Everything is biting at Santee right now Striper fishermen on the Santee Cooper lakes catch plenty of
nice fish
in May using live shad or herring, but drifting
cut baits
can also put some nice blue catfish in your cooler at the end of the day.
What is biting at Santee Cooper?
The majority are blue catfish mixed in with a few channel cats “They’re biting. This time of year there’s no telling what size you’re going to catch. You may fill a cooler up with two- to 10-pounders or you may fill a cooler with six 30-pounders.
Are crappie biting at Santee Cooper?
Expect excellent fishing when you target crappie on the Santee Cooper lakes in the fall Expect excellent fishing when you target crappie on the Santee Cooper lakes in the fall.
What’s the best time to catch fish today?
- Early Morning. 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Late Morning to Afternoon. 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Afternoon to Dusk. 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
What fish are biting right now in
south carolina
?
So what’s biting right now for freshwater anglers in South Carolina? Plenty! Crappie,
smallmouth bass
, largemouth bass, catfish, trout, stripers, and hybrids are all biting in various bodies of water. On most, it’s best to get out there early.
What’s the biggest catfish caught out of Santee Cooper?
The monster catfish officially weighed 113.8 pounds , eclipsing the previous record of 109 pounds, 4 ounces caught by George Lejewski of Summerville from the Tailrace Canal in 1991.
Where are the crappies biting in South Carolina?
Crappie Waters In SC The major lakes with a significant population of crappie include Fishing Creek Lake, Clarks Hill Lake,
lake blalock
, Lake Bowen, Lake Greenwood, Lake Hartwell, Lake Jocassee, Lake Marion, Lake Monticello, Lake Moultrie, Lake Murray, Lake Wylie, Parr Reservoir, Lake Russell and Wateree Lake.
Where are the fish biting in Lake Marion?
Major fishing access areas for fishing from the bank include C. Alex Harvin Landing Pier, Rimini Landing Pier, Taw Caw Creek Park Pier and Taw Caw Creek Park Bank Sixteen boat launch ramps provide easy access for pleasure boats, pontoons, fishing boats and sailboats.
How do you catch a striper on Lake Marion?
“We typically use live blueback herring when live bait fishing We’ll mark stripers on the graph along humps and ledges and drop baits to the depth fish are marked, or just slightly above,” he explained. “Stripers will readily come up for bait, but seldom go deeper.”.
What are bass biting on Lake Keowee?
A jerkbait is probably one of the best baits to throw in the springtime on deep clear lakes full of Spotted Bass. There is no wrong way to throw a jerkbait. On Lake Keowee, anglers can throw a jerkbait along docks, bluff walks, points, and over brush piles.
What fish are they catching in South Carolina?
Redfish, trout, black drum and more will eat shrimp, and as the mullet get bigger they will become a more consistent bait source for most species. Topwater baits will catch fish early. Mud minnows, menhaden and live finger mullet should catch flounder in the creeks, and a variety of artificial lures will also work.
How do you catch crappie on Lake Marion SC?
Use larger, more colorful baits or lures if you’re targeting white crappie on Lake Marion. To much of the angling world, a crappie is a crappie. They’re found in most every small lake or large impoundment; they spawn in the spring when the dogwoods bloom; you can catch them on either minnows or small jigs.
Where do you catch bass in Santee Cooper?
The Santee Cooper lakes have plenty of bass-attracting vegetation in shallow areas When water levels fall, anglers should move out toward deeper water to find fish that are retreating to areas with cover out from their spawning spots.
Why is Lake Marion so low?
Why is the Lake Marion elevation so low/high? Lake Marion elevation is managed to the Rule Curve and is dependent upon inflows and outflows of the Santee Cooper Lakes Most of our inflows into Lake Marion come from the Wateree and Congaree Rivers. Most of our outflows come from Lake Moultrie through St.
How is the fishing in Lake Moultrie?
Fishing at Lake Moultrie, South Carolina. Striped bass fishing is good on Lake Moultrie They are often located in the deeper sections of the lake and on the edges of drops that run from 35-45 feet of water. Anchoring will catch fish as well as drifting live bait and/or jigging spoons and jigs.
What type of fish is in Santee Cooper?
Known for its big fish, the Santee Cooper lake system is home to a wide variety of freshwater species, including stripers, crappie, largemouth bass, pickerel and bream But it’s the blue, flathead, white and channel catfish that draw so many fishermen to the reservoirs.
Is Lake Marion man made?
The creation of Lake Marion Mims was about 10 years old when the Santee River was dammed to create Lake Marion to supply hydroelectric power as part of the rural electrification efforts initiated under FDR’s New Deal.
Why do fishermen fish early in the morning?
Much like fish, insects also become more active in the early morning hours , and so food for large non-predators, as well as small fish, is plentiful. And if the small fish are active, so will the predators.
Is it good to fish after rain?
Yes, fishing after it rains can be a very good time go to fishing Rainfall can increase water current and sediment runoff, which means more microorganisms and insects in the water column for fish to feed on.
Will catfish bite during the day?
Fact: Catfish are active at all hours of the day and night, this includes all three species of catfish. Catfish can easily be caught throughout the day regardless of the season Catfish eat when they are hungry, not when it gets dark. Myth: If you want to catch flathead catfish, you have to fish at night.
What is a 3 way swivel used for?
The three-way swivel is attached to the main line and serves as the connection for two other leaders attached to the swivel’s remaining eyes Typically, the bottom leader holds a weight to get the bait down, while the other leader holds the bait or a lure.
What month is the best fishing in South Carolina?
Anglers can come here to fish year-round, but the best months for offshore fishing are late April to December For hard-core anglers looking for the ultimate blue-water action that South Carolina can deliver, target the months of May through September.
What fish are in season in South Carolina?
- Red Drum – Year Round.
- Sea Trout – Year Round.
- Flounder – Spring, Summer, Fall.
- Black Drum – Year Round.
- Bluefish – Year Round.
- Sheepshead – Year Round, Best in Spring.
- Ladyfish – Spring, Summer, Fall.
- Sharks – Summer, Fall.
What fish are biting at Apache Pier?
And king mackerel aren’t the only fish biting at Apache Pier. The Spanish mackerel bite has also been steaming hot, with lots of huge ones landed. Black drum are also biting well on some days. Flounder, croaker, and sheepshead are all in the mix as well.
What is the NC State record catfish?
Rocky Baker of Four Oaks, N.C. caught a 127.1-pound blue catfish while fishing in the Roanoke River on July 10, 2021. The fish has been certified as the new North Carolina state record. It beats the previous record of 121 pounds, 9 ounces, which was caught last year by Joey Baird on Lake Gaston.
Where was the largest catfish caught in South Carolina?
The South Carolina blue catfish record was caught from the waters of Lake Moultrie in 2017, a monster 113.8-pound catch by Paula D. Haney of Liberty. The state record flathead catfish weighed 84 pounds, 9.6 ounces and was caught in the Cooper River by Paul Daniels of Hanahan.
Can you keep the fish you catch at Santee Lakes?
The practice of “catch and release” of catfish is strongly encouraged. The “catch and release” of trout and carp is prohibited. Bass fishing is limited to catch and release only All bass caught in any of the lakes must be released back into the lake that it was caught in.
What do Cooper catfish eat?
Fresh blueback herring, white perch, gizzard shad or golden shiners are good choices. Whole fish should be used, threaded from the head to the tail with the hook at the tail. Longer baitfish should be cut into steaks. Processed stink baits are another option.
Is a fishing license required at Santee Lakes?
Cast A Line at Santee Lakes! No State fishing license required ; a fishing permit from the General Store is all you need! We also have fishing events throughout the year including night fishing.
Where is the best crappie fishing in South Carolina?
The most productive places to fish will be Taylor Creek, the Lake Wateree State Park area, and any cover along the main river channel or the underwater creek channels Once you find cover, the crappie will be there.
Where is the best place to crappie fish?
Anglers often find more fish near the shoreline cypress trees, stickups, weed beds, blowdowns, or cover-button willows The big crappie tend to be in shallow water near channel edges next to shallow flats or main lake humps. It’s usually the cold fronts that drive crappie into deeper water from the shallows.
What time of year do crappie spawn in South Carolina?
Good fishing is found throughout much of the year but March and April are peak months as crappies flood the shallows to spawn. As the crappie transition from deep water in early March, trolling mid-depths with small jigs or drift fishing by tightlining minnows just off the bottom is productive.
Citations
https://www.anglersheadquarters.com/pages/santee-cooper-lake-marion-lake-moultrie-fishing-report