S.C. Freshwater Fishing Trends

3/17/2008

Freshwater Fishing Trends

DNR does not endorse or otherwise sanction the following Web page. Statewide reporting courtesy SCFishingReport.com.

High winds over the past few days have resulted in only a few changes in the freshwater report. Warmer weather over the next week is expected to have a more favorable ensuing report.

Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee:

	Trout: Excellent. Rare among SC freshwater species, trout like the cold weather. Troll from the surface down to 40 feet using Bad Creek trolling spoons. Also try drifting live bait (large shiners or herring) in the same zone. Night fishing has also been productive with large fish and good numbers being caught; troll the rivers for best success. In the Jocassee Outdoor Center March 8 tournament very strong winds made for tough fishing conditions.
	Largemouth 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.
	Jocassee Outdoor Center 2008 Annual Trout Fishing Tournament - April 12.

Lake Keowee:

	Largemouth Bass: Good. Warmer weather this week should move fish shallower; target boat docks and the backs of coves. Use 3 ½ inch live magic shad colored Lake Fork Swim baits and topwater jerkbaits.
	Spotted Bass: Good to very good. Fish around Mile Creek and Gap Hill Landing. Use 1/8 ounce shaky head worms in redbug color and fish approximately 20 feet of water. Also try topwater jerkbaits in black and silver. Fish continue to move shallower.
	Crappie: Fair. It's still early for crappie but try minnows and jigs in 25-30 feet of water around brush piles and other structure.

Lake Hartwell:

	Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair to good. Unpredictable weather continues to make striper fishing difficult except in very specific areas. Best action is coming in the Martin Creek area near the coal pile and at the mouth. There is also good action being reported at Friendship Access fishing up the Coneross. Successful techniques include pulling trout and gizzard shads on planer board rigs. As the water warms looks for striper to move shallower and begin feeding on threadfin shad.
	Largemouth Bass: Fair. After the Classic largemouth bass seem to be moving shallower, but look for approaching fronts to push them deeper again. The most popular baits continue to be jigs and crankbaits.
	Crappie: Good. The crappie bite is improving and fish are feeding aggressively in 14 to 15 feet of water.

Piedmont Area
Lake Russell:

	The water remains cold in Lake Russell – hovering between the high forties and very low fifties. Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair. Fish early morning with bucktails and cut and live herring and fish deep.
	Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair to good. Fishermen throwing crankbaits, including shad raps and rattle traps with orange on them, are reporting decent catches. The winning stringer in a club tournament Saturday came fishing a green jig near the dam for spotted bass. Also try fishing deep (40-50 feet of water) using a drop shot jig.
	Crappie: Excellent. Lake Russell anglers continue to catch lots of crappie. Fish in 12 – 18 feet of water around treetops using small minnows. Limits of very nice fish are being taken daily.
	Catfish: Good, using cut bait and nightcrawlers along the bottom.

Lake Thurmond:

	Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair. Windy conditions and cold weather continue to make striper fishing inconsistent and difficult at times. Conditions up the river are muddy while the lower end of the lake is clear to slightly stained – there is better fishing near the dam. Pull planers in 45-55 feet of water and fish downlines with live bait. Target the Little River Carolina, Buffalo Creek, Soap Creek and Baker Creek areas. Expect fishing to improve dramatically as warmer weather arrives.
	Largemouth Bass: Fair. Largemouth moved shallower over the last week or two and the fishing improved; however, cold weather has temporarily pushed them deeper. Fish secondary points and creek backs with a small #5 Shad Rap or spinnerbait once warmer conditions return.
	Crappie: Very good. The crappie bite continues to improve and catches of real slabs are being reported. The upper end of the lake is better for crappie right now, particularly from Snap and Pistol Creek down to Landrum. Pull slider jigs or fish minnows around brush tops in 14 to 18 feet of water.

Lake Wylie:

	Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish around boat houses in 8 to 10 feet of water and target the Catawba Creek area. Throw a #7 shad rap or jig and pig, or try a watermelon red soft plastic bait.
	Crappie: Good. Lots of nice one to two pound crappie are being caught fishing 10-20 feet of water using a small black jig or solid chartreuse jig tipped with a minnow. Fish around boathouses very slowly. On warm afternoons look for fish to move into shallow water.
	White Perch: Very good. Fishermen who locate large schools of white perch report catching 50 or 100 nice fish in the one to two pound range. Fish in 20-24 feet of water next to river channels and crisscross deep to shallow until fish are located. Use a minnow or jig lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly.

Midlands Area
Lake Greenwood:

	Striped Bass: Fair. Striped bass are scattered, but some are being caught if fishermen can find the right spots. Locate striped bass by locating feeding gulls. Use jigging spoons in 18-20 feet of water.
	Largemouth Bass: Good to very good. Bass are staging around brush piles and docks in preparation for the spawn. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits and look in pockets.
	Crappie: Good. Crappie are starting to move shallower although it is difficult to predict what effect the falling water levels will have. Use small jigs and minnows in 8 to 14 feet of water.
	Catfish: Good to very good. Lake Greenwood has good catfishing year round. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms in 10 to 12 feet of water.

Lake Wateree:

	Striped Bass: Good. Fish in the lower part of the lake using topwaters, shiners, or live herring.
	Largemouth Bass: Good to very good. Fish are moving shallow and best fishing is coming around shallow boat docks and on main lake points. Throw jigs, spinnerbaits, and #8 crawdad colored shad raps. The slightly stained mid-lake areas are producing the best fishing because of higher water temperatures there.
	Crappie: Good. Tough conditions have continued to make crappie unpredictable this week but as the water warms the crappie bite will continue to get better and better. Target the Fishing Creek and Beaver Creek areas using minnows.
	Catfish: Very good. Multiple 40 pounders have been taken in the last two weeks. Target big blue cats using cut bait fished on the edges of holes.

Lake Murray:

	Tough weather conditions, including very strong winds, continued to make Lake Murray difficult to fish this week.
	Largemouth Bass: Good. The bass fishing has improved over the last week or two but continues to be sporadic. Fish will bite well in a spot one day then be gone the next; it seems bass are moving around looking for spawning spots. One angler this week caught two 6 pound bass, an 8 pounder, and an 11 pound monster free lining live herring. Artificial lure fishermen are having best luck around secondary points in 5-15 feet of water fishing shaky head jigs with green pumpkinseed worms or jig and pigs.
	Striped Bass: Fair. Fishing conditions have been difficult on the open water with strong March winds blowing most days. The striper remain scattered all over the lake although the eastern end of the lake seems to be producing better than the western end right now. Lots of short fish are being caught but it remains difficult to pick up keepers – the winning 5 fish stringer in a tournament this weekend had only 3 fish in it. Best catches are coming pulling planer boards and on free-lines.
	Crappie: Very good. The crappie bite continues to improve and fishermen are taking good catches of crappie, including some really nice sized fish. Fish 10 to 15 feet of water around brush, particularly near the mouths of creek channels. Expect the cold front to push fish out for a few days but expect them to move shallow and prepare to spawn once it passes.
	Shellcracker: Good to very good. Some anglers report outstanding catches (100 plus fish days) in very shallow water – as shallow as one to two feet. Look in pockets around flooded fennel and try to locate fish in the clear water then use half of a night crawler worm.

Santee Cooper System
Lake Marion:

	Striped Bass: Slow. Fishermen are picking up the occasional striper trolling but the drifting action has pretty much dropped off. Try large plugs or live shad. Striper seem to have moved a little way out of Wyboo Creek on Lake Marion but will probably be back in that area soon, depending on bait fish movements. Expect fishing to improve in the next 3-4 weeks as striped bass make their annual migration through the Lakes.
	Largemouth Bass: Good to very good. Catches of very large bass, over 10 pounds, are picking up. Bass are responding to rising water and beginning to be caught very shallow on a variety of baits. Shaky head jigs and Senko type baits are particularly effective down to 8 feet. Deep patterns are also productive using Carolina Rigs and jigs around brush.
	Catfish: Very good. Prospecting in shallow water is productive both anchoring and drifting although drift fishermen may encounter frequent hang-ups. Have fresh cut bait, including shad, herring and white perch, on hand. Look for big blues to be caught in shallower water with lots of structure such as stumps.
	Crappie: Good. Catches of crappie are improving and some nice stringers are being caught. Fish shallow water from the Stump Hole area down toward St. Park. Fish will probably back off to 12 or 14 feet of water with the colder fronts but look for them to move shallower again soon.
	Shellcracker: Fair to Good. Shellcracker fishing is starting to heat up as the water temperatures hit the high to mid-50s. Fish shallow (2-6 feet) in the Poplar Creek area if the cold front doesn't push the fish back out to deeper water.

Lake Moultrie:

	Rising waters have opened up ramps such as Angel's Landing which had been closed for the last several months. Water temperatures on the northeast side of the lake are hitting 60 degrees in some areas and the fishing is keeping with tradition and improving first in this part of the lake.
	Striped Bass: Slow to fair. The striper bite is not good enough to plan a trip around it yet but there is some schooling activity in the Bonneau area and at the mouth of the Diversion Canal. Anglers should have a rod ready with a bucktail in case a school hits the surface while they are pursuing another species. Expect fishing to improve in the next 3-4 weeks as striped bass make their annual migration through the Lakes.
	Largemouth Bass: Very good. Bass are in the pre-spawn period. Fish crankbaits, #5 shad raps, and Rapalas slowly in 4-6 feet of water. Fish will continue to spread out over areas which have been dry until recently.
	Catfish: Good to very good. Catfish are biting well and are also beginning to move into shallower water. However, the bite has been inconsistent at times for big blue cats. Best bites have come on windy mornings with the bite cooling off on calm, bluebird clear days. Fish cut herring or other large, oily chunks of baitfish in 8-10 feet of water on the bottom and around stumps. Also try drifting in 10 to 20 feet of water when the winds are favorable or too strong to anchor comfortably.
	Crappie: Good. In the Northeast area of Lake Moultrie crappie are biting well around very shallow brush (often protruding above the surface) in 3-5 feet of water. Anglers are using minnows (not jigs) and catching lots of 2-3 pound fish. Further down the lake fish are still suspended in deeper water.
	Shellcracker: Fair. Catches of shellcracker are starting to pick up. The mouth of the Diversion Canal on the Moultrie end is producing shellcracker in late afternoon.

South Carolina Rivers

Catawba River

Largemouth Bass: Fair. Bass fishing in the Catawba is beginning to improve using crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Calmer conditions should improve fishing in the next couple of weeks.

Chattooga River

Trout: Good to very good. Anglers report catching large numbers of 14 inch trout with some 20 inch fish mixed in. The water level remains high but fishable. Fly fishermen should continue to use nymphs and other wet flies but should expect the March Brown hatch to usher in the dry fly bite in the next few days. Best flies this month are the Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince, and Zug Bug in sizes 12-16. Early in the day fish Black Stones (sizes 16-18) or small Dun Caddis flies (16-18). As the season goes on flies will get smaller and smaller to match the natural insects – take a selection of the following: Gray Caddis Puba (16-18), BWO, Addam's, and Quill Gordons. The best section of the river remains catch and release fly-fishing only until May 15.

Cooper River

Shad: Excellent. The shad run is in full swing in the Cooper River and the bucks and now females are making their way from the ocean up the river towards the Lake Moultrie Dam tailrace to spawn. Some really nice roe shad are being taken, ranging from 3 to 5 pounds. Conventional fishermen should use a small green grub and fly anglers should use a chartreuse Clauser on a #4 hook.

Great Pee Dee

	River levels in the region have risen with the recent rains. Fish the main river for catfish and target bass and panfish in the surrounding oxbow lakes.
	Catfish: Good to very good. Catches of catfish are picking up in the main river using cut eels. Fish on the bottom in holes and around channel breaks.
	Crappie: Fair. Anglers fishing ox bow lakes off the main channel are starting to report improved catches. Use minnows.

Lynches River

	Bass: Slow to fair. Some bass are starting to be caught but fishing should improve as the warmer months approach. Use crankbaits and soft plastics.
	Bream: Slow to fair. Fish worms on the bottom. Catches will continue to improve as the water warms.

Saluda River

Trout: Good. There are reports of large numbers of small stocked trout from last fall's DNR stocking being caught as well as some larger trout. One angler caught a 16 and a 17 inch brown trout. Fishing should only improve as the spring approaches.

Santee Diversion Canal

	Largemouth Bass: Good. Nice largemouth catches are being taken fishing in the breaks and rocks at both ends of the canal.
	Crappie: Good. Large numbers of crappie are being taken in the canal, including frequent 2-3 pounders. Fish 15 to 20 feet of water.
	Catfish: Slow. Catfish seem to have moved out of the canal area or at least are not biting in the area. Shellcracker: Shellcracker are beginning to be caught on the Moultrie end of the canal. Look for warmer water conditions in late afternoon.

Santee-Cooper System

Water levels in the Santee-Cooper system have risen by a foot and a half in the last two weeks and marinas and boat landings which have been closed for months are starting to reopen. Water temperatures range from the low to mid 50s throughout the system.

Savannah River

	Yellow Perch: Excellent. Huge yellow perch are still being caught in the two plus pound range. The Georgia state record was tied in the last week, and experts predict that it will soon be broken.
	Striped/ Hybrid Bass: Excellent. Fish are being caught directly under the Lake Thurmond Dam in the slack areas where baitfish are being pulled by. Remember, only 2 fish over 27" may be kept and no striper, hybrids or white bass under that size.

Waccamaw River

	Crappie: Good. Fishermen in the Waccamaw are beginning to report nice catches of crappies. Use minnows around structure.
	Catfish: Good. Use large goldfish or shiners to target big catfish. Anglers are having success using set hooks and trotlines but the same baits will work rod and reel fishing.