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. Bream. Open 5:30 AM South Carolina freshwater Underspins can also work well. Swimbaits can also work. View Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Reports. South Carolina Fishing Reports. Salt water Bushy Park. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. In the lakes he is looking for a ledge or stumps or something else that will provide the fish with a place to hold. 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. This weekend will be a totally different situation, however, and with temperatures dropping into the mid-20s and 25 mile per hour winds out of the north he expects that many fish will abandon their beds. sprouts steel cut oats, bulk; godzilla and kong rise of the titans addon The Palmetto Trail passes through the Resort. 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. 141 spots Part of the famous Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers. Some monster catfish were caught in the Big Cat Brawl over the weekend on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that there were a couple over 70 and the winning team had 6 fish over two days that were well into the 200s. Most anything that imitates shad from swimbaits to Alabama rigs to crankbaits to Rattle Traps will work. For some reason the catfish bite has gotten really tough, and while there are some fish being caught its not unusual for anglers to strike out right now. CATT Santee Cooper Spring Qualifiertook place this Saturday, and there were some incredible weights at the top. been reported catching them on Spooks and Pencil Poppers. 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! Perhaps the most exciting thing going on Santee right now is the. shows,5 radio interviews,65 major newspaper . While the topwater bite should be taking off Brett hasnt really found very much, and he characterizes it as only sporadic.. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 79 degrees. Falling tide seems to be the best time to fish. The lakes are as clear as Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) has ever seen them, which may be part of the reason why they can only catch bluegill and crappie around the deeper stuff. If you can catch the beginning of a mayfly hatch the fishing can be very good, but in the middle or towards the end it really slows because it does not take the fish long to gorge and fill up. Fresh Santee-Cooper Fishing Reports Top Santee-Cooper destinations Cross Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Summerton Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Eutawville Tomorrow: 70 / 64 F Fishing Seasons & Latest Fishing Photos February With the prized fish out in the deep, you'll need to hop on a boat to get out to reach them. 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 Chat. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.03 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Toyota Series - Lake Guntersville - Day 2 weigh-in (2/18/2023) The shallows are full of channel catfish, and late in the day, at night and early you can catch big blues that have come up there to feed by anchoring cut bait. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.75 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Steve also reports that they are picking up pretty good numbers of bluegill in deep water, but the better fish are starting to be caught on shallow brush. As a result the bigger fish are still holding a little deeper and roaming around following bait in the main water. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. Click here for 30 day free trial! Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees. Even though he is hearing those same reports from deeper water, Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) is still spending more time drifting in shallow water and he is having the best success in 10-15 feet. Following the birds and covering water with free-lines or planer boards is usually the best pattern. Live herring and shad will work the best. Depending on what they are on Brett will then turn to jerkbaits, Carolina rigs, swimbaits or spinnerbaits. If you follow this pattern during April, I promise you're going to catch catfish and even maybe a monster. He has had the best luck drifting in 10-20 feet of water on cut herring, while Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) is concentrating more on the 15-20 foot range. With cool temperatures fish can thrive at any depth, and as a result trout will continue to be found as shallow as they can be found all year. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. With the full moon there should be a bream bed bite right now, but Brett says he has been looking but really hasnt found one. Trolling numbers have not been incredible. The bass fishing has been pretty tough recently, but Steve reports that while some fish can be caught shallow he believes the best way to catch good ones right now is reeling a crankbait just over brush piles. 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. Shop by brand or reel type. The spawn is underway and will continue through the summer. This heat wave over the next few days is likely to get some fish thinking about spawning, but as happens every year they will get run out when temperatures drop. The colder the water gets should make the fishing and fish size better and better. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s and while the mud is coming its still only dingy in the lakes. Overall fish should continue to be caught on free-lines, planer boards and by casting at birds, but there should also still be a down-line bite for deeper fish. Mullet are also present at times. Santee & Cooper River Fishing Page Fishing Resources. USGS 02169500. 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! Swimbaits, Alabama rigs, crankbaits and jerkbaits are all good options. 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. 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. Late last week anglers first noted that bucks were moving up, and then Friday and Saturday some big females came up. At the April full moon it should be gangbusters again, while this week they have caught decent numbers and a few big fish but nothing has been hot. (Herring)off the Hatchery and Bonneau in 25' to 40' and in front of the Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s. His boat is having the most success with herring. The best shellcracker fishing seems to have already occurred, and while there were some bluegill spawning in shallow water the action was not great. Santee Cooper Lakes Fishing Forecast Target Species of Fish Based on historical data for fishing Santee Cooper Lakes, you should target one of the following species for this time of year: Pumpkinseed Sunfish There is a 40.74% catch rate for Pumpkinseed Sunfish, based on 11 Pumpkinseed Sunfish counted. Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. The AHQ Report is your source for exclusive fishing reports, tournament updates, and more! A general pattern can be to anchor in deep water early and then try the shallows later in the day when the water warms. 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. Trolling. We are also starting to catch some real nice fish long lining in 30ft. South Carolina Santee Cooper Lakes fishing charters, fishing guide, Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie. If the lake remains dirty fish will continue to feed best in the muddiest areas. Water temperatures have dropped enough that smaller bass are starting to move into the creeks, but Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that things are running behind this year and so there has not really been a rush of bait in there yet. 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 As we enter the second half of February the weather has gotten extremely mild. With the heat wave and new moon Brett is cautiously optimistic that another big group of fish will come up. 9302 Old Number Six Hwy, Santee, SC 29142 The lower lake has been much better than the upper lake, and a lot of days jigs have been out-fishing minnows. This month some striped bass will be caught around the same deep bait schools where other species are feeding, but other striper will be roaming this month. The Santee Cooper Lakes are filled with a wide variety of fish for all levels of sportsman. 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. Lake Marion Fishing Vacation EAT SLEEP HUNT FISH 803-492-7924 Ask about our Fishing Vacation Packages, Corporate Fishing Trips. Cut perch and chicken have both been working about the same for him. Updates. 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. 843-813-4128 Captain Jeff Lucarelli | 843-729-2212 Captain Truman A. Lyon In this catfish fishing video I am fishing for catfish on Santee Cooper in South Carolina. We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General | We are a family-owned business committed to providing our customers with the best prices and customer service on all of our merchandise. 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. Thurmond Updates. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.89 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.08 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.96 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). By Sunday when it got cold the females were mostly run off, although the bucks continued to roam around the shallows. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Cut herring are good for numbers while white perch will work to try for a bigger one. Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that February can yield some big fish on Lake Monticello, and anchoring around deep structure is usually the best pattern. The crappie spawn should be getting close to winding down on Santee Cooper, and for guides who prefer the predictability of brush pile fishing like Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) it couldnt come soon enough! data-event-category="Navigation header guest". The lakes are still clear and morning surface water temperatures are about 58. Find out which one you need and check out the latest bag and size limits before wetting your line in these waters, too. Flats, hills and about anything in the 10-20 foot range is worth drifting. Scdnr Fishing Report - santee cooper fishing report 2018. 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. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.59 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.18 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). 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. With warm weather and approaching These freshwaters are often called the Catfish capital of the world because of the vast numbers of Catfish you'll find in its waters. The top rated upstate crappie lake in the past few years has been Lake Hartwell and that's predicted to remain the exact 2017. It would not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too. When you can find shallow fish stacked up they will really feed. Lots of flounder are also being caught but most are under sized so make sure you know your regulations. 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. The bite is about the same in both lakes, and right now the action seems to be better in the middle of the day and early afternoon. The best action has been in creek-like areas. They are still getting a lot of pull-downs but the fish wont commit as well. 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. The bite over the weekend was a little sporadic for catfish, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that even though one tournament team managed three fish that went for 124 pounds (with a big fish over 50) most teams only managed one or two fish. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should all work. These corks make it quick and easy to adjust your depth, which is critical this time of year. The more general pattern seems to be fishing with soft plastics like Trick Worms around trees, stumps and points. They are still biting pretty well, and he is having success drifting both chicken and herring. 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. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. And, few lakes in the country can rival the. Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. My first shiner fishing trip certainly hooked me. Trolling numbers have been a bit down this week but that will also work. Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.76 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are dingy. 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. rightofwaymanagement@santeecooper.com. 2020 All rights reserved. Its best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring. The crappie still havent really turned on as water temperatures need to drop a few more degrees, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that they are picking up decent numbers of fish by looking at deeper brush. Its been a good week for catfish on Santee Cooper, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that you can catch them pretty much everywhere right now. 843-753-2271 Worms are hard to beat. While there are tons of little fish out in very deep water, the best action has generally come drifting Santee-style in 25-35 feet of water. This morning they caught a handful of good ones in the lower lake before they moved to bream fishing. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in the shallows. Fish are in the creeks or flats off the main lake in just 2-3 feet of water, and Brett has mainly been fishing the upper lake although patterns should hold in Moultrie as well. Darryl Smith. Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. creek channel ledges are the areas to fish. Are you in the know? He has been mainly fishing chicken but shad has also been working. 139 Canal Landing Road, Cross, SC 29436 The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. 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). Look for the BIRDS. 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. He is still having the best success fishing scattered wood and grass in the 4-6 foot range with soft plastics. AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 5 Fishing Report - Updated February 2 February 2 Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.05 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 73.03 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that muddy water scattered the fish and made for a slow January, and the quality of the bite in February will again depend on water conditions. He has had the best luck with herring, and there have been some big fish caught drifting deep water at night. The fish are tearing up river herring right now. The upper lake is getting dirty, while the lower lake is relatively clear once you get away from the mouth of the canal. 1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201 The fish are staging in a later winter pattern, and many of them are related to brush. 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. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. Jerkbaits and Alabama rigs could also work. 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. This week Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that bass have been all over beds spawning, and all the fish that Brett has been targeting have been extremely shallow in less than 2 feet of water. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. It will also be found up the rivers if there is current there. They are relatively shallow in 2-6 feet of water, but the pockets that are holding bait are adjacent to steep banks and deeper water. The fish are on shallow flats in 7-11 feet of water and they are feeding on mussels. That's what's made it one of the most storied destinations in the history of professional bass fishing. Some schooling in shallowflats has Mouth of the field had over 100 pounds of fish will continue to feed best in muddiest! System and home for trophy stripers striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft water! 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