Most Minnows are working the best. The best bite will be in the middle of the day when the water is warmest. The bite can be decent if you locate a group of fish on electronics or otherwise, but thats the tricky part. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.90 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.48 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). This includes spinnerbaits, swimbaits and crankbaits. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. Come He has been targeting the flats in between the turns in the river bed on Lake Marion. Following the birds and covering water with free-lines or planer boards is usually the best pattern. 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). Jim at 912-210-2877 to book your catfishing adventure. Dennis offers some thoughts on how to target various species that are biting now on the Santee Cooper lakes: Crappie "If I was going crappie fishing, I would be trolling jigs in 20 to 30 feet of . On a warm trend fish will head into the creeks where they can be caught trolling jigs and minnows in 8-15 feet of water, while another group of fish (so far mostly males) will be up on the banks looking for areas where they will spawn. 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. Overall weights were a little down in the Sunday Showdown Series this weekend, and while there were a few good bass caught Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that . I finished in top 10 in serveral tournaments. Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that in February catfish on Lake Wateree should be mixed between shallow and deep. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. At times minnows and then jigs are both out-fishing the other so try both. 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. With the full moon this past weekend the bream fishing was decent, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that in the end the May full moon seems to have been kind of in-between. 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. Chartreuse, straight-tail jigs are working the best. Live bait and jigging spoons are both working. We are located in the middle of the Santee Wildlife Refuge. Are you in the know? Click here for 30 day free trial! The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. 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. Crappie have spawned and moved out of shallow water to deeper We're having some really good trips lately. Updates. At the next moon there could be another bream bed, but on the last full moon it was surprisingly slow. 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). Right in front of Blacks there has been some good fishing in 10 feet and at the same depth anywhere out of Russellville the same is true. The shad are spawning around lily pads, grass and clusters of trees, and when you find fish feeding on them they will eat anything that imitates a shad. This is Harvest Moon Fishing Charters 2023 winter fishing report for Myrtle Beach SC. Sign in or The big bream and crappie are still on the deeper brush in 28-35 ft in huge numbers. Striper and hybrids: Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the February bite will start off similar to January with fish part-way up the rivers in 35-45 feet on the bottom. Closed now : See all hours. As Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) predicted last week, temperatures have now gotten to the point where some bass have actually started spawning activity particularly in the protected backwater ponds that warm up fastest. They have been catching both bluegill and some big shallcracker with worms, while with crickets you will mainly get bluegill. . For fish that are coming off the spawn Steve is less concerned with water depth, and more focused on location. Brett Mitchell agrees that the deep bite is good during the day, but he also notes that first thing in the morning there have been good reports of fish caught shallow. Live bait fishing null . With warm weather and approaching 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. They will take most any bait when they are feeding. The fish are still on deeper brush and wood in 20-35 feet, and on his last trip out Steve caught a bunch of fish including five over 2 pounds. The lakes have finally started to get dirty and morning surface water temperatures are about 43-45 degrees. Crickets and minnows are the best baits. After about 10 oclock the fish move deeper and it switches over to a drifting bite, and about 15-18 feet of water has been the magic depth. 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. Give Captain Darryl's Guide Service a call at 803-367-6275. The 5-foot range is a good starting point. 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). With the lakes still clear Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) is still finding the bluegill and crappie deep. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. Spread them out and different depths and speeds until you get a pattern. Captain Brett Mitchell agrees with that, and Brett reports that the majority of anglers after a big blue are anchoring in 4-6 feet of water around cypress tree clusters. Santee Cooper Lakes CatfishnFool Fishing Guide Service Call or Text Captain Wayne Vining 803-238-0596 captwayne@catfishnfool.com View Larger Map I am an U.S.C.G Licensed Santee Cooper Fishing Guide, with over 40 years of fishing experience. Front row cabin with either jon boat or pontoon boat rigged for fishing, including depth finder, rod holders and all Coast Guard equipment. Light tackle, tiny lures producing great catches during annual run During this video I am also doing a live show on Youtube, AND I a. 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. Information on fishing trends provided courtesy of www.anglersheadquarters.com/, South Carolina's premier Mullet are also present at times. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in February fish should feed better as the spawn will be rapidly approaching. He has found the best action 14-18 feet down over 25-35 feet of water. Most detailed Lake Hartwell While the fish are still pretty deep, Steve expects them to start to move into the creeks this week and he will be expecting to find them in 10-20 feet of water. 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. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General. Congaree at Columbia. If anything it has picked up in the past week. Worms are best for shellcracker while bluegill will also take crickets. Already have an account? 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. 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. Its a good idea to have both. Drifting mid-depths has not been productive, although that could change as temperatures settle into winter patterns. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.35 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 74.2 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5), and while the lower lake is still clear dirty water is making its way down. At times fish can also be found schooling. Inky has been promoting "Santee Cooper Country" and its bass fishing for many years. Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.03 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 73.78 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Catfish: Guide Jerry Kotal reports that February is still not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up a few channel catfish. However, many anglers overlook it as an effective method to catch bass. 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 Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm. fish. Most detailed Lake Wylie Cast plastic swim baits into the schools. The upper lake is slow but they are catching fish around brush in the lower lake in 25-30 feet of water. Lots of schooling activity on the Cooper River in the mouths of the old Richfield cuts. 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. While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. Swimbaits can also work. Bass: Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that in February fish will still be concentrating on shad, but what lures they will be willing to eat will depend on water temperature. You can also anchor, but drifting is often more exciting. A mix of cut bait including gizzard shad and herring will work as well as chicken. Long lining the deeper creeks are starting to produce some crappie. These are really big fish that are busting with eggs, and they are getting very close to spawning. But the world-class shellcracker fishing produces an overflow of anglers to the shallow sectors of both lakes. three-day weight record at 77-4 and the five-fish daily limit mark of 34-4. February Fishing Report. Wigglers,wax,chartreus 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. Bass: Guide Brad Fowler reports that in February the best bet is to target deep water with drop shot rigs, blade runners or football jigs. Striper and hybrids: Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during February fish will still move around a lot, and one day you could find a big school in one area but then overnight it could be 5 or 6 miles away. 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. Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. The lower lake has fished a little better than the upper lake. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 65 degrees. Bass: Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Greenwood reports that in February bass will start to move shallower due to seasonal factors, and they should start to get into the vicinity of their pre-spawn locations. Now that fall is near Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) is back after the crappie, and even though he has had a few good days there are also times when the fishing is slow. Here you'll find several different species of fish, including largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish, bream and crappie. These corks make it quick and easy to adjust your depth, which is critical this time of year. Some schooling activity being reported on the lakes early morning and later int he evening. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working. In January fish often moved around to escape the mud and worst current, and February could be no different. Herring and chicken have gotten the most bites although they havent found anything the fish are swallowing very well. 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 spawn is underway and will continue through the summer. However, he is also doing well drifting as deep as about 12 feet. The striper bite is good with quality fish being caught in 45-55 ft of water. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. When bass are eating they will push the bait up shallower. You can also fish soft plastics around trees. In the wet, windy conditions there have not been a lot of people out chasing crappie but the shallow bite has been surprisingly tough. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. Fishing in the upper lake is winding down. 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. Read more fishing reports fromSantee Cooper and other popularplacesat the AHQ Report! 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