Live bait fishing Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. Herring and chicken have gotten the most bites although they havent found anything the fish are swallowing very well. Give us a call at 803-492-7924 so that we can co-ordinate your needs. They are around weeds and both red and green worms are working very well. On the last trip they managed a couple of 40-pound fish, a 30-, and so on. Surface water temperatures range from about 78-81 degrees. 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. 110,600 acres View Map Premium Mapping Find Local Fishing Spots on the Interactive Map! The lakes are extremely clear for Santee and morning surface water temperatures are about 61 degrees. A large number of crappie are spawning on Santee, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that certainly not all of them are. 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. Waterbodies: Santee River; Species: Largemouth Bass; Smallmouth Bass; . rentals - Canal Lakes Fish Camp on the Santee Cooper Lakes Nightly, weekly, and monthly rental rates for rooms, cabins, and houses. <br><br> The park sits along Lake Marion, one of the two lakes (the other's Moultrie) that gave birth to America's inland . wigglers and crickets are the best baits. Santee Cooper Crappie Fishing Pautzke Bait 43.6K subscribers Subscribe 15K views 3 years ago Springtime spells crappie in South Carolina's Low Country. 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). By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. 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. You can still catch some crappie on deep brush in 20-35 feet, but the numbers are dwindling. At the beginning of the month fish should be closer to the river channel or the mouths of creeks where they can be caught tight-lining deep, but if conditions warm significantly in the backs of creeks then fish should move shallower into pre-spawn locations. 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. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should all work. 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 75.41 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.31 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! There is a little bit of shad spawn in the morning, and as always its over after about an hour. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. However, many anglers overlook it as an effective method to catch bass. 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 will take both live bait and artificials and this is one of the best months of the year to catch big fish. detailed Santee Cooper System Updates. rightofwaymanagement@santeecooper.com. For some reason the catfish bite has gotten really tough, and while there are some fish being caught its not unusual for anglers to strike out right now. However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. It's with good reason, because Santee Cooper is one of the top shellcracker fisheries in the world. When the fish are very shallow they will take spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits and other baits worked quickly, while when they pull out medium-running crankbaits and Rattle Traps are good. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. 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. on Santee Cooper However, this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn. 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. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees. 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 . 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. Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with FatherandSonOutdoors Stripers. Farmer's Market, freshwater 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. 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. 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. While a variety of cut baits will work, chicken has been out-fishing everything else. Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. Swimbaits can also work. However, during the day the best pattern is still drifting in 25-40 feet of water when fish pull out deeper. In the cold weather the bream fishing has really slowed down, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that they are still catching some nice crappie even though they are having to work for them. This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream fishing. Brett Mitchell agrees that the deep bite is good during the day, but he also notes that first thing in the morning there have been good reports of fish caught shallow. It shouldnt be long until fish start to move into the creeks following shad and become catchable on topwater lures, swimbaits and square-billed crankbaits. To fill a cooler with eating size catfish Captain Stevie reports that his boat is drifting with herring in 15-30 feet of water, and they have found a pretty fast bite for channels and smaller blues. All Rights Reserved. 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. The lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Some days you find the fish biting and fill the box, and other days you struggle. What better time to reflect on our winter fishing [] Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. He and his son have still caught some fish on the same deep brush that has been producing. However, at times anchoring shallower produced better in January so be flexible. There are staging fish around trees, but the bulk of the big fish seem to be shallow. With over 20 years guiding experience fishing the Santee Cooper Lakes, we offer a 100 lb. The weather has turned warmer and water temps are climbing. santee cooper bass fishing reports. With warm weather and approaching Multiple species of fish are in spawning mode, with stripers, largemouth bass and crappie in their annual reproductive rituals. Some schooling activity being reported on the lakes early morning and later int he evening. Brett concurs that the bite has been strong this week, with early anchoring and then daytime drifting working the best. As we enter the second half of February the weather has gotten extremely mild. 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). If temperatures warm they should start to move shallower later in February. The big bream and crappie are still on the deeper brush in 28-35 ft in huge numbers. 141 spots Part of the famous Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers. But the world-class shellcracker fishing produces an overflow of anglers to the shallow sectors of both lakes. The fish they have caught have been 8-12 feet down over brush in 15-20 feet of water. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.76 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are dingy. Fish may even start fanning beds, and there could be females thinking about laying eggs in spawning pockets before temperatures drop. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. The shallow bite has been better in the evenings, and that should stay true through the weekend. 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. Live Chat. Look in sandy areas where the fish can fan a bed and fish with crickets or worms. Bedding around bullrush grass, lilly-pads, primrose Bass. Most detailed Santee Cooper System Updates Mountains Area Lake Jocassee Bass: Tournament angler Joe Anders reports that on Lake Jocassee in February the fish will still be deep, and they are mostly likely to be suspended in the channels. 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. While open to debate, the case can easily be made that the Santee Cooper lakes are the premier freshwater fishery in South Carolina. fish. These differ for residents and non-residents, with discounts for military personnel, too. 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. (Herring)off the Hatchery and Bonneau in 25' to 40' and in front of the Step aboard a 23' Epic powered by a 200 HP Suzuki engine. 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 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. sprouts steel cut oats, bulk; godzilla and kong rise of the titans addon The Palmetto Trail passes through the Resort. The area doesnt seem to make a whole lot of difference with smaller fish very spread out, and he is just going. Perhaps the most exciting thing going on Santee right now is the. As it warms in February fish will start to move into pre-spawn locations adjacent to where they will eventually spawn, and a few fish may even go on beds by the end of the month. a day guarantee. titleist linksmaster 2022 catalog; borderlands 3 how to get back to destroyers rift. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. Most detailed Lake Hartwell Striper and hybrids: Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during February fish will still 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. Overall fish should continue to be caught on free-lines, planer boards and by casting at birds, but there should also still be a down-line bite for deeper fish. 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. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. webmaster@dnr.sc.gov, State Perhaps the most exciting thing going on Santee right now is the striped bass bite in the canal, and drifting blueback herring over the rocks has been dynamite. Just before the last new moon they could literally see the fish moving onto beds in droves. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. 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. Boat rentals and fish guides are also available. 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. If you fish very, very early you can also find a shad spawn around dawn in some places. Anglers seem to either be on them or not, and in this weeks Sunday Showdown Series the best 3-fish limit was an impressive 18 pounds. January saw a slow but steady bite for big blue cats. The upper lake is getting dirty, while the lower lake is relatively clear once you get away from the mouth of the canal. While the bluegill and crappie continue to hold deep in the clear conditions on Santee, Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the bite is still really good around offshore brush piles. Joseph will have all the gear you need ready . These include around grass, trees, and wood. For fish that are coming off the spawn Steve is less concerned with water depth, and more focused on location. Their depth will vary, and the best way to target them is with a double minnow rig fished vertically. 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. A few more warm days should bring the fish shallower again. The biggest catches seem to be coming on brush piles in 8-12 feet of water, but this is pretty specialized fishing for hard-core locals as you really have to know the lakes and where the cover is. Lots of flounder are also being caught but most are under sized so make sure you know your regulations. If temperatures get very cold then fish will move deeper but we are in no danger of that right now. Monticello Updates. Lots of schooling activity on the Cooper River in the mouths of the old Richfield cuts. 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. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. Trolling numbers have not been incredible. Inky has been promoting "Santee Cooper Country" and its bass fishing for many years. The fish are staging in a later winter pattern, and many of them are related to brush. The bite seemed to die after the morning. 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. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.22 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.99 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Bass: Guide Brad Fowler reports that in February the best bet is to target deep water with drop shot rigs, blade runners or football jigs. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. The co-state record largemouth bass was caught out of Lake Marion (16-2 caught in 1949), until 1993 the world record freshwater striped bass came from Santee Cooper (55 pounds), the state record white crappie came from Lake Moultrie (5-0 caught in 1957), and the state record shellcracker (5-7.5 caught in 1998) came from the Diversion Canal. Under the surface there is the reality of varying contour in both lakes.Popular species targeted by Santee Cooper anglers include largemouth bass, a recovering population of striped bass, white and black crappie, bream (most notably shellcracker and bluegill), and several species of catfish. 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. Right now its slower than last year at this time. 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. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. Despite this, a bit of a topwater bite is starting to come on and there are also some bass chasing bait fish. The bass are following the shad, and so if you can locate the bait you will find fish. While they are not catching a lot of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. 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. These services are no longer offered at 1000 Assembly Street in Downtown Columbia. Usually they are back in protected areas, and grass is often a magnet for them. The South Carolina Crappie Association had its secondtournament of the yearSaturday onSantee, and with 17 teams fishing four bested a 2-pound average! 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. 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