There are even some fish up on the banks looking for spawning locations, and so right now you can fish about any shallow pattern for crappie. January can be really fun. Gizzard shad and white perch are hard to beat for the bigger fish. Level: 07.18.21. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.24 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.82 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). There is a little bit of a topwater bite first thing, but it has not been very good. fish. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. Thanks, PLA. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.51 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.53 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). However, it seems that bait is not making a huge difference as pretty much whatever he puts on the hook has been getting eaten. It will also be found up the rivers if there is current there. Wish us luck, You can also fish dip baits in the canal to catch a lot of fish. "Weeds, brush, trees and pads are all good places. The catfishing here is so good, in fact, that Santee Cooper Bass fishing often gets overlooked. 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. outside structure 15' to 25'. Stevies boat has also been drifting in 10-25 feet of water and finding a good bite during the day, but he has heard reports of drifting out to 40 feet and catching fish. The best action has been in creek-like areas. 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. 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. Everything here is built for tourism, so take advantage of some of the finest hospitality on offer in Santee Cooper. Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that on one recent trip they caught 25 over 1 pound and fish up to two pounds. Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm. I hope this helps. We drive like 12 hours one way to come to this beautiful place. Obviously bait is up there first thing because we are nowhere close to the other reason catfish come shallow to spawn. 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. The tournament features a 3-fish limit and goes every Sunday through their April 5 final, all in support of the SC High School Bass Challenge. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building Mossy Oak has recently partnered with The Given Right as title sponsor of the series that has been on air for six years. The Santee Cooper lake system includes not one, but two lakes, including South Carolinas Inland Sea and the states third-largest lake. 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. New . You can find plenty of stripers in 30-45 ft this time of year. Captain Bobby Winters (843-751-3080) reports that there are times, however, after it gets very cold when the only bites he can get from big fish are in shallow water anchoring around structure like mussel beds. If December is any indication they will continue to move around a lot, and one day you could find a big school in one area but then overnight it could be 5 or 6 miles away. 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. Thurmond Updates. Top Rated Plus . The bream catch is still at best sporadic, but Captain Stevie English reports that they are still catching some nice crappieeven though they are having to work for them. please come prepared with a 25 lb rod a a 40 lb rod and a 50-80 lb rod. 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. Herring is his bait of choice. Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. We use cookies on our website to give you the best shopping experience. Feb 26, 2021. document.getElementById( "ak_js_36" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is the smallest size motor you would take out I see people on kyaks but everyone says not our 5 hp for around the banks. The upper lake is getting dirty, while the lower lake is relatively clear once you get away from the mouth of the canal. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.75 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). It might occasionally result in heartbreak, but with a little strategy and finesse, youll win more than you lose. Minnows and crickets are out-fishing everything else. 100 pounds over 4 days is possible. Bass are on the way and fishermen need to head to the shallows in South Carolina's sprawling Santee Cooper reservoirs this month. document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi, we recently went to Santee St Park. There are only a very few feeding fish on brush right now, and the vast majority of the fish are in less that 6 feet of water. Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! Bass will move off shore to deep brush piles. This sleepy town is a great base for all your vacation needs. Growing to larger-than-usual sizes, youll need to make sure youve got a dish big enough to cook up this popular Panfish at the end of the day. Base yourself out of Santee itself and you can enjoy anything from a camping adventure to a deluxe holiday. 1-803-478-7289 If we can be of any further assistance or if you're looking for A camping spot, food or any other lodging Look no further. 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). 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. Free shipping . Hello everyone, 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. Their depth will vary, and the best way to target them is with a double minnow rig fished vertically. Striped bass: Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that in January on Lake Murray fish should continue to be caught on free-lines, on planer boards and by casting at birds. The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. This is a mega Catfish Stock Event at Santee Lakes. Santee Cooper Lakes Lake Guide JOHN C. LAND III SPORTSFISHING FACILITY Santee Cooper Lakes Landings & Ramps SPORTSMAN'S WAREHOUSE Santee Cooper Lakes Bait & Tackle MARSHALL'S MARINE, INC. Santee Cooper Lakes Boat Dealers & Repairs SANTEE STATE PARK Santee Cooper Lakes Cabins INKY DAVIS Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Guides RAMADA INN SANTEE Mossy Oak Fishing Report: Bassmaster Elite Series Santee Cooper, 49 - The Pursuit of a Turkey in Every State Across the Country, Bill Lowen Fishes Various Lures at Santee Cooper Bassmaster Tournament, Brandon Palaniuk Catches His Biggest Bass in the Santee Cooper Tournament, Brandon Palaniuk's Preparation for the Santee Cooper Bass Tournament, Bill Lowen Explains His Lures and Equipment for the Santee Cooper Tournament, John W. Weeks: Conservation Legend, 20-Million-Acre Man, Mossy Oak Joins The Given Right as Title Sponsor, Launches New Digital Series, The History of the Legendary Bayou Meto WMA, A Comprehensive Guide to Buying Rural Land. 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. Crickets are the best bait for bream and jigs and minnow will the best baits for the crappie. Trout: Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that by late December the trout fishing was outstanding, and January should be more of the same. I hope this helps! The local Striper population fell victim to over-fishing in the mid and late 20th century, but theyre now heavily protected with strict seasons. 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). gas, RVsitesand lodging if you decide to stay overnight. Had some breakers over the bow. Suitable for kayaking. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are still in the upper 50s. Have fun and get those lines tight! Head to the heart of the lakes and fish the deep waters where the Stripers go in winter, the Largemouth hide in summer, and the Catfish love to feed year-round. 10 . However, during the day the best pattern is still drifting in 25-40 feet of water when fish pull out deeper. 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. Lunkers are still in shallow, with a little spawning Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.81 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.51 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). However our efforts paid off when every once in a while with a nice yellowfin. We have finished our boat work and will be running our first trip on Saturday, February 3rd. Updates. visited the sprawling fishery. 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. It took 10 pounds to win the 3-fish limit Sunday Showdown Series tournament this weekend. He has been targeting the flats in between the turns in the river bed on Lake Marion. Open 5:30 AM The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. 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. Drop live baits or throw swim baits into the bait schools. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Catfish: 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 January. Join AHQ Premier for unlimited Free Shipping & access to the AHQ Report. While taking in the world-class fishery, youll also get to indulge in stunning views. By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. 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 latest Santee Cooper Fishing Reports from Canal Lakes Fish Camp Fishing Reports Catfish: Catfish are moving into the upper and lower ends of the canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should catch fish. 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. (Herring)off the Hatchery and Bonneau in 25' to 40' and in front of the August 23, 2022 guntersville crappie Fishing Report 2367 Saturday June 21 - Fishing today was great on the yellowtail. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. The lakes boast a healthy number of Black and White Crappie, and theyre another fish that you can target year-round. document.getElementById( "ak_js_13" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have never fished. Not to mention Moultrie can get pretty violent if the winds pick up out of no where. Brett concurs that the bite has been strong this week, with early anchoring and then daytime drifting working the best. By Starting to see some real nice stripers coming from trolling stretch 25 and Alabama rigs deep in 40-50 ft of water. The fish only wanted soft plastics worked slowly and they were just out from the areas where they had been spawning. Water temperatures are in the low 60s and there is some dirty water rolling into the lakes. 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. Meanwhile, you can target them year-round in Lake Moultrie too. You can explore a number of guides in the area on FishingBooker. Blue Catfish are the most common catches, and they respond well to a variety of cut bait, like perch, shad, and herring, while Flathead prefer live bait. While he is not chasing them there are also still fish on trees and brush in the shallows that will take soft plastics. 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. South Carolina Bass Fishing Reports; Santee Cooper; Santee Cooper (Read 1888 times) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Some of the fish have already started to spawn while others are shallow looking for spawning areas. 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. The warm weather is already improving the fishing, and they caught their fish in 2-3 feet of water around hard cover like natural wood or planted brush that absorbs and radiates some heat. Hope this helps, you can also find more information about regulations here. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. Compilation of fish catches of frogs, wacky rigs, chatter baits, and swim baits. When we had several nights in the 20s a few weeks ago it looked like bass might move into winter patterns early, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that as surface temperatures stabilized and even warmed up the shallow bite turned on again as the bait moved back shallow. 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 bite seemed to die after the morning. So we'll keep you updated as the day goes on. Before the cold front at the beginning of this week there were starting to be some bream around the banks, but for now the weather seems to have pushed them out to the same brush the crappie are on. Feb 23, 2021. 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. At night he has been anchoring in shallow water, and in the canal area he is looking for somewhere just out of the current when he sets anchor. The crappie fishing has still been pretty slow on Santee, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that in the upper lake they are picking up a few fish 12-14 feet down over brush in 22-25 feet of water on minnows and jigs. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in January water temperatures should get below 50 degrees, and that means some of the biggest fish of the year will be caught. . Its impressive, isnt it? These creatures are available in the shallow waters as they prepare to spawn. And, few lakes in the country can rival the numbers and size that Santee Cooper kicks out. After flirting with going back-to-back he ended up third overall. For now the lower lake is still mostly clear but muddy water is headed towards the system. Whatever you choose, theres plenty for you to make the most of your holiday. However, the most effective pattern has typically been casting at shallow cover with jigs. Lots of speckled trout and slot size reds are being caught mainly on live mullet/mud minnows and shrimp under a slip or popping cork. 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). Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. Come and take advantage of the Largemouth and Striped Bass bite in the deeper waters. Santee Cooper Fishing Report by Ray Sedgwick. As water temperatures approach and then reach the magic mark of 60 degrees, bass have their minds on one thing spawning. Santee-Cooper Fishing Seasons January The subtropical climate of South Carolina makes Santee Cooper the place to be for some fishing action. Live herring and shad will work the best. Bear in mind youll need a boat to get to these parts of the lake. The target depth range has been 3-6 feet of water. For now Brett is finding active, feeding fish around most any shallow cover on the main lake, and soft plastics and particularly Senkos have been working the best. 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. Today we went out with 6 passengers who ignored yesterdays fish count and understand that fishing is more about spending time in nature than harvesting meat. 326 Little Brooke Lane WHich has better largemouth bass fishing? Find the bait and youll find the fish. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. But, have always wanted to. 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. Throughout the day we were able to scrape up a great catch of yellowfin tuna. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. In most major species categories the lakes have produced state or even-world record class fish. Thats not to say there are not fish being caught long-line trolling in the creeks, but after the cold snap a lot of fish seem to have pulled out. This is one of the nations favorite freshwater fish, and the lakes have plenty of these bad boys on offer. Jigging vertical is the best presentation. With a relatively mild winter the crappie fishing has not slowed down yet on Santee Cooper, and even though Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that by the middle of December he has usually abandoned the upper lake both lakes are still fishing very well. Enjoy the freedom of exploring the lake at your own leisure, as you take the day at your own speed. 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