late spring for crappie, and with real summer heat on the way it probably wont be until the fall that fishing really picks up. Cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the best baits. Brett has only been fishing shad-colored crankbaits, but red crankbaits, swimbaits and more should also work. been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers. Fish will often be adjacent to steep banks and 8-15 feet of water, but the best concentration of catchable fish is shallower in 4-6 feet of water. We are also starting to catch some real nice fish long lining in 30ft. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. updates. 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. The fish only wanted soft plastics worked slowly and they were just out from the areas where they had been spawning. These differ for residents and non-residents, with discounts for military personnel, too. It was another good weekend for bass on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Sunday Showdown Series tournament was won with a three-fish limit of 19 pounds! Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. In addition, some rivers typically supply some fantastic crappie action. Flats, hills and about anything in the 10-20 foot range is worth drifting. Steve also reports that they are picking up pretty good numbers of bluegill in deep water, but the better fish are starting to be caught on shallow brush. They will usually stop at brush coming out from spawning areas where they can rest before going deeper. What better time to reflect on our winter fishing [] After a strong spawning wave last week, Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass are starting to get into a bit of a post-spawn lull. 843-753-2271 Bouncing a crankbait that dives 6-8 feet off the bottom around stumps is an excellent pattern, and small swimbaits and spinnerbaits will also catch fish. February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . February 2. Some of the fish have already started to spawn while others are shallow looking for spawning areas. rightofwaymanagement@santeecooper.com. In his estimation the catfish action has slowed down a little on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the fish he is catching have shifted from about 15-25 feet out to more like the 30-35 foot range. 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. There are also still plenty of fish in the creeks that can be caught trolling jigs and minnows in 8-15 feet of water. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.41 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.31 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Live Chat. Now is the time to catch the fish of a lifetime. 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. But the bite has been very good, and yesterday they caught 29 crappie in the upper lake and 50 bluegill and 8 crappie the day before in the lower lake. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.73 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.51 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that February should also be a good month for big fish. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. Crappie: Captain Roland Addy (864-980-3672) reports that the first two weeks of February usually look a lot like January on Lake Greenwood, and fish will be found suspended somewhere around the creek mouths and the main channel. Than last year at this time warm days should bring the fish are still in. Spawning areas that could change as temperatures settle into winter patterns easily be that... 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