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. January saw a slow but steady bite for big blue cats. Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Reports | Santee Cooper Country Fishing Reports (803) 854-2131 February Fishing Report. 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. There are shad in those areas and the bass are also feeding opportunistically on whatever else is around. 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. His boat is having the most success with herring. Herring and chicken have gotten the most bites although they havent found anything the fish are swallowing very well. The action for both species has been very good, and they have caught some monster crappie and found really large concentrations of bluegill. 7/15 This month some striped bass will be caught around the same deep bait schools where other species are feeding, but other striper will be roaming this month. Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. Both lakes are clear and water temperatures are in the upper 70s in the morning and low 80s by the afternoons. The lower lake is still clear even as the upper lake is getting dirty, and morning surface water temperatures are about 47 degrees. Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that patterns in February are almost entirely dependent on weather. We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. With the crappie fishing slow Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) took a break from them last week, but this weekend he will be after them again. Luckily the catfish bite has been really good on Santee Cooper, and both Steve and his son Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) report that they are filling boxes with fish pretty quickly. Lots of fish 15 to 30lbs. Just before the last new moon they could literally see the fish moving onto beds in droves. While the topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. Lake Marion Fishing Vacation EAT SLEEP HUNT FISH 803-492-7924 Ask about our Fishing Vacation Packages, Corporate Fishing Trips. January can be really fun. 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. 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. Its best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring. Connected by the Diversion Can . They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Crews signature series) shallow around trees for post spawn. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.27 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.20 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. There are staging fish around trees, but the bulk of the big fish seem to be shallow. Titling office is now located at: SCDNR at the State Fishing Reports Bragging Board Fishing Guides Summer hours 5:30 am to 8 pm Enjoy our upgraded, renovated accommodations. 2023 FishingBooker.com. Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. Most detailed Lake Santee Cooper in mid-March is some of the best fishing in the country. Book a trip with Captain Bill and fully enjoy the opportunity of a lifetime. Fish will feed best in the warmest areas and crankbaits and jigs should both be effective. South Carolina Fishing Reports. He has been targeting the flats in between the turns in the river bed on Lake Marion. These are really big fish that are busting with eggs, and they are getting very close to spawning. rightofwaymanagement@santeecooper.com. The fish are already starting to spawn in shallow water around grass but numbers are about to go way up. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. The catfish bite seems to be improving, and Captain Stevie English reports that drifting in relatively shallow water he is catching lots of good blues and channels on herring. Cable television in all units. Still catching plenty of catfish in 40 to 55 foot of water as well as shallower flats and creeks in 2-25 ft. At times fish can also be found schooling. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs could also work. To help decide when you would like to come see the Santee Cooper Country Visitor Guide, view current and future fishing weather forecast on our Fishing Forecast Satellite , and then call Capt. We use cookies on our website to give you the best shopping experience. 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. Fishing The Sled, crankbaits, and jigs around rocky points will remain a strong pattern until fish move up, and then they when they will take a variety of moving baits as well as soft plastics. A general pattern can be to anchor in deep water early and then try the shallows later in the day when the water warms. with sandy bottomsis the areas to look for. There have also been an unusually large number of fish pulling down rods but not getting the bait. Numerous species are spawning at Santee this month. Pinewood. 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. Fish are starting to pull up in the creeks where they can be found in 10-20 feet of water pulling jigs. While there are tons of little fish out in very deep water, the best action has generally come drifting Santee-style in 25-35 feet of water. A recent stocking of fish for a kids fishing event should have improved trout fishing recently. 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. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. (803) 854-2131 Most anything that imitates shad from swimbaits to Alabama rigs to crankbaits to Rattle Traps will work. You can also anchor in 10-20 feet around likely areas such as ledges and at the mouths of the canal. The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. Lots of blues of all sizes (especially the good eating size at 3-5 lbs) mixed in with channel cats being caught. FOIA | Privacy Policy | Report With the warm front this bite may slow a bit as the shad may start to spread out more and fish may also start to roam, but they should still be in the same general areas. 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. On the last trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and so on. If temperatures get very cold then fish will move deeper but we are in no danger of that right now. 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. USGS 02169500. The target depth range has been 3-6 feet of water. Fishermen should keep in mind the effect of different temperatures in different parts of the lake. Right now minnows are working better most days, but you should also have a chartreuse, straight-tail jig ready just in case. The fish are shallow on beds, and spawning activity peaks on the new and full moons. Crappie: Little River Guide Service reports that February is one of the best months of the year for catching big fish. Despite this, a bit of a topwater bite is starting to come on and there are also some bass chasing bait fish. These freshwaters are often called the Catfish capital of the world because of the vast numbers of Catfish you'll find in its waters. Bass: Tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that in February fish should be coming out of their winter patterns by the latter part of the month, and they should be just starting to make a push shallower towards their pre-spawn areas. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. The best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. The catfish bite is also dependent on weather, and right before a front comes through fish have been feeding really well while after a cold snap the bite slows for a day or two. Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! I finished in top 10 in serveral tournaments. Lots of schooling activity on the Cooper River in the mouths of the old Richfield cuts. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in February fish should feed better as the spawn will be rapidly approaching. Water conditions will determine whether fish are in the creeks or main lake. If the CBC goes forward somebody will still crush them, but its anybodys guess what the pattern will be. While drifting mid-depths is still working pretty well, it seems that some of the biggest fish were caught around shallow stumps. Some days you find the fish biting and fill the box, and other days you struggle. These differ for residents and non-residents, with discounts for military personnel, too. Right now it looks like the lakes are in a bit of a down cycle for crappie. Form 1099-INT (interest earned or paid) Form 1099-DIV (dividends, including those from stocks or mutual funds) Overall he is finding the best action drifting in 15-25 feet of water during the day, and anchoring in shallower water at night. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.12 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.81 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Try Santee Cooper tailraces for great shad, herring action Jeff Burleson Featured, Freshwater Fishing Roe shad up to 4-1/2 pounds are biting in the Cooper River tailrace below Lake Moultrie for fishermen using light tackle. But its a good bet they will pull back. The current state record blue catfish (109-4 caught in 1991) was caught in the Tailrace Canal below Santee Cooper and held the world record until 1996.As would be expected to support so many trophy-caliber fisheries, the Santee Cooper lakes have an extensive forage base. Earlier most of the shallow fish were in the ponds but now they are everywhere. AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 5 Fishing Report - Updated February 2 February 2 Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.03 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Scdnr Fishing Report - santee cooper fishing report 2018. 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. Known together as the Santee Cooper lakes (formally the Santee Cooper Hydroelectric and Navigation Project), Lakes Marion and Moultrie are located in the outer coastal plain to the southeast of South Carolina between the cities of Columbia and Charleston. 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 have Highly Recommended Santee Fishing Guides that can accommodate your fishing charter. The state record and one-time world record is a 5-pound, 71/2-ounce fish caught in the Diversion Canal in 1998. Read now. The big bream and crappie are still on the deeper brush in 28-35 ft in huge numbers. While the striped bass do not seem to be schooling right now on Santee Cooper, Captain Steve English reports that in the lower lake they have been catching a ton of fish deep. Jefferies Dam in 50' has also been productive. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. Fishing Resources. The crappie fishing has improved marginally, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that its still not where he would like it to be. wigglers and crickets are the best baits. However, later in the mouth when water temperatures rise fish will push further into the creeks and prepare to spawn in March. It took 10 pounds to win the 3-fish limit Sunday Showdown Series tournament this weekend. 9302 Old Number Six Hwy, Santee, SC 29142 Its a good idea to have both. Late last week anglers first noted that bucks were moving up, and then Friday and Saturday some big females came up. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. recreational fishing regulations, Report Sitting on the shores of South Carolina's largest lake, Lake Marion, Santee State Park is one of the most popular freshwater fishing destinations in the state. They continue to pick away at the crappie on Santee, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the bite in both lakes is pretty much tracking and fish are only sporadic. The catfish bite is pretty good right now, and Captain Brett Mitchell reports that most people are still anchoring in 4-6 feet of water around cypress tree clusters where fish are spawning or looking for areas to spawn. Despite recent rains the lakes remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Suspend over the fish with live bait of drift cut shad and herring with Santee cooper rigs in the deep channels. Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with FatherandSonOutdoors. 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. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. 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). Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. Creek channels are a great place to start. The catfish bite has dramatically improved on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he has caught a pile of fish drifting over all different kinds of structure in 45-55 feet. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper While they are not catching a lot of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. There are also still plenty of fish in the creeks that can be caught trolling jigs and minnows in 8-15 feet of water. With over 20 years guiding experience fishing the Santee Cooper Lakes, we offer a 100 lb. 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. 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. But the world-class shellcracker fishing produces an overflow of anglers to the shallow sectors of both lakes. Waterbodies: Santee River; Species: Largemouth Bass; Smallmouth Bass; . data-event-category="Navigation header guest". Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. 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. 1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201 As Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) predicted last week, temperatures have now gotten to the point where some bass have actually started spawning activity particularly in the protected backwater ponds that warm up fastest. So, why go fishing on Santee Cooper? Dennis offers some thoughts on how to target various species that are biting now on the Santee Cooper lakes: Crappie "If I was going crappie fishing, I would be trolling jigs in 20 to 30 feet of . 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. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. When water temperatures hit about 50 degrees then the creek bite should really turn on. Minnows, chartreus gigs are the The top rated upstate crappie lake in the past few years has been Lake Hartwell and that's predicted to remain the exact 2017. Santee Cooper Crappie Fishing Pautzke Bait 43.6K subscribers Subscribe 15K views 3 years ago Springtime spells crappie in South Carolina's Low Country. Fishing live bait on Santee-Cooper is an excellent wintertime tactic. Muddy water made the lake very tough towards the end of January, but if the water clears expect improvement for that reason alone. Conditions are still a little tough for bass on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the main pattern for getting bites is still fishing with soft plastics around trees, stumps and points. santee cooper bass fishing reports. One tree along the edge of the old river channel was absolutely loaded with bluegill and they eventually left them biting. Learn more about this fishing tournament at Santee River on Mar 4, 2023 from Omnia Fishing. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. Even between moons they have picked up some bedding bream, and they have generally been on deeper beds in more than five feet of water. The bluegill are also still piled up on the same brush, and they are catching some really nice bream on crickets. There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. With the heat wave and new moon Brett is cautiously optimistic that another big group of fish will come up. Come enjoy a day on the water with Daisy and Capt Mark !! 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. It seems as if the majority of the fish are post-spawn. 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. Flats, hills and about anything in the 10-20 foot range is worth drifting. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.87 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.75 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Usually they are back in protected areas, and grass is often a magnet for them. Worms are the ticket. The better fish have been coming from baits set 8-10 ft off of the bottom. 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. We had to reschedule a couple times due to very bad weather. He is now targeting bass following bait which will move in and out of the creeks following current. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. 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. While you can still catch a lot of small eating-sized fish drifting in 15-30 feet of water, Captain Stevie English is most excited that the canal bite is finally turning on. Fish may even start fanning beds, and there could be females thinking about laying eggs in spawning pockets before temperatures drop. 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. And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. 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. Lots of crappie are on the deeper brush. Catfish: Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in February drifting deep water is still the best bet, but on very warm days there can be a night/ evening bite in shallow water. 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. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. The top 10 co-anglers on Santee Cooper Lakes finished: 1st: Rodney Tapp, North Augusta, S.C., 10 bass, 32-10, $27,300 2nd: Daniel Taylor, Elizabethton, Tenn., seven bass, 21-8, $5,000 3rd: Oakley Connor, Travelers Rest, S.C., four bass, 20-8, $4,000 4th: Bart Beasley, Mount Pleasant, S.C., seven bass, 19-13, $3,550 Crickets and minnows are the best baits. Fishing with Brett Mitchell Santee-Cooper Guide and Instructor Specializing in Trophy Size Largemouth Bass - Blue Catfish - Striped Bass (In season) CALL 803-379-7029 BrettMitchell@bellsouth.net Fishing With Brett only Uses rod holders from Facebook Messenger Welcome to the site! Fishing is pretty good everywhere, and the new pattern is that there are starting to be a lot of fish caught shallow drifting in 12-15 feet of water on the ledges near deep water. on Santee Cooper Cooper Lake is among Texas best fishing hot spots. Find the bait and youll find the fish. CATT Santee Cooper Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, and there were some incredible weights at the top. Fish the edges of the creeks. They will be caught on shakey head worms, jerkbaits, and square-billed crankbaits. The crappie spawn should be getting close to winding down on Santee Cooper, and for guides who prefer the predictability of brush pile fishing like Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) it couldnt come soon enough! Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. However, the most effective pattern has typically been casting at shallow cover with jigs. 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. 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. Jamestown (Santee River) USGS 02171700. Santee Park Store NOW OPEN Current Weather Conditions on Lake Marion at Santee State Park Santee State Park offers cabins, camping, biking, hiking, boating and fishing in the heart of one of the nation's best-known outdoors destinations - Santee Cooper Country. For employment verification, contact Santee Cooper Human Resources via fax at 843-761-4191 or call 843-761-8000 ext. 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 February. Bedding around bullrush grass, lilly-pads, primrose 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. Look for the BIRDS. 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. You can report an outage, downed powerline or other issue to us at 888-769-7688. top water and swim baits will work good. The Santee striper fishing report for early June 2022 is plenty good. Write by: . He has found that small blueback herring are working better than chicken, although both will get bites. Morning surface water temperatures range wildly from the mid-50s on the lower lake in the big water to the mid-60s in protected backwater ponds. 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). 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. 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