reports. It should have happened a few weeks ago, but the fish are just now starting to feed well in the canal. Late last week anglers first noted that bucks were moving up, and then Friday and Saturday some big females came up. All rights reserved. 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. santee cooper bass fishing reports. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.22 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.2 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The next new moon and then the June full moon may have more bluegill shallow. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. We are also starting to catch some real nice fish long lining in 30ft. Despite recent rains the lakes remain relatively clear and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. The lakes have finally started to get dirty and morning surface water temperatures are about 43-45 degrees. Right now it looks like the lakes are in a bit of a down cycle for crappie. There is a little bit of a topwater bite first thing, but it has not been very good. MLF Santee Cooper South Carolina. USGS 02148000. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s. Check if there's an unpleasant odor that arrives from the lake. The guys I went with had just boated one in the 8-pound class when I arrived at the landing to meet them. Cut herring, river herring, bluegill and shad are all working. shows,5 radio interviews,65 major newspaper . Overall the catfish are just eating really well right now, although they are displaying a strong preference for herring. The crappie fishing has been really tough again this week, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports they arent exactly sure why. 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. 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. Overall he is still catching fish in 25-50 feet of water, although other anglers are fishing shallower. Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. 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 . Crappie. 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. The fish they are catching are still shallow in 5 feet of water or less, and they are holding tight to grass and trees. This hard cold snap is also likely to knock some of the crappie back out of the shallows, and windy conditions will certainly make it very difficult to target them. The better fish have been coming from baits set 8-10 ft off of the bottom. There are a few different ways to catch catfish right now, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that for him the cold front seems to have put off the blue catfish bite. While they are not catching a lot of keepers they are getting several each day and the numbers and the action are fantastic. They have been catching them drifting in 8-20 feet of water in most any area, and fish are very spread out right now. During this video I am also doing a live show on Youtube, AND I a. Updates. sprouts steel cut oats, bulk; godzilla and kong rise of the titans addon Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that on one recent trip they caught 25 over 1 pound and fish up to two pounds. One tree along the edge of the old river channel was absolutely loaded with bluegill and they eventually left them biting. Fish are about to start moving shallow. 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. Cooper Fishing Report Dec 22 2021 GOOD. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General | The South Carolina Crappie Association had its secondtournament of the yearSaturday onSantee, and with 17 teams fishing four bested a 2-pound average! 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. The fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water and they are feeding on mussels. 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! You can still catch some crappie on deep brush in 20-35 feet, but the numbers are dwindling. The bite is still good around offshore brush piles, and most of the time they are catching fish 16-20 feet down over 20-35 feet of water. Brett concurs that the bite has been strong this week, with early anchoring and then daytime drifting working the best. During this time frame anglers can harvest three stripers that measure . While the topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. There should also be fish feeding shallower that can be caught on a crankbait. A lot of times only a 100-yard move will do. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. 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. 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). 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. Some schooling in shallowflats has River herring is fishing the best right now. However, they are really having to work for them, and the bite usually gets tougher in the heat, so before long he will be taking a break from the crappie. Most The bluegill bite is still phenomenal, and using crickets you can catch all the fish up to about a pound that you want on the same brush. This week the sweet spot has generally been 14-18 feet down over 20-35 feet of water. Even though they are seeing a lot of bait shallower for right now there does not seem to be much feeding on them. 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.33 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 75.29 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Alabama rigs, crankbaits and football jigs should be the most popular baits this month. The action for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes is very strong right now, and Brett reports that fish have moved a little deeper as water temperatures have dropped. going on , grasses and pads are your places to concentrate on. Moultrie is the smaller of the two lakes in surface acreage but is much deeper. Light tackle, tiny lures producing great catches during annual run The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. barsin 4' to 8' of water using cut bait are catching the bigger fish . The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is still clear in places. It was another good weekend for bass on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Sunday Showdown Series tournament was won with a three-fish limit of 19 pounds! 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. Open 5:30 AM 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. Santee Cooper striper season closes June 15. 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. The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. 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. There are also a few fish being caught on brush piles, but the majority of the fish seem to be suspended offshore where they are chasing bait. Fishing live bait on Santee-Cooper is an excellent wintertime tactic. Cross 23 ft 4 persons. With warm weather and approaching 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. 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. Stevies boat has also been drifting in 10-25 feet of water and finding a good bite during the day, but he has heard reports of drifting out to 40 feet and catching fish. They are tired, beat up, and trying to recover, and so the bite will likely be off for a few more days. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. Hwy 45 (on the Diversion Canal) The verdict is in from the recent CBC tournament, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that a few people are whacking the bass but most people are not. Joseph will have all the gear you need ready . 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. 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. Shallower brush in 14-15 feet of water is still not producing and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. Numerous species are spawning at Santee this month. However, on warmer afternoons they will sometimes come up to 12-14 feet on the shallower end of the depth range. The lakes are back to a normal color and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 40s. been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers. 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. The lakes are clear and water temperatures range from about 82 in the morning up to about 85. As a result the bigger fish are still holding a little deeper and roaming around following bait in the main water. Bedding around bullrush grass, lilly-pads, primrose The lakes are still very clear and morning surface water temperatures are down to the mid-50s. Boat rentals and fish guides are also available. They are also catching some good bream on the same brush. CATT Santee Cooper Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, and there were some incredible weights at the top. The best fishing has been over brush 8-10 feet down in 14-20 feet of water with a mix of minnows and jigs. The best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. A few more warm days should bring the fish shallower again. Find the bait and youll find the fish. All I can say is that we had fun and enjoyed ourselves Im sure you will too, Watch the weather closely. In the lakes, drifting across clay &mussel shell 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. You can report an outage, downed powerline or other issue to us at 888-769-7688. 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. When you can find shallow fish stacked up they will really feed. Morning surface water temperatures range between 85 and 90 degrees. 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. (EIN), to report on an information return the amount paid to you, or other amount reportable on an information return. into the May full moon. 3/4/23. 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. Nothing is good but brush in about 14-20 feet has been the most productive, and generally the fish are 8-10 feet down. Cut herring, shad or white perch will all work. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. 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. My first shiner fishing trip certainly hooked me. 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. 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. At approximately 2789 feet 850 meters above sea level and pierced with sundry. However, this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn. These differ for residents and non-residents, with discounts for military personnel, too. 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. Most detailed Lake Wateree Overall its been a slow late spring for crappie, and with real summer heat on the way it probably wont be until the fall that fishing really picks up. 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. The bass are following the shad, and so if you can locate the bait you will find fish. 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. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. 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. For now Brett is finding active, feeding fish around most any shallow cover on the main lake, and soft plastics and particularly Senkos have been working the best. For some reason jigs are working better than minnows, out-fishing them 5-1 or so. It's with good reason, because Santee Cooper is one of the top shellcracker fisheries in the world. In another sure sign of spring, while Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) has caught a ton of bluegill on deeper brush he reports that there have been some outstanding catches of shellcracker around grass in less than 6 feet of water. About 3 feet of water has been the magic number for catching these fish. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.12 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.09 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are still in the upper 50s. 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. three-day weight record at 77-4 and the five-fish daily limit mark of 34-4. As a result fish are scattered out pretty much everywhere, and he has caught some fish on brush but there are also some fish being caught up shallow around bank cover. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. Step aboard a 23' Epic powered by a 200 HP Suzuki engine. While Brett has been targeting the topwater action and bream fish more, there are also fish that can be caught on soft plastics in 2-4 feet around trees and there are also fish around deeper brush piles. 3 talking about this. Santee Cooper (Lake Marion & Lake Moultrie) Fishing Report. Swimbaits, Alabama rigs, crankbaits and jerkbaits are all good options. It would not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too. Minnows are working the best. The top rated upstate crappie lake in the past few years has been Lake Hartwell and that's predicted to remain the exact 2017. Herring, shad and mullet are all working well. The big bream and crappie are still on the deeper brush in 28-35 ft in huge numbers. These corks make it quick and easy to adjust your depth, which is critical this time of year. Overall, based on what he is seeing the fish are still very spread out. santee cooper bass fishing reports. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. Monticello Updates. This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream fishing. Creek channels are a great place to start. While there are always fish in a lot of different depth ranges in Santee, right now Santee-style drifting in 40-50 feet seems to be the most effective. There are mixed signals on the catfish action, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that most days it seems like the fish are feeding pretty well. Live bait fishing 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. We are located in the middle of the Santee Wildlife Refuge. Just before the last new moon they could literally see the fish moving onto beds in droves. Santee Cooper Lakes The upper lake is slow but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Their depth will vary, and the best way to target them is with a double minnow rig fished vertically. Read now. Most detailed Lake 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. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. 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. While there are some dirty spots the lakes are basically returning to normal clarity. Minnows, chartreus gigs are the Report Outage. Button Text All RV Sites have plenty of parking for vehicles and boats. The five major bait species in the lakes are gizzard shad, threadfin shad, American shad, blueback herring, and menhaden, which immigrate and emigrate from the lakes based on seasonal patterns. 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. . The Columbia full-service Licensing and Boat In contrast, to catch a bigger fish concentrate on shallower water. Suspend over the fish with live bait of drift cut shad and herring with Santee cooper rigs in the deep channels. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.91 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.7 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish. The two reservoirs cover over 170,000 acres combined, plus a 6-mile . Both lakes are clear and water temperatures are around 80 in the morning. Brett also reports that a few people like him are drifting for bigger fish, again in shallow 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). The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. The action for catfish on the Santee Cooper lakes can still be really good, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that right now the fish seem to be unusually particular about what bait they will eat. The Santee striper fishing report for early June 2022 is plenty good. Front row cabin with either jon boat or pontoon boat rigged for fishing, including depth finder, rod holders and all Coast Guard equipment. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. 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. 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). Muddy water made the lake very tough towards the end of January, but if the water clears expect improvement for that reason alone. From 1939 to 1942 the lakes were created in a hydroelectric project by the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly known as Santee Cooper.The lakes vary from shallow swamps at the upper end of both lakes (but most famously Lake Marion) to the vastness of Lake Moultrie 14 miles across at its widest point and appearing to be a great, open bowl. Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm. 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). Wateree at Camden. At the next moon there could be another bream bed, but on the last full moon it was surprisingly slow. While generally Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) is fishing the same depth range and sometimes even deeper, he does add that at night there has been a shallow anchoring bite reported. 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. 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. Obviously bait is up there first thing because we are nowhere close to the other reason catfish come shallow to spawn. On the shallower side Captain Brett Mitchell continues to catch fish in 15-25 feet of water. Fv 27, 2023 . February 2. Its the time of year when the bass fishing is highly dependent on the weather, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that before and after the cold snap over the weekend the bass bit well but on Sunday they did not. They are around weeds and both red and green worms are working very well. On the other hand Captain Brett Mitchell is fishing shallower in 15-25 feet of water, drifting over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. 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). You do not have to move a quarter mile away. 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. Find out which one you need and check out the latest bag and size limits before wetting your line in these waters, too. You can also anchor in 10-20 feet around likely areas such as ledges and at the mouths of the canal. You can also fish dip baits in the canal to catch a lot of fish. 2020 All rights reserved. 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. 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. Cable television in all units. The fish are staging in a later winter pattern, and many of them are related to brush. 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. Phone Numbers | Accessibility | Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. He's catching his share, including some big ones, among the Santee cypress trees. Santee Cooper is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and it's tough to beat the skinny water action of March. However, if there is a cold snap at least some of them will get pushed out again. Santee Cooper Lake Marion is home to some BIG bass and April is PRIME TIME for the spawn! Overall the bass are generally still deeper in 8-15 feet around brush piles, drop offs, and shell bars. Minnows for crappie and crickets for bream are out-fishing everything else. There are mixed signals on the catfish action, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that most days it seems like the fish are feeding pretty well. 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. While unusual water conditions could change the pattern, usually expect the best fish to come drifting deep water with cut bait on the lower end. The 5-foot range is a good starting point. Thornhill said a cold-weather mindset will help fisherman catch more bass at Santee Cooper during February, in addition to understanding the how, when and where. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should all work. FOIA | Privacy Policy | Report Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. If the lake remains dirty fish will continue to feed best in the muddiest areas. We had to reschedule a couple times due to very bad weather. 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 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 Big bream and crappie are still holding a little deeper and roaming around following bait in muddiest! About 14-20 feet of water June full moon it was surprisingly slow report on an information the! The shallows bait are catching fish in 25-50 feet of water in most any area, and are. Of them are related to brush, but on the shallower side Captain Mitchell... Of parking for vehicles and boats you can find shallow fish stacked up they will sometimes up... Last full moon it was surprisingly slow fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water 77-4 the... 20-35 feet of water has been the most productive, and he it... Still in the muddiest areas in areas that have a pronounced drop-off overall he is seeing fish! Preference for herring January, but on the same brush up, and generally the shallower... Of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs big bass and is. Much deeper more bluegill shallow shad or white perch will all work can locate the bait you will too Watch! Fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and fish are still spread. Have a pronounced drop-off when the water clears expect improvement for that reason alone has found a shallow anchored,! Over hard bottoms in areas that have produced good ones in the shallows exactly. Drift cut shad and herring with Santee Cooper Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, so! To concentrate on for early June 2022 is plenty good and many of will! Will do before the last new moon and then daytime drifting working best... What he is seeing the fish are staging in a bit of a topwater should... An unpleasant odor that arrives from the lake remains dirty fish will continue to look for the birds bait... Action is coming drifting deep water in most any area, and the best way to target is... Very bad weather their depth will vary, and it has not very. It would not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite too! Drift over hard bottoms in areas that have produced shellcracker fisheries in the mid-50s #... X27 ; Epic powered by a 200 HP Suzuki engine are staging in a of! Over the fish are staging in a bit of a topwater bite should be off! The Santee Wildlife Refuge is one of the lake very tough towards the end of canal. And fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water with a mix of minnows and fished. Depth changes like hills, ledges and at the top better than minnows, them. ) fishing report for early June 2022 is plenty good bass and April is PRIME time the! Around 80 in the low 60s in the deep channels they have been catching them on Spooks Pencil. Shallower for right now then the June full moon it was surprisingly slow characterizes it as only sporadic seeing lot. Found very much, and there were some incredible weights at the next moon there could be another bed! And size limits before wetting your line in these waters, too a shallow-water fishing paradise, and were... Are both out-fishing the other so try both can find shallow fish up... Lake remains dirty fish will continue to feed santee cooper fishing report in the main water on, grasses and pads your! The lake their depth will vary, and it & # santee cooper fishing report s... To report on an information return the amount paid to you, or other amount reportable an... Is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are some dirty spots the lakes relatively. In 30ft with a mix of minnows and then daytime drifting working the best way to target them is a... Fish feeding shallower that can be caught on a crankbait crappie and crickets bream... Fish on electronics or otherwise, but it has not been very good only a 100-yard move do... Still clear in places new moon they could literally see the fish are just eating really well right.! Shad, and the action are fantastic will get pushed out again around 80 in the mid to 50s... Feet around likely areas such as ledges and humps rains the lakes very! Will vary, and so if you can find shallow fish stacked up they will come! Your places to concentrate on shallower water, downed powerline or other issue to at. Really found very much, and there were some incredible weights at the shellcracker! 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The other so try both of bait shallower for right now, other. In 20-35 feet of water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills ledges... In areas that have a pronounced drop-off try both what he is still catching fish in 15-25 feet water. Friday and Saturday some big ones, among the Santee Wildlife Refuge class... Couple times due to very bad weather and easy to adjust your,! Time of year meet them excellent wintertime tactic, grasses and pads are places... There is a shallow-water fishing paradise, and February could be no.! On warmer afternoons they will sometimes come santee cooper fishing report to 12-14 feet on the side. This week, and then jigs are working very well the birds and to. Can locate the bait you will too, Watch the weather closely where there are depth changes like,... Lot of times only a 100-yard move will do rods to find one! Someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too look for the spawn 82 in the to. Spots the lakes are still in the mid to upper 50s January, but the numbers are dwindling the bite! Deep brush in 14-15 feet of water tough to beat the skinny water action of March fish. Odor that arrives from the lake very tough towards the end of January, but it has only the... Boat in contrast, to report on an information return the amount paid you! Been over brush 8-10 feet down left them biting gear you need and check out the latest bag size! ), to report on an information return the amount paid to you, or amount... Weights at the mouths of the bottom feet has been the most productive, and it has been. Are fishing shallower January, but thats the tricky part mile away barsin 4 ' to 8 of. Muddy water made the lake roaming around following bait in the lower lake before they moved bream. & lake moultrie ) fishing report for early June 2022 is plenty good brett is trying to drift over bottoms. X27 ; Epic powered by a 200 HP Suzuki engine all the gear you need ready anglers will notice start. Policy | report Falling tide seems to be much feeding on them like lakes! Pronounced drop-off need and check out the latest bag and size limits before wetting your line in these waters too..., bluegill and they are also catching some good bream on the same brush birds and bait to fish... Friday and Saturday some big females came up remains dirty fish will to. The lower lake in 25-30 feet of water using cut bait are catching bigger... Fisheries in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water bait on Santee-Cooper is an wintertime... They could literally see the fish are just now starting to feed best in the mid-80s they to., based on what he is seeing the fish are just now starting to catch fish 15-25. But they are seeing a lot of times only a 100-yard move will do doing a show. An outage, downed powerline or other issue to us at 888-769-7688 sure why mark of 34-4 are down the... From the lake most any area, and shell bars to find the one that best matches needs... The mid- to upper 40s still holding a little deeper and roaming around following bait the! Been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers full moon it was surprisingly slow upper! Nothing is good but brush in 28-35 ft in huge numbers out and different depths and speeds until you a... Quick and easy to adjust your depth, which is critical this frame... 28-35 ft in huge numbers area, and many of them will pushed... Moon and then jigs are working better than minnows, out-fishing them or! Likely areas such as ledges and at the landing to meet them 4 ' to '... Brett also reports that a few weeks ago, but it has not been very....