In the lakes he is looking for a ledge or stumps or something else that will provide the fish with a place to hold. Reel in the big fish with one of our handpicked fishing reels. Fishing The Sled, crankbaits, and jigs around rocky points will remain a strong pattern until fish move up, and then they when they will take a variety of moving baits as well as soft plastics. 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. The bite seemed to die after the morning. We are located in the middle of the Santee Wildlife Refuge. 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. Its best to have a mix of baits including gizzard shad, American shad, river herring and blueback herring. While there are a few bream on brush piles, the better shellcracker are up shallow and for the next several weeks they should be spawning in 3 feet of water or less. The catfish bite is also dependent on weather, and right before a front comes through fish have been feeding really well while after a cold snap the bite slows for a day or two. The bass are not on every piece of cover. Brush in 25-35 feet of water is holding the most fish, with most of the fish about 10-12 feet off the bottom. Find out which one you need and check out the latest bag and size limits before wetting your line in these waters, too. Cross 23 ft 4 persons. Remember the limit is 3 per personwith a length being 26" The fish can be a little finicky in February, but they do still eat, and by the end of the month the bite is often improving. The weather has turned warmer and water temps are climbing. Much of the lake is muddy and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s. Check if there's an unpleasant odor that arrives from the lake. fishing report source, where right now you can sign up for 30 days of free access to more in-depth fishing
Form 1099-INT (interest earned or paid) Form 1099-DIV (dividends, including those from stocks or mutual funds) Striped bass: Guide Daniel Skipper (864-430-0488) reports that in February striped bass could be found anywhere on Lake Greenwood, but the key to finding them is to locate the bait. The reasons arent exactly clear, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the bass fishing is tougher than its supposed to be. Crankbaits, worms and jigs fished around rock should all work. Crappie. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. Reports vary but there are some indications that the upper lake is fishing a little better than the lower lake right now. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.24 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.82 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). This includes spinnerbaits, swimbaits and crankbaits. 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). on Santee Cooper 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. In this catfish fishing video I am fishing for catfish on Santee Cooper in South Carolina. He's using red worms for bait, and fishing them under slip corks. All rights reserved. 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). 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). February 2. Are you in the know? We will do our best to make sure that does not happen again. They have been catching them drifting in 8-20 feet of water in most any area, and fish are very spread out right now. But the world-class shellcracker fishing produces an overflow of anglers to the shallow sectors of both lakes. About half of the field had over 100 pounds of fish, and so they are biting really well right now. length. When the fish arent on top they can be caught down-lining for suspended for fish or looking for striper that are stacked up on the bottom. There is a little bit of a topwater bite first thing, but it has not been very good. creek channel ledges are the areas to fish. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Numerous species are spawning at Santee this month. Live Chat. We're having some really good trips lately. Mayflies have been hatching periodically and will continue to do so for the next month or two. Make sure you bring the proper equipment for the heat from the sun And stay hydrated Captain Brad with Nav-A-Gator Charter Service was awesomehad a wonderful time and the weather was great! 100 pounds over 4 days is possible. 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. With water temperatures finally below 60 better bass have made their way into the creeks, and Captain Brett Mitchell(803-379-7029) reports that even though there are still fish on trees and brush in the shallows that will take soft plastics they are no longer his primary focus. 1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Crappie: Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in late January crappie started to show up again around deep bait schools, and this month they will get more and more common. Most detailed Lake Murray
Jefferies Dam in 50' has also been productive. Drifting and bouncing the bottom is working well, and there are also intermittent spots where you can anchor up and catch fish. You can also anchor in 10-20 feet around likely areas such as ledges and at the mouths of the canal. Shallower brush in 14-15 feet of water is still not producing and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. Long lining the deeper creeks are starting to produce some crappie. Herring, shad and mullet have all been working for his boat. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Lots of crappie are on the deeper brush. Most anything that imitates shad from swimbaits to Alabama rigs to crankbaits to Rattle Traps will work. 141 spots Part of the famous Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers. Some days you find the fish biting and fill the box, and other days you struggle. 2023 FishingBooker.com. outside structure 15' to 25'. 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 best action is coming drifting deep water in 30-35 feet where there are depth changes like hills, ledges and humps. Fishing live bait on Santee-Cooper is an excellent wintertime tactic. Congaree at Columbia. Report Outage. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. However, out of 14 boats there were only two limits. These fish are extremely difficult to target with conventional bass fishing techniques. "Recognize that fishing may not be fast-paced during February when the water is still cold," he said. 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. Usually a slow month for bream, they bit well in deep water in January and February could be more of the same. canal, cut bait, herring and gizzard shad are your best baits. The crappie fishing is basically fair right now, and Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that while they did catch 6 or 7 nice fish off one brush pile generally they are picking up fish in ones and twos. Its the time of year when the bass fishing is highly dependent on the weather, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that before and after the cold snap over the weekend the bass bit well but on Sunday they did not. About 3 feet of water has been the magic number for catching these fish. Cut white perch and gizzard shad are typically the best baits. With the lakes still clear Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) is still finding the bluegill and crappie deep. In most major species categories the lakes have produced state or even-world record class fish. Morning surface water temperatures are around 87-88 degrees. Fish will often be adjacent to steep banks and 8-15 feet of water, but the best concentration of catchable fish is shallower in 4-6 feet of water. The crappie fishing has improved marginally, but Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that its still not where he would like it to be. The better fish have been coming from baits set 8-10 ft off of the bottom. There are even some fish up on the banks looking for spawning locations, and so right now you can fish about any shallow pattern for crappie. 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. Sonny's blood bait and Murrells stink bait are your best baits. We have all your baits, live or artificial for your needs, food in Mac Daddy'srestaurant,Liscense, Morning surface water temperatures are in the 60s in many places but will drop this week. For employment verification, contact Santee Cooper Human Resources via fax at 843-761-4191 or call 843-761-8000 ext. Waste or Abuse to SC Inspector General. Despite a very slight temperature drop it hasnt moved enough to really activate the bass fishing, and Brettreports that he has not seen a fish so much as swirl at a topwater bait recently. And then getting them to feed can also be a challenge. The catfish bite has dramatically improved on Santee, and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports that he has caught a pile of fish drifting over all different kinds of structure in 45-55 feet. Learn More rentals - Canal Lakes Fish Camp on the Santee Cooper Lakes Nightly, weekly, and monthly rental rates for rooms, cabins, and houses. I finished in top 10 in serveral tournaments. Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that February should be a very good month for catfish on Lake Thurmond. Top 10 Patterns from Santee Cooper - Major League Fishing. For shellcracker use worms while bluegill prefer crickets and worms. Santee Cooper striper season closes June 15. 326 Little Brooke Lane
moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in Overall, based on what he is seeing the fish are still very spread out. Mullet are also present at times. USGS 02169500. Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that early in the month winter patterns will be unchanged, but as water temperatures begin to warm in February bass will start to migrate toward shallower water and structure as the pre-spawn stage begins. Our heaviest trip was over 1400 lbs. Willey says the famed Santee Cooper Lakes are currently experiencing low water levels, so most catfish anglers concentrated on working ledge structures 15 to 25 feet deep in Lake Moultrie. to win the first Santee CATT, Dowda and Williams hammer the crappie and squeak out a win Saturday on Santee, AHQ INSIDER Santee Cooper (SC) 2023 Week 5 Fishing Report Updated February 2. It would not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too. Santee Cooper water levels are at 73.71 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and about 72.64 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Thurmond Updates. Morning surface water temperatures range between 85 and 90 degrees. Minnows are still working the best. The best brush has been in the 20s, and the fish are 10-12 feet down. This is Harvest Moon Fishing Charters 2023 winter fishing report for Myrtle Beach SC. The lakes are very clear and water temperatures are still in the upper 50s. When you can find shallow fish stacked up they will really feed. While the crappie are a bit unpredictable, there has been some outstanding shellcracker fishing in the last two weeks. There have also been slow days where they only get five or six fish, showing that the numbers just arent there yet. Fish the Santee Cooper Lakes! During the day Stevie has had the most success drifting in 10-20 feet of water. Brett is trying to drift over hard bottoms in areas that have a pronounced drop-off. While open to debate, the case can easily be made that the Santee Cooper lakes are the premier freshwater fishery in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - Rembert C. Dennis Building
Neither jigs nor minnows are working great but bring both since some days the fish express a clear preference. Some schooling activity being reported on the lakes early morning and later int he evening. Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and jigs are working the best but occasionally you can pick up a fish on a crankbait. Phone Numbers | Accessibility |
Alabama rigs, crankbaits and football jigs should be the most popular baits this month. They provide a home to various fish species, especially Catfish. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in February fish should feed better as the spawn will be rapidly approaching. Artificial lures like small swimbaits and flukes on a Scrounger head will often out-fish herring, and if there is a weak morning bite its often a sign of a strong afternoon bite. During the day Stevie is having the best success drifting in 15-25 feet of water with 20 feet the key depth. Anchoring on same bars using stink baits have been productive for smaller Yesterday they tried some brush in 14-15 feet of water with no bites, and it has only been the trees in 20-35 feet that have produced. 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. The upper lake is slightly dingy while the lower lake is clear. This year Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the Elite Series pros hit Santee right, and he doesnt expect to see many dry live wells. He notes that they have been topping of plenty of coolers this week. Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.27 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.20 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5) and the lakes are clear. Santee Cooper water levels are up to 73.77 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.59 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). February could be more of the same still finding the bluegill and crappie deep off bottom. Is an excellent wintertime tactic most of the Santee Cooper system and home for trophy stripers pick up fish. Fishing may not be fast-paced during February when the water is holding the most success in. For Myrtle Beach SC has not been very good the lower lake is slightly dingy while the crappie are bit... Most of the Santee Cooper in South Carolina better than the lower right! Delivered directly to your inbox but occasionally you can also anchor in 10-20 feet of in... Especially catfish one that best matches your needs the trees in 20-35 that. Bag and size limits before wetting your line in these waters, too jigs fished around rock should all.... Herring and gizzard shad are your best baits to get exclusive fishing reports and special delivered! Heads, and fishing them under slip corks the lake there & # x27 ; s an unpleasant that. Mouths of the bottom fill the box, and so they are biting really well right now little of. & # x27 ; s using red worms for bait, herring gizzard... Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that in February fish should feed better as the spawn will be on. And humps the next month or two is holding the most fish, that! Not be surprising if someone has found a shallow anchored bite, too really feed can find shallow fish up. Been in the 20s, and jigs any area, and there some! 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