Most detailed Lake 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. Santee Cooper is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and it's tough to beat the skinny water action of March. White perch has been completely unproductive. (known as gator grass) in 2' to 4' of water in the protectivebackwaters The better fish have been coming from baits set 8-10 ft off of the bottom. 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). 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 lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. Customer Service. 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. Despite recent rains the lakes remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. In addition, some rivers typically supply some fantastic crappie action. For some reason jigs are working better than minnows, out-fishing them 5-1 or so. 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. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper These fish are extremely difficult to target with conventional bass fishing techniques. This craft is equipped with advanced fishing technology, including fishfinder, a wireless trolling motor, and a live bait well. Willey says the famed Santee Cooper Lakes are currently experiencing low water levels, so most catfish anglers concentrated on working ledge structures 15 to 25 feet deep in Lake Moultrie. Warmer water is often found at the very backs of the creeks on Santee Cooper, and as a result Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that a lot of bait is also back there right now. 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). Most anything that imitates shad from swimbaits to Alabama rigs to crankbaits to Rattle Traps will work. 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. 110,600 acres View Map Premium Mapping Find Local Fishing Spots on the Interactive Map! Santee Cooper Lake Marion is home to some BIG bass and April is PRIME TIME for the spawn! Reports of 23' to 30' drifting along ledges have been productive also. Cast plastic swim baits into the schools. The bass have been surprisingly quiet this week on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports thats because we are in a minor lull between waves of the spawn. MLF Santee Cooper South Carolina. There have also been an unusually large number of fish pulling down rods but not getting the bait. Perhaps the most exciting thing going on Santee right now is the. 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. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 65 degrees. a day guarantee. Cut herring seems to be the perfect bait and drifting they are picking up a steady assortment of blues and a few good channels. 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). 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. Mayflies have been hatching periodically and will continue to do so for the next month or two. 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. Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Minnows and crickets are out-fishing everything else. Capt. 843-753-2271 Morning surface water temperatures are around 73 degrees. On the other hand the catfish are not a fan of the warm weather, and the bite has generally been erratic. By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. Now is the time to catch the fish of a lifetime. Water temperatures have not dropped enough to really change the bass fishing on the Santee Cooper lakes, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that when temperatures drop another five degrees then you should be able to fish topwater baits all day long and not just in the mornings. The weather has turned warmer and water temps are climbing. 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. They are also catching some good bream on the same brush. Overall the catfish are just eating really well right now, although they are displaying a strong preference for herring. moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in 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. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Toyota Series - Lake Guntersville - Day 2 weigh-in (2/18/2023) 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! 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). Front row cabin with either jon boat or pontoon boat rigged for fishing, including depth finder, rod holders and all Coast Guard equipment. Suspend over the fish with live bait of drift cut shad and herring with Santee cooper rigs in the deep channels. Overall the fish have moved shallower, and first thing anchoring in shallow water is the best pattern. Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. He will be fishing minnows. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.23 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.1 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Open 5:30 AM Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that February should also be a good month for big fish. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. The fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water and they are feeding on mussels. Both lakes are clear and water temperatures are in the upper 70s in the morning and low 80s by the afternoons. In the lakes he is looking for a ledge or stumps or something else that will provide the fish with a place to hold. The better fish have been coming from baits set 8-10 ft off of the bottom. The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. USGS 02169810. 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. Bream are biting crickets. However, by the end of January many of the better fish were already starting to move off the deep brush, and this month fish should continue to make their move shallower. Fish the edges of the creeks. 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). 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. Our top priority is to satisfy. 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. Crappie: Captain Bill Plumley reports that at the beginning of February fish are most likely to be found around deeper docks on jigs and minnows, but if temperatures warm then later in the month they should be caught on creek ledges as they start to move up. Its also a period when anglers pursuing other species will catch trout. Catfish. 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. Pinewood. Crappie. 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. 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. 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 . 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. While they arent targeting them they are also picking up a fair number of big bream while fishing minnows on the same crappie brush, and so it may be time to start bream fishing! Trolling numbers have been a bit down this week but that will also work. The area doesnt seem to make a whole lot of difference with smaller fish very spread out, and he is just going. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.22 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.18 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). This week the sweet spot has generally been 14-18 feet down over 20-35 feet of water. While the fish are shallow they are still not on very flat areas like they will spawn on, and they are more likely to be outside of those areas where there is deeper water nearby. Form 1099-INT (interest earned or paid) Form 1099-DIV (dividends, including those from stocks or mutual funds) A recent stocking of fish for a kids fishing event should have improved trout fishing recently. Again, its best to have a mix of cut baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring because fish have been showing different preferences on different days. With so many panfish up shallow its no surprise that the catfish are in the same areas, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that first thing anchoring in shallow water has been producing very well. Yesterday they tried some brush in 14-15 feet of water with no bites, and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. 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. However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. 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 new moon was a week ago and the full moon is not until next week. Overall the bass are generally still deeper in 8-15 feet around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. The fish are staging in a later winter pattern, and many of them are related to brush. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. After about 10 oclock the fish move deeper and it switches over to a drifting bite, and about 15-18 feet of water has been the magic depth. Crickets are working for bluegill, while minnows are working for crappie. Pretty much everything has come on soft plastics this week. The best range for drifting right now is in 25-40 feet, and on cooler days they will move towards the deeper end of that range. They will be caught on shakey head worms, jerkbaits, and square-billed crankbaits. Live Chat. Steves boat is targeting the lower lake, and everything he is catching is coming on relatively shallow brush 7-10 feet down over 15-20 feet of water. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.13 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.04 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Right now it looks like the lakes are in a bit of a down cycle for crappie. 7/15 South Carolina Santee Cooper Lakes fishing charters, fishing guide, Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. Look for bait and fish then set your baits right above your marks. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. Keep moving! However, later in the month if the water temperatures reach the low to mid-50s then on warm afternoons fish will move up onto wind-blown red clay points and banks to feed. His boat is having the most success with herring. It should have happened a few weeks ago, but the fish are just now starting to feed well in the canal. They are right where they are supposed to be in March, and with lots of fish spawning and others just behind and past spawning you can throw your choice of spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics, jigs and more. Bass: Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that early in February bass should still be caught deeper in the main lake and at the mouths of creeks around the bait schools where other species including perch are feeding. These are really big fish that are busting with eggs, and they are getting very close to spawning. The upper lake is getting dirty, while the lower lake is relatively clear once you get away from the mouth of the canal. While a variety of cut baits will work, chicken has been out-fishing everything else. One day the fishing will be good and the next day it will be slow, but overall the best fishing is coming in the upper lake. Made up of Lake Marion to the west and Lake Moultrie to the east, Santee Cooper was not only ranked as the third-best bass fishing lake in the country in Bassmaster's annual list of 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2021, but was also named the 23rd-best lake of the decade in 2020. This year Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Elite Series pros hit Santee right, and he doesnt expect to see many dry live wells. Off the end of the dock at Blacks Fish Camp visibility is in excess of 6 or 7 feet, and that is likely pushing the fish deeper. They will take both live bait and artificials and this is one of the best months of the year to catch big fish. The lower lake has fished a little better than the upper lake. 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. They provide a home to various fish species, especially Catfish. 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. Theres not much change in the catfish patterns, although Stevie reports that with lots of panfish up shallow the early anchored bite seems to have gotten even better. The blues were on the deeper end of that range, while when he pulled back to 35 or less feet he encountered more channels. 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. 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. South Carolina Fishing Reports. However, later in the mouth when water temperatures rise fish will push further into the creeks and prepare to spawn in March. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. Surface water temperatures range from about 78-81 degrees. Fish are starting to pull up in the creeks where they can be found in 10-20 feet of water pulling jigs. February Fishing Report. Lots of crappie are on the deeper brush. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. The lakes are getting muddy and morning surface water temperatures are around the low to mid-60s. Santee Cooper in mid-March is some of the best fishing in the country. Cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the best baits. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. We just wrapped up a 3 day fishing expedition so watch the full vi. As is often the case there are several different ways to catch catfish on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports the best action he has found has been in very deep water from 25 out to 50 feet. Vast areas laced with flooded timber and cypress. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. Alabama rigs, crankbaits and football jigs should be the most popular baits this month. Our Lakeside Rentals & Campgrounds Discover the places you can stay, eat and fish while in Santee Cooper Country. Proving that there are catfish everywhere in Santee, Captain Brett Mitchell reports that his boat has been wearing the fish out drifting in 12-14 feet of water. Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in February catfish on Lake Wateree should be mixed between shallow and deep. Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with FatherandSonOutdoors. with sandy bottomsis the areas to look for. The canal drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off minnows. Been 14-18 feet down over 20-35 feet of water pulling jigs ago and the full.. Is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and so they are displaying a strong preference for herring of! Shallow and deep in 10-20 feet of water really well right now of. But occasionally you can pick up a 3 day fishing expedition so watch the full moon not! 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Of plenty of coolers this week roam around the low 60s in the country can found!
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