We use cookies on our website to give you the best shopping experience. Santee Cooper Lake Marion is home to some BIG bass and April is PRIME TIME for the spawn! The State Farmers Market has convenient parking and easy access to both I-77 and I-26. 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. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.54 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.26 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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. In my "Glory Days" I competed as an ESPN Bassmaster Angler. Fishing Guides Mullet are also present at times. Overall he is still catching fish in 25-50 feet of water, although other anglers are fishing shallower. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. going on , grasses and pads are your places to concentrate on. Creek channels are a great place to start. Bream are biting crickets. Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that patterns in February are almost entirely dependent on weather. The fish they are catching are coming on soft plastics. Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) Farmer's Market, freshwater shallow waters around grass beds of bullrushes being the best. Titling office is now located at: SCDNR at the State This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream fishing. Waterbodies: Santee River; Species: Largemouth Bass; Smallmouth Bass; . It should not be long until a topwater bite comes on but for now they have not been productive. 2020 All rights reserved. On the last trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and so on. You dont want to fish large, flats pockets like the ones fish would spawn on. With the full moon this past weekend the bream fishing was decent, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in the end the May full moon seems to have been kind of in-between. The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. The bass patterns are mostly unchanged on Santee, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that one thing which can create some variation during a generally stable, hot period is a mayfly hatch. The upper lake is getting dirty, while the lower lake is relatively clear once you get away from the mouth of the canal. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. 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. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. The shallow bite has been better in the evenings, and that should stay true through the weekend. been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers. 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. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. While the topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. 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. Book a trip with Captain Bill and fully enjoy the opportunity of a lifetime. The colder the water gets should make the fishing and fish size better and better. 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. In colder conditions they will want more subtle, slow-moving lures, while if temperatures rise they will be willing to chase faster moving baits like spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Perhaps the most exciting action right now is coming for striped bass, and while you cant count on it there has been a fair amount of schooling activity in the upper lake. Learn More At the April full moon it should be gangbusters again, while this week they have caught decent numbers and a few big fish but nothing has been hot. Between the full moon, rising water temperatures, and rising water levels from recent rains everything is combing to push the fish towards the banks. Casting small jigs and tight lining minnows will work the best. What better time to reflect on our winter fishing [] 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. Regardless, drifting or anchoring with cut bait off the river channel is likely to be the best pattern. They provide a home to various fish species, especially Catfish. with sandy bottomsis the areas to look for. 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. These services are no longer offered at 1000 Assembly Street in Downtown Columbia. Step aboard a 23' Epic powered by a 200 HP Suzuki engine. wigglers and crickets are the best baits. Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! There is also still a good anchored bite early and then a good deeper drift in 25-40 feet of water. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. February 2. The new moon was a week ago and the full moon is not until next week. Canal Lakes Fish Camp Santee Cooper Lakes Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 Open 5:30 AM 843-753-2271 raysedgwick8@yahoo.com . While there are a few bream on brush piles, the better shellcracker are up shallow and for the next several weeks they should be spawning in 3 feet of water or less. The Palmetto Trail passes through the Resort. Lots of flounder are also being caught but most are under sized so make sure you know your regulations. Usually they are back in protected areas, and grass is often a magnet for them. Cross 23 ft 4 persons. Bass: Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that in February fish will still be concentrating on shad, but what lures they will be willing to eat will depend on water temperature. However, during the day the best pattern is still drifting in 25-40 feet of water when fish pull out deeper. Lots of schooling activity on the Cooper River in the mouths of the old Richfield cuts. After that its more of a drift bite in 20-30 feet of water. a day guarantee. A general pattern can be to anchor in deep water early and then try the shallows later in the day when the water warms. Just before the last new moon they could literally see the fish moving onto beds in droves. Fishing Reports; Fishing Articles; Fishing Tournaments; Fishing Organizations; Explore Lakes; About Omnia. 100 pounds over 4 days is possible. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.65 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.5 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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. Yesterday made it in the 80's and one cannot help but think that spring is around the corner. 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). For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. In the lakes, drifting across clay &mussel shell Fv 27, 2023 . Again, a topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker. 141 spots Part of the famous Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers. Farmer's Market 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. Overall the action for catfish has been a little off-and-on at Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that the weather has certainly not helped with a mix of wind and rain in the past week before it got prettier. 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. The bass are not on every piece of cover. 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. 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. Multiple species of fish are in spawning mode, with stripers, largemouth bass and crappie in their annual reproductive rituals. 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 Jefferies Dam in 50' has also been productive. That's what's made it one of the most storied destinations in the history of professional bass fishing. 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). Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. While he hasnt found the bass out that deep Brett is also finding that largemouth have moved out that way, and from what he has seen the best action is coming in about the 10-15 foot range. wigglers and crickets are your best offering. 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. Even between bream spawns there are fry and small bream hanging around the beds which they will use repeatedly, and those are primarily what the bass are eating. Earlier most of the shallow fish were in the ponds but now they are everywhere. 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. All Rights Reserved. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up. Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that muddy water scattered the fish and made for a slow January, and the quality of the bite in February will again depend on water conditions. 843-813-4128 Captain Jeff Lucarelli | 843-729-2212 Captain Truman A. Lyon reports. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.55 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.68 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Bass: Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in February fish will still be related to deep brush or rock until it gets time for them to move towards their pre-spawn and then spawning locations. 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. null . Discover waterways in South Carolina with interactive maps containing recent catches, fishing spots, and reports of the latest fishing activity. 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 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.03 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). In bream news, Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that there are still some outstanding catches of shellcracker around grass in less than 6 feet of water. 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. Cable television in all units. The lower lake has been much better than the upper lake, and a lot of days jigs have been out-fishing minnows. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees. 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. <br><br> The park sits along Lake Marion, one of the two lakes (the other's Moultrie) that gave birth to America's inland . While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. The more general pattern seems to be fishing with soft plastics like Trick Worms around trees, stumps and points. Even after this cold snap overall mild temperatures mean that the crappie bite has stayed extremely good for the season, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in the lower lake they are still catching fish just over brush in 25-30 feet of water. During the day Stevie has had the most success drifting in 10-20 feet of water. 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). Come enjoy a day on the water with Daisy and Capt Mark !! 326 Little Brooke Lane While they are not catching a lot of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. 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. They will be caught on shakey head worms, jerkbaits, and square-billed crankbaits. 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. Overall he is finding the best action drifting in 15-25 feet of water during the day, and anchoring in shallower water at night. They are still getting a lot of pull-downs but the fish wont commit as well. USGS 02169500. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s. A few more warm days should bring the fish shallower again. FOIA | Privacy Policy | Report Customer Service. 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. We are at about the mid-point of the crappie spawn on Santee Cooper, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that he approximates that half of the fish have spawned while another half still have to go. By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. They are around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. 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. Write by: . 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. Cut herring seems to be the perfect bait and drifting they are picking up a steady assortment of blues and a few good channels. Surprising bass news from CATT winners - AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 7 Fishing Report Updated February 15, Hewitt and Lawshe break 27 and post a 9.41(!) 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. (Herring)off the Hatchery and Bonneau in 25' to 40' and in front of the Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. 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. Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Forecast Target Species of Fish Based on historical data for fishing Santee Cooper Lakes, you should target one of the following species for this time of year: Pumpkinseed Sunfish There is a 40.74% catch rate for Pumpkinseed Sunfish, based on 11 Pumpkinseed Sunfish counted. 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). Capt. Its been an outstanding bite for catfish recently, and in a tournament over the weekend Brett reports that a 106-pound fish was weighed in as part of a 3-fish limit that went over 200 pounds! Capt. 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 5-foot range is a good starting point. Most of the fish should stay shallow for at least another month and it wont be until June and July that large numbers go deep. USGS 02169810. The shad are spawning around lily pads, grass and clusters of trees, and when you find fish feeding on them they will eat anything that imitates a shad. 2023 FishingBooker.com. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. Catfish. The blues were on the deeper end of that range, while when he pulled back to 35 or less feet he encountered more channels. They have been catching them drifting in 8-20 feet of water in most any area, and fish are very spread out right now. Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. Brush in about 14 feet has been the most productive, but they are also getting some fish in 15-20 feet of water. 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. Anchoring on creek channel ledges and fan-casting cut gizzard shad, white perch and herring will be the best way to target big blue catfish. As we enter the second half of February the weather has gotten extremely mild. Most detailed Lake Greenwood These freshwaters are often called the Catfish capital of the world because of the vast numbers of Catfish you'll find in its waters. We don't do this everyday but we do our best to produce fish every day. 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. 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). 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