Spend as long or as little as youd like on the water, and try to fill the boat with some delicious fish. Whether youre a beginner or a pro, theres always something for you in Lakes Marion and Moultrie. We think its about time someone broke the record! . Does that sound like wishful thinking? The key to locating bass is finding bait, and they will take Alabama rigs, jerkbaits, small jigging spoons and more. Fish will be mixed between the main lake and deeper creek channels. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. Happy birthday, and hope you catch something worthy to mark the occasion! Look for bait and fish, then set your baits right above your marks. We are also starting to catch some real nice fish long lining in 30 ft. Bass. Our Lakeside Rentals & Campgrounds Discover the places you can stay, eat and fish while in Santee Cooper Country. Some days they may feed heavily, and then they may not feed for the next couple of days. Another slow day at the islands coupled with a great catch from our code boat Liberty has resulted in us switching our run back to offshore fishing. 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. Red wigglers are hard to beat. Read This Before Posting! I loved fishing Santee Cooper. Hope you have a rewarding time fishing on Santee Cooper. Overall the fish should continue to roam the shallows for another three to four weeks as several more waves of fish come up and spawn. The lakes are clear and water temperatures range from about 82 in the morning up to about 85. If youre a semi-proficient sight fisherman, bring craws and creature baits for the fish you can see among the pads and cypress knees. santee cooper bass Fishing Reports For up-to-date information, look up the fishing report for the water of your choice. 2018-19 SANTEE COOPER COUNTRY. Went last weekend and the wind was crazy and it was 38 degrees, not good for kayak fishing. Target the same fish without worrying about bumping into the trees beneath you. We're having some really good trips lately. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Things worked out remarkably well for the Mossy Oak team, as six of our seven anglers finished in the money and remarkably four of them were in the overall top nine finishers. The catfish action has been more consistent for Brett, and his last trip started out slow but they ended up catching a bunch of fish drifting a flat with stumps in 20-25 feet of water. Shallower brush in 14-15 feet of water is still not producing and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. 13.0 in. About 3 feet of water has been the magic number for catching these fish. The best shellcracker fishing seems to have already occurred, and while there were some bluegill spawning in shallow water the action was not great. Come Drop live baits or throw swim baits into the bait schools. We told you that there was something for the whole family when fishing in Santee Cooper, and Crappie just proves that. Overall the catfish are just eating really well right now, although they are displaying a strong preference for herring. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. Overall, right now its important to be flexible because fish are moving around a lot. Some of the biggest ones have been coming in the 20-22 foot range. From the Wateree River, across the flats of Lake Marion, to the open waters of Lake Moultrie and beyond, the fishing is exceptional. Most detailed Lake Mossy Oak has recently partnered with The Given Right as title sponsor of the series that has been on air for six years. 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. 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. 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. Its been good action for both bluegill and crappie on the Santee Cooper lakes, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that both species are stacking up on brush in deeper water. Summer Night Fishing 2023: Bring your lanterns and join us for our Night Fishing events from 5:00PM-11:30PM on the following dates in 2022: June 8 & 22 July 6 & 20 August 3 & 17 Chartreus You can explore a number of guides in the area on FishingBooker. Hit the canal that joins the lakes for Stripers in spring, or explore the numerous ditches out in the heart of the lake year-round for Bass and Crappie. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.29 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.19 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. The target depth range has been 3-6 feet of water. Come along year-round and theres plenty to keep the whole family entertained. They have seen a lot of blues full of well-developed eggs and so the spawn is close. Have you ever gone fishing on Santee Cooper? update the fishing reports each week through the fishing season, reporting on fishing success, When it comes to licenses, only people over 16 who will be fishing need to have a fishing license. He is a friend of mine and wins virtually every tournament he fishes there. During the day Stevie is having the best success drifting in 15-25 feet of water with 20 feet the key depth. Join AHQ Premier for unlimited Free Shipping & access to the AHQ Report. The crappie fishing has slowed a little more, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the fish are still pretty tough to locate. Your link has been automatically embedded. The local Striper population fell victim to over-fishing in the mid and late 20th century, but theyre now heavily protected with strict seasons. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. More trip open. document.getElementById( "ak_js_24" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Love to get some guides to call at the best lakes. 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 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. We have finished our boat work and will be running our first trip on Saturday, February 3rd. Late last week anglers first noted that bucks were moving up, and then Friday and Saturday some big females came up. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Its a good idea to have both. Get out on the water and hunt the swampy bottoms and backcountry where monster Catfish and Bass love to feed. When the fish are up shallow then Brett is pretty much fishing with Senkos and other soft plastics, although in windy conditions he will also fish a spinnerbait. 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. Overall the bass are generally still deeper in 8-15 feet around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Crappie: Captain Bill Plumley reports that in January fish should continue to be caught around deep docks and bridges in both the creeks and on the main lake. While the striped bass do not seem to be schooling right now on Santee Cooper, Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that in the lower lake they have been catching a ton of fish deep. 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. please come prepared with a 25 lb rod a a 40 lb rod and a 50-80 lb rod. All rights reserved. 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 This is one of the nations favorite freshwater fish, and the lakes have plenty of these bad boys on offer. Chartreuse, straight-tail jigs are working the best. March, of course, is a time of transition for bass throughout the mid-south. 843-753-2271 He has had the best luck drifting in 10-20 feet of water on cut herring, although at night he is finding much better fishing out deep in 25-40 feet. While theres not really a wrong place to go, these more than 160,000 acres of water have a lot to offer and we want to make sure you make the most of it. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.59 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.18 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. Its been a good week for catfish on Santee Cooper, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that you can catch them pretty much everywhere right now. November is the new September, Viva El Nio. On the other hand the catfish are not a fan of the warm weather, and the bite has generally been erratic. Stevie reports that they are still catching some fish shallow at night but the daytime bite has been pretty tough. Santee Cooper is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and it's tough to beat the skinny water action of March. The best patterns for blue catfish seem to be anchoring early and then drifting during the day in 10-30 feet of water. Clear Lake: Ice thickness is 12 to 18 inches. document.getElementById( "ak_js_22" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Where would one rent a boat in that area. 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. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. fishing report source, where right now you can sign up for 30 days of free access to more in-depth fishing Casting at diving birds with Alabama rigs or bucktails is the technique of choice. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Top Rated Plus . Great fishing happening right now at the Coronado Islands aboardthe San Diego fishing out of Seaforth Landing. The crappie fishing remains a little slow, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that in the afternoon they are only picking up a few fish here and there on brush. moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in How are creel limits counted on a private boat with more than one licensed fisherman? Early in the morning buzzbaits are working well and shallow running crankbaits are also good, in addition to a wide range of topwater lures such as prop baits. The Columbia full-service Licensing and Boat And the added bonus? But, have always wanted to. 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. Try this link and get in touch with a captain. 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. The 94 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers returned to post-Classic competition just two weeks after the Champion was crowned, but they didnt make it far down the road. The State Farmers Market has convenient parking and easy access to both I-77 and I-26. 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. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. In colder conditions they will move deeper and towards the bottom, while in warmer conditions they often move more towards the creeks and shallower. However, he is also doing well drifting as deep as about 12 feet. Anglers are catching them all over the lake Most detailed Lake Wylie After our 3 hour drift everyone onboard had either landed or fought and released a fish of a lifetime. The water temperatures have still not dropped quite enough to really change the bass fishing, and Brett reports that everything he is catching is coming around scattered wood and grass in the 4-6 foot range. Todays best setup was a 4oz. They are dirt shallow, and today just fishing while waiting for a camera guy Brett has caught a bunch of fish in no more than a foot or two of water. The best brush has been in the 20s, and the fish are 10-12 feet down. Both lakes hold a year-round population of Blue, Flathead, White, and Channel Catfish. A record 58-pound channel catfish and five-pound black crappie were caught at Lake Moultrie. He wasnt the only Mossy Oak performer to get to compete for all four days: If youre headed to Santee Cooper in mid- to late-March, be sure to bring some pre-spawn staples like jerkbaits, vibrating jigs and Carolina Rigs, just to keep the bass honest, but in normal weather years expect the masses of fish to be super-shallow, looking to reproduce. Morning surface water temperatures have hit the lower 60s. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. The remote lakes are surrounded by stunning scenery, giving you the perfect getaway. 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. Cut herring, river herring, bluegill and shad are all working. Oct 27, 2021. The crappie are starting to move around on the lakes, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that there are not as many fish on the deep brush piles as there were a week ago. 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). Herring and chicken have gotten the most bites although they havent found anything the fish are swallowing very well. In general anchoring on deep structure is the most consistent way to catch large blue and flathead catfish this month. Shad mainly but we are starting to see the big schools of menhaden. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in January tight-lining for suspended fish up the rivers should be effective. Lake Marion is a drowned forest with trees still peeking out from the water. The bass are following the shad, and so if you can locate the bait you will find fish. Herring has been out-fishing everything else. Striper fishermen on the Santee Cooper lakes catch plenty of nice fish in May using live shad or herring, but drifting cut baits can also put some nice blue catfish in your cooler at the end of the day. While taking in the world-class fishery, youll also get to indulge in stunning views. Fishing in the upper lake is winding down. Swimbaits can also work. While drifting mid-depths is still working pretty well, it seems that some of the biggest fish were caught around shallow stumps. Right now it looks like the lakes are in a bit of a down cycle for crappie. Copyright 1997-2023 The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide LLC All rights reserved. When the water cools then the brush bite for bream should pick up, and the canal should fill up with shellcracker. Benjamin Bunting If you want to get out on Lake Marion, Summerton, Eutawville, and Santee itself have plenty in the way of comfortable accommodation, along with camping grounds. 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