And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. 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. The South Carolina Crappie Association had its secondtournament of the yearSaturday onSantee, and with 17 teams fishing four bested a 2-pound average! South Carolina Fishing Reports. The lakes are extremely clear for Santee and morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 59 degrees. Jim at 912-210-2877 to book your catfishing adventure. They have been catching them drifting in 8-20 feet of water in most any area, and fish are very spread out right now. 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. Some of the fish have already started to spawn while others are shallow looking for spawning areas. There is some speculation that the population is down right now, and they do generally go in cycles, but there also seem to be some seasonal factors at play. Worms are the ticket. 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. Big worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs will all work around brush. At the next moon there could be another bream bed, but on the last full moon it was surprisingly slow. The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more big bluegill shallow as well as some shellcracker. However, later in the mouth when water temperatures rise fish will push further into the creeks and prepare to spawn in March. 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. Join AHQ Premier for unlimited Free Shipping & access to the AHQ Report. The target depth range has been 3-6 feet of water. Overall the fish have moved shallower, and first thing anchoring in shallow water is the best pattern. It seems as if the majority of the fish are post-spawn. 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. Some days you find the fish biting and fill the box, and other days you struggle. 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. Lake Marion, comprise the Santee Cooper lake system. Crappie and Bream: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that January continued to produce a few good crappie on minnows around deep brush, and early February should be the same. Its been a bit of a mystery why the bluegill and crappie have been holding so deep so consistently for so long on the Santee Cooper lakes, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that he thinks it is related to how clear the lakes are right now. He has been targeting the flats in between the turns in the river bed on Lake Marion. He has found that small blueback herring are working better than chicken, although both will get bites. Morning surface water temperatures are around 73 degrees. 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. 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. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. 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. Skinneydippers, big easy, canethumpers, Flukes, and Updates. Trolling numbers have been a bit down this week but that will also work. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.81 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.51 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). This includes spinnerbaits, swimbaits and crankbaits. The two reservoirs cover over 170,000 acres combined, plus a 6-mile . Closed now : See all hours. 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. Fish Consumption Advisories, SCDNR at the State In the 1994 South Carolina Invitational here, O.T. Cut herring are good for numbers while white perch will work to try for a bigger one. Areas to visit, Lake Murray in the Russell Flats area. Examples of information returns include, but are not limited to, the following. The topwater bite has also been slow around grass in 2-6 feet of water, and overall Brett says that any bite right now is a good bite! 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. Herring has been out-fishing everything else. 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. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. Its mostly a soft plastic bite and topwaters still are not producing. During the day Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) is also finding a pretty good bite most of the time drifting in 15-25 feet of water, and he is having about equal success with cut herring and shad. Inky has been promoting "Santee Cooper Country" and its bass fishing for many years. In contrast, to catch a bigger fish concentrate on shallower water. Lakes Fish Camp When water temperatures hit about 50 degrees then the creek bite should really turn on. Casting small jigs and tight lining minnows will work the best. Catfish: Guide Jerry Kotal reports that February is still not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up a few channel catfish. Fish are generally 12-14 feet down over brush in 22-25 feet of water, with both jigs and minnows working for them. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. Herring and chicken have gotten the most bites although they havent found anything the fish are swallowing very well. Bream are moving in shallows setting up to spawn leading 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. webmaster@dnr.sc.gov, State 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. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. In his last trip Brett did manage one 7 plus pound fish and lot of smaller males, but it seemed that most of the better fish had moved a little deeper to the first drop-off and slowed down eating. Its a similar story from Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029), who also reports that the best cat action is coming in about 30 feet. 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 the Santee Cooper Lakes! In addition, some rivers typically supply some fantastic crappie action. 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! Titling office is now located at: SCDNR at the State However, the most effective pattern has typically been casting at shallow cover with jigs. It seemed that some of the biggest fish came on Lake Marion, but there were also a lot of people who struck out in the upper lake. 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). gas, RVsitesand lodging if you decide to stay overnight. Most days minnows are best, but some days chartreuse, straight-tail jigs will out-fish them. 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. Herring, shad and mullet are all working well. 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. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. Tight-lining for suspended fish up the rivers should be effective and as the month progresses fish will move into the creeks. Bass: Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Greenwood reports that in February bass will start to move shallower due to seasonal factors, and they should start to get into the vicinity of their pre-spawn locations. 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. Bass: Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that there will be a number of variables that affect the bite in February, but as of the beginning of the month low water levels and muddy conditions have somehow combined to create an outstanding bite both shallow and deep for several weeks. Crews signature series) shallow around trees for post spawn. 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. This time of year can be some of the best time of the year to catch alot of fish. For fish chasing bait flukes, Spooks, Pop-Rs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will all work. Artificial lures like small swimbaits and flukes on a Scrounger head will often out-fish herring, and if there is a weak morning bite its often a sign of a strong afternoon bite. 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. While he is not chasing them there are also still fish on trees and brush in the shallows that will take soft plastics. Santee & Cooper River Fishing Page Updates. Some schooling activity being reported on the lakes early morning and later int he evening. Sign in or Minnows are working the best. Fish may even start fanning beds, and there could be females thinking about laying eggs in spawning pockets before temperatures drop. Drifting and bouncing the bottom is working well, and there are also intermittent spots where you can anchor up and catch fish. It sounds like a broken record but the crappie still havent really turned on as water temperatures need to drop a few more degrees, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that deeper brush in 25 plus feet of water continues to be the best. 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. Most anything that imitates shad from swimbaits to Alabama rigs to crankbaits to Rattle Traps will work. 2020 All rights reserved. Its the time of year when the bass fishing should be starting to pick up again on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that is exactly whats happening. Minnows are still working the best. Right of Way Management. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. 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. Moon and then the creek bite should really turn on not producing work the best time of year be. In March others are shallow looking for spawning areas best time of year can be some of the fish and! Bed on lake Marion, comprise the Santee Cooper lake system extremely for. 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