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Freshwater Fishing Trends - February 4, 2008

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources appreciates the cooperation of fishing trend reporters: Mr. Jay A'Hern and statewide reporting with SCFishingReport.com; Lake Murray - Dooley's Sport Shop; Lake Marion - Randolph's Landing.

Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee:

bulletTrout: Red hot. Troll from the surface down to 40 feet using Bad Creek trolling spoons. Also try drifting live bait (large shiners) in the same zone. Cool temperatures have turned the trout feed on and several 6 to 8 pounders have been taken in the last two weeks.
bulletLargemouth and Redeye Bass: Very good. Try jigging vertically in 60 to 80 feet of water using ¾ ounce jigging spoons and jig n pigs. Also try fishing plastics such as finesse worms and trick worms deep and just off the bottom.
bulletSmallmouth Bass: Fair. Any day now the smallmouth bite should start; try live bait, vertical jigging spoons, and crawling plastics (crayfish imitations, worms) across the bottom around rocks.
bullet Jocassee Outdoor Center 2008 Annual Trout Fishing Tournaments - Feb. 9, March 8, April 12.

Lake Keowee:

bulletLargemouth and Spotted Bass: Good.  Fish deep in 30 to 70 feet of water using drop shot rigs and shaky headed jigs. 
bulletCrappie: Fair. Use minnows and jigs in 25-30 feet of water around brush piles and other structure.

Lake Hartwell:

bulletStriped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. The striper bite is really heating up on Lake Hartwell. Locate fish on the depth finder and then fish live bait in 18 – 35 feet of water to catch them. Also try dropping jigging spoons down for those same fish. Additionally, sales of umbrella rigs are picking up as more and more fishermen are catching stripers by trolling umbrella rigs to locate and catch fish.
bulletLargemouth Bass: Fair. The largemouth bass fishing has been off the last couple of weeks and fish have dropped back into deeper water. Target fish by slowly working jigging spoons and jig n pigs in 25 to 40 feet of water. Slowly is the key for these lethargic fish. 
bulletCrappie: Good. The crappie are feeding well in 8 to 20 feet of water. Locate brush piles and fish minnows and colorful jigs.  
bullet 2008 Bassmaster Classic competition Feb. 22-24

Piedmont Area
Lake Russell:

bulletLargemouth Bass: Slow, try using Carolina-rigged worms and deep-running crankbaits.
bulletYellow Perch: Good, fishing medium minnows deep and jigging spoons. 
bulletStriped and Hybrid Bass: Fair, early morning with bucktails, cut and live herring and jigs especially when water is running below dam.
bulletCrappie: Fair, using minnows and jigs.
bulletCatfish: Slow, using cut bait. 
bulletBream: Slow. Try fishing deep with crickets or live worms.               

Lake Thurmond:

bulletStriped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Troll large minnows or herring in main lake areas. Some fishermen are also having success fishing large bucktails in yellow and white as well as large spoons. This is a great time to try and catch a big fish, and one fishermen caught several large striper this weekend including a 37 pounder. 
bulletLargemouth Bass: Fair. Fish deep running crankbaits like Rebels or ShadRaps slowly. Also try slowrolling spinnerbaits along the bottom or fishing jigs.
bulletCrappie: Fair to Good. The crappie bite is just beginning to pick up and fishermen are getting into fish when they can find trees around the bank in deep enough water. Use minnows for these early season fish.

Lake Wylie:

bulletLargemouth Bass: Good. In a tournament last weekend the winning stringer consisted of 5 fish weighing 18 pounds, and the most successful anglers fished jerkbaits in 2-3 feet of water. Try a shallow running #5 shad rap along the bank and in the backs of coves. Also try shaky head jigs tipped with 4" Zoom finesse worms from 2 feet of water on out. Try pumpkinseed color with a red tail and fish very slowly.
bulletCrappie: Good. The crappie are still biting but seem to have moved deeper. Fish off deep drops in 18 to 20 feet of water and around main river channels. Crappie are taking both minnows and jigs.
bulletCatfish: Slow. Serious catfish guides have mainly moved off the lake and are pursuing lunkers by fishing deep in the river.           

Midlands Area
Lake Greenwood:

bulletBetween vacillating temperatures and tough conditions for fishermen, fishing has been slow for the last couple of weeks on Lake Greenwood. Only one type of fish appears to be biting well despite the weather.
bulletCrappie: Good. Fish deep around mid-lake structure using small minnows or jigs. Look for schools of fish on the depth-finder before anchoring as fish are grouped very tightly in certain areas – and not in others.

Lake Wateree:

bulletHarsh, windy conditions for the last few days slowed down fish and fishermen alike. However, fishing remained good for several species for anglers willing to brave the elements.
bulletStriped Bass: Good. Fish in the lower part of the lake using topwaters, shiners, or goldfish.
bulletCrappie: Great. As the water warms the crappie bite continues to get better and better. Target the Fishing Creek and Beaver Creek areas using minnows. 
bulletCatfish: Very good. Although less anglers have pursued them the last few days the catfish bite remains strong. Fish deep holes in 18 to 25 feet of water using cut bait on the bottom. Some monsters have already been caught this winter.    

Lake Murray:

bulletStriped Bass: Fair to Excellent. For keeper-sized striper the fishing is slow right now, but for sheer numbers of fish it is excellent. One boat reported catching 48 striper but no keepers this week, while another caught 20 throw-backs and then one 17 pounder. Fishermen willing to put in the time could still land a monster. This time of year striper will take either herring or large shiners drifted and trolled from the surface down to 35 feet. Continue to look for birds to locate striper.
bulletLargemouth Bass: Slow. Fish slowly using jigs and spinnerbaits in 12 to 20 feet of water and around points.
bulletCrappie: Very good. The crappie bite is really starting to heat up and fishermen are taking nice catches of crappie.  Fish minnows and jigs around brushpiles in 8 to 15 feet of water.
bulletBream: Fair, using redworms and crickets around flooded grass.      

Santee Cooper System            
Lake Marion:

bulletThe water level in much of the lake remains significantly down and a majority of boat ramps on the lake remain inoperable. Recent rains in the Midlands and Upstate have raised water levels slightly but not yet enough. Area marinas, boat ramps and tackle stores are hoping that traditional spring rains return water levels to normal. For now call ahead to be sure ramps are operable before making a trip. Randolph’s Landing lower down the lake has a usable boat ramp and offered the following report:
bulletStriped Bass: Fair. Fishermen are picking up the occasional striper trolling but the drifting action has pretty much dropped off. Try big plugs or shad. The fish are not schooling in significant numbers but look for the schooling to pick up in the next few weeks.
bulletCatfish: Excellent. Fishermen are bringing in coolers full of catfish every day and the catfish action remains red hot as it has been for almost the last three months. This is particularly amazing because the traditionally strong catfish season is only now arriving. Fish in 18 – 30 feet of water using cut threadfin shad on the bottom. Randolph’s Landing is making sure to have plenty of these baitfish on hand.
bulletCrappie: Good.  The crappie bite is accelerating and anglers are catching good numbers of crappie on minnows and jigs in 15 to 25 feet of water.

Lake Moultrie:

bulletMost ramps remain unusable, but for fishermen willing to put in at the Diversion Canal and slowly navigate down to the big water (the low water conditions make fast boating extremely dangerous) the concentrated fishery is very good. If rain raises the water a couple of feet look for extremely good fishing this spring.
bulletStriped Bass: Slow. Try trolling large plugs or live bait (shad and herring).
bulletLargemouth Bass: Good. Lots of big fish are feeding around structure. Use jig n pigs, slow rolled spinnerbaits, and crankbaits around structure.
bulletCatfish: Very good. Fish cut herring or other large, oily chunks of baitfish in 30-40 feet of water on the bottom and around structure.
bulletCrappie: Good. Use minnows or small jigs around brush piles and other structure.

 

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