Post by Steve Sutton on Jun 18, 2010 10:08:50 GMT -5
June 21, 2010 DNR News (803) 667-0696
The following information is provided courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com.
Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports. DHEC Fish
Consumption Advisories: www.scdhec.net/environment/water/fish.
Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee
Black Bass: Good. Captain Pat Bennett reports that post-spawn fish are
hanging around blowdowns, especially in the vicinity of spawning areas,
before they move out to deep water. Fish soft plastics slowly, and expect
best results on overcast or rainy days. Trout: Good. Captain Steve
Pietrykowski recommends fishing at the intakes early in the morning and
pulling spoons for the first few hours of daylight. As the sun rises moves
out to the main lake and fish both spoons and live shiners. Good spoons to
use are the Sutton 44, 31 and 72, and most trout are being caught in 35-60
feet of water throughout the day.
Lake Keowee
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good to very good. Captain Chris "Fishboy"
Schuber reports that the shallow bite remains very good. Chris has been
catching fish in less than 10 feet of water off main lake points and in the
backs of main lake pockets on the south end of the lake, and the topwater
bite is starting to come on. Nemire Lures Baby Buzzers, shakey head worms
and shallow running crankbaits are all productive. Sammy topwater lures are
also reportedly doing very well, and this is a good time for Carolina
rigging.
Lake Hartwell
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that
striper and hybrid fishing is strong off points in 30-40 feet of water.
Down lined live herring have been the ticket, and fish have been running in
different sizes from day to day. Occasional schooling action is reported,
and some fish can be picked up on free lines. Largemouth Bass: Good. Guide
Brad Fowler reports that the blueback herring spawn is over, but there is
still good topwater action on Lake Hartwell early in the morning. Spooks,
flukes, and topwater lures will all catch fish. After 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. in
the morning fish will be found off points and humps, and pulling a Carolina
rig is a good way to catch them. Some fish still remain shallow, especially
in the brush that grew up when the water was down. Catfish: Good. Captain
Bill Plumley reports that the bite for channel cats and flatheads is strong.
Channel cats are being caught on night crawlers, chicken livers and cut
herring in 5-25 feet. Flatheads are being caught at night in 5-25 feet of
water with live bait fished around brush piles and timber. Blues have moved
out to deep water, and Captain Bill's boat is not targeting them. Crappie:
Slow. Captain Bill Plumley reports the crappie bite remains tough, and the
best fish are being caught before daylight under lights. For pre-dawn
fishing set up over brush in 12-20 feet of water.
Piedmont Area
Lake Russell
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that some
fish can still be found fairly shallow in shady coves and near-shore around
rocky points, but fish are moving deeper and into a summer pattern. Fishing
main lake points with a Carolina rigged finesse worm or a Spot Remover is a
good pattern for spotted bass, and if you want to catch largemouth in the
same areas try a Carolina rigged lizard. The best largemouth pattern,
though, is flipping visible timber in 25-50 feet with Texas rigs or spot
removers for bass suspended 12-15 feet down. Crappie: Good. Guide Wendell
Wilson reports that the best crappie fishing is in more stained water, such
as above Middleton Bridge in Beaverdam Creek. The best depth to target
crappie is 3 feet down over 10-12 feet of water near brush piles, using live
minnows or casting small jigs. Bream: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports
that bream are shallow, but finding good size fish is difficult. Fish worms
on a split shot rig or under a cork, or fish micro jigs under a cork.
Catfish: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that catfish are being caught
on cut herring fished 2-3 feet below floats around riprap near bridges.
Striped bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the best striped bass
fishing is coming between the Highway 72 Bridge and the dam. Free line live
herring or down line live herring 20-25 feet deep.
Lake Thurmond
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. The Clark's Hill Herring Hut reports that
reports that they are catching good numbers of striper on down lined live
herring fished 30 feet deep, over whatever depth (40 feet, 80 feet, etc.).
Striper are generally running in the 7-10 pound range. Schools of hybrids
are suspended just above the striped bass 20-25 feet deep, and they are
running in packs of 1-2 pound or 4-5 pound fish. Look for schools off
points on the lower end of the lake. Crappie: Good. The Herring Hut reports
some outstanding, 100 fish trips recently. Most fish are being caught 16
feet deep over 20-25 feet of water around brush piles and trees. Anchoring
and fishing vertically with either minnows or white popeye jigs is working
well. Black bass: Fair. The herring spawn is finished but some topwater
action is still possible early in the morning. After the first couple of
hours of daylight fishing gets tougher; try dragging a Carolina rig along
main lake points. The best fish may be suspending and relating to herring
schools. Bream: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that at the top of
Clarks Hill he is catching good numbers of shellcracker in 7-8 feet of
water. These fish are running up to the 1 pound range.
Lake Wylie
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the big
three - channel, blue and flathead catfish - are cranked up and biting well.
Channel catfish are tearing it up in 4-15 feet of water on the southern end
of Lake Wylie in the major creeks. Fresh cut baits are the ticket to a great
bite. Blue catfish are best sought after in the river arms where anchoring
in current is producing good numbers of fish in the 10-20 pound range. The
classic presentation for flatheads is night fishing with live bait. Bottom
fishing at night can produce both blues and flatheads. Largemouth Bass:
Good. FLW Professional and Lake Wylie Guide Matt Arey reports that the
strongest bite right now on Lake Wylie is the bream bed bite. Early in the
morning look for bass feeding on topwater, and then look for bass cruising
in packs and targeting spawning bream around docks and in the backs of sandy
coves. Prop baits, swimbaits and weightless Senkos will all work. Some
fish have also moved into a summer pattern, and can be caught deep around
humps and drops with spoons, crankbaits and Carolina rigs. White perch:
Fair. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that perch fishing remains hit or miss,
and some days the fishing is hot while on other days they seem to disappear.
Try anchoring on offshore humps and fish about 20 feet down with minnows and
worms. Some white perch have also been caught in shallow water.
Midlands area
Lake Greenwood
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Chris Simpson recommends drifting or
double anchoring on main lake or secondary points. The best fishing is in 2
to 15 feet of water, with fish moving shallower at night. Shrimp and small
pieces of herring or shad will both work, and stink bait is also catching
fish for many people Bream: Good. Sportsman's Friend reports that bream
have moved onto the beds for a second wave of spawning. Look in coves and on
the side of points, and fish with crickets and red worms. Largemouth Bass:
Fair to good. Sportman's Friend reports that fish are moving into a normal
summer pattern, with some fish being caught early in the morning against
block walls and rocks on topwater lures and floating worms. Later in the
day the majority of fish can be found off points and around humps and
ledges. Carolina rigging plastic worms is most effective. Occasional
schooling activity is also being reported in the lower lake on cloudy days,
with white perch, white bass and striped bass sometimes mixed in with
largemouth. Crappie: Look around deep brush or up the Saluda River.
Lake Murray
Striped Bass: Very good. Lake World reports that early in the morning fish
are being caught shallow around shoal markers on topwater lures. Later in
the day fish are being caught from Bomb Island down to the dam on down lined
live herring fished along the river channel 40-60 feet deep. Bream: Very
good. Lake World reports that fish are biting well off points in 4-10 feet
of water. Fish worms on the bottom. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Captain
Doug Lown reports that early in the morning there can be a pretty decent
topwater bite, but the overall bite really slows down after 10 a.m. Fish
are mainly in 10-12 feet of water right now, and they are feeding hard on
crayfish. Try fishing shakey head worms and Carolina rigs off rocky points.
Lake Monticello
Catfish: Inconsistent. Captain Chris Simpson reports that inconsistent
water fluctuation has made for an unpredictable bite. On days when the
water is moving, anchoring on main lakes humps with water flowing over them
is a productive way to go after big blues, but on days without current a
better big fish pattern is to fish in the coves around timber and over
mussel beds.
Lake Wateree
Largemouth Bass: Good. Camden's Dearal Rodgers reports that some residual
fish can still be found shallow especially as long as high water levels
remain. Other fish have moved into a summer pattern and caught be caught
around offshore structure on shakey head worms, deep running crankbaits, and
jigs, or off deep docks. Crappie: Fair. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie
Tournament Trail reports that Lake Wateree crappie fishing is day to day,
with fish cooperating some days and not others. Best fishing is coming over
brush piles in 15-22 feet of water vertical jigging or tightlining. Minnows
will work, and Fish Stalker jigs in Ugly Green or Pearl White and mini jigs
in yellow/white and dark green/chartreuse will also catch fish. Catfish:
Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the upriver bite has been good lately,
especially with good water flow. Anytime current is present in the river
section, the chances of getting a good fish are good. Point fishing will
also be good in the evenings and late at night when big blues come shallow
to feed up. Some scarred up male fish are being caught which indicates the
major part of the spawn is ending as these fish start to leave nests and get
into post spawn patterns. Large fish are taken on occasion in water less
than 10 feet drifting cut bait near shore.
Santee Cooper System
Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that day time drift fishing has
produced some nice blue cats in the early part of the day. Cut white perch
has been the bait of choice, and most fish have been caught in less than 30
feet of water. A number of 6-10 pound channel cats are also showing up,
especially in deeper water. Smaller channels are being caught on dip baits
in shallow water. Drift fishing the Rediversion Canal out of Arrowhead
Landing in the evening, and anchoring at night in the Diversion canal, is
good and should only improve as summer progresses. Crappie: Very good.
Captain Steve English reports that they are catching some good stringers of
crappie in the lower lake around brushpiles 15-30 feet deep. Both minnows
and jigs are working. Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that
shellcracker have mostly finished spawning and moved back to deeper water.
Some small bluegill are on the beds right now, but more will come up on the
next full moon.
Purchase a SC fishing license at: www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html
South Carolina freshwater recreational fishing regulations: (Pdf file):
www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/freshfishing.pdf
The following information is provided courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com.
Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports. DHEC Fish
Consumption Advisories: www.scdhec.net/environment/water/fish.
Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee
Black Bass: Good. Captain Pat Bennett reports that post-spawn fish are
hanging around blowdowns, especially in the vicinity of spawning areas,
before they move out to deep water. Fish soft plastics slowly, and expect
best results on overcast or rainy days. Trout: Good. Captain Steve
Pietrykowski recommends fishing at the intakes early in the morning and
pulling spoons for the first few hours of daylight. As the sun rises moves
out to the main lake and fish both spoons and live shiners. Good spoons to
use are the Sutton 44, 31 and 72, and most trout are being caught in 35-60
feet of water throughout the day.
Lake Keowee
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good to very good. Captain Chris "Fishboy"
Schuber reports that the shallow bite remains very good. Chris has been
catching fish in less than 10 feet of water off main lake points and in the
backs of main lake pockets on the south end of the lake, and the topwater
bite is starting to come on. Nemire Lures Baby Buzzers, shakey head worms
and shallow running crankbaits are all productive. Sammy topwater lures are
also reportedly doing very well, and this is a good time for Carolina
rigging.
Lake Hartwell
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that
striper and hybrid fishing is strong off points in 30-40 feet of water.
Down lined live herring have been the ticket, and fish have been running in
different sizes from day to day. Occasional schooling action is reported,
and some fish can be picked up on free lines. Largemouth Bass: Good. Guide
Brad Fowler reports that the blueback herring spawn is over, but there is
still good topwater action on Lake Hartwell early in the morning. Spooks,
flukes, and topwater lures will all catch fish. After 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. in
the morning fish will be found off points and humps, and pulling a Carolina
rig is a good way to catch them. Some fish still remain shallow, especially
in the brush that grew up when the water was down. Catfish: Good. Captain
Bill Plumley reports that the bite for channel cats and flatheads is strong.
Channel cats are being caught on night crawlers, chicken livers and cut
herring in 5-25 feet. Flatheads are being caught at night in 5-25 feet of
water with live bait fished around brush piles and timber. Blues have moved
out to deep water, and Captain Bill's boat is not targeting them. Crappie:
Slow. Captain Bill Plumley reports the crappie bite remains tough, and the
best fish are being caught before daylight under lights. For pre-dawn
fishing set up over brush in 12-20 feet of water.
Piedmont Area
Lake Russell
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that some
fish can still be found fairly shallow in shady coves and near-shore around
rocky points, but fish are moving deeper and into a summer pattern. Fishing
main lake points with a Carolina rigged finesse worm or a Spot Remover is a
good pattern for spotted bass, and if you want to catch largemouth in the
same areas try a Carolina rigged lizard. The best largemouth pattern,
though, is flipping visible timber in 25-50 feet with Texas rigs or spot
removers for bass suspended 12-15 feet down. Crappie: Good. Guide Wendell
Wilson reports that the best crappie fishing is in more stained water, such
as above Middleton Bridge in Beaverdam Creek. The best depth to target
crappie is 3 feet down over 10-12 feet of water near brush piles, using live
minnows or casting small jigs. Bream: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports
that bream are shallow, but finding good size fish is difficult. Fish worms
on a split shot rig or under a cork, or fish micro jigs under a cork.
Catfish: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that catfish are being caught
on cut herring fished 2-3 feet below floats around riprap near bridges.
Striped bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the best striped bass
fishing is coming between the Highway 72 Bridge and the dam. Free line live
herring or down line live herring 20-25 feet deep.
Lake Thurmond
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. The Clark's Hill Herring Hut reports that
reports that they are catching good numbers of striper on down lined live
herring fished 30 feet deep, over whatever depth (40 feet, 80 feet, etc.).
Striper are generally running in the 7-10 pound range. Schools of hybrids
are suspended just above the striped bass 20-25 feet deep, and they are
running in packs of 1-2 pound or 4-5 pound fish. Look for schools off
points on the lower end of the lake. Crappie: Good. The Herring Hut reports
some outstanding, 100 fish trips recently. Most fish are being caught 16
feet deep over 20-25 feet of water around brush piles and trees. Anchoring
and fishing vertically with either minnows or white popeye jigs is working
well. Black bass: Fair. The herring spawn is finished but some topwater
action is still possible early in the morning. After the first couple of
hours of daylight fishing gets tougher; try dragging a Carolina rig along
main lake points. The best fish may be suspending and relating to herring
schools. Bream: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that at the top of
Clarks Hill he is catching good numbers of shellcracker in 7-8 feet of
water. These fish are running up to the 1 pound range.
Lake Wylie
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the big
three - channel, blue and flathead catfish - are cranked up and biting well.
Channel catfish are tearing it up in 4-15 feet of water on the southern end
of Lake Wylie in the major creeks. Fresh cut baits are the ticket to a great
bite. Blue catfish are best sought after in the river arms where anchoring
in current is producing good numbers of fish in the 10-20 pound range. The
classic presentation for flatheads is night fishing with live bait. Bottom
fishing at night can produce both blues and flatheads. Largemouth Bass:
Good. FLW Professional and Lake Wylie Guide Matt Arey reports that the
strongest bite right now on Lake Wylie is the bream bed bite. Early in the
morning look for bass feeding on topwater, and then look for bass cruising
in packs and targeting spawning bream around docks and in the backs of sandy
coves. Prop baits, swimbaits and weightless Senkos will all work. Some
fish have also moved into a summer pattern, and can be caught deep around
humps and drops with spoons, crankbaits and Carolina rigs. White perch:
Fair. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that perch fishing remains hit or miss,
and some days the fishing is hot while on other days they seem to disappear.
Try anchoring on offshore humps and fish about 20 feet down with minnows and
worms. Some white perch have also been caught in shallow water.
Midlands area
Lake Greenwood
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Chris Simpson recommends drifting or
double anchoring on main lake or secondary points. The best fishing is in 2
to 15 feet of water, with fish moving shallower at night. Shrimp and small
pieces of herring or shad will both work, and stink bait is also catching
fish for many people Bream: Good. Sportsman's Friend reports that bream
have moved onto the beds for a second wave of spawning. Look in coves and on
the side of points, and fish with crickets and red worms. Largemouth Bass:
Fair to good. Sportman's Friend reports that fish are moving into a normal
summer pattern, with some fish being caught early in the morning against
block walls and rocks on topwater lures and floating worms. Later in the
day the majority of fish can be found off points and around humps and
ledges. Carolina rigging plastic worms is most effective. Occasional
schooling activity is also being reported in the lower lake on cloudy days,
with white perch, white bass and striped bass sometimes mixed in with
largemouth. Crappie: Look around deep brush or up the Saluda River.
Lake Murray
Striped Bass: Very good. Lake World reports that early in the morning fish
are being caught shallow around shoal markers on topwater lures. Later in
the day fish are being caught from Bomb Island down to the dam on down lined
live herring fished along the river channel 40-60 feet deep. Bream: Very
good. Lake World reports that fish are biting well off points in 4-10 feet
of water. Fish worms on the bottom. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Captain
Doug Lown reports that early in the morning there can be a pretty decent
topwater bite, but the overall bite really slows down after 10 a.m. Fish
are mainly in 10-12 feet of water right now, and they are feeding hard on
crayfish. Try fishing shakey head worms and Carolina rigs off rocky points.
Lake Monticello
Catfish: Inconsistent. Captain Chris Simpson reports that inconsistent
water fluctuation has made for an unpredictable bite. On days when the
water is moving, anchoring on main lakes humps with water flowing over them
is a productive way to go after big blues, but on days without current a
better big fish pattern is to fish in the coves around timber and over
mussel beds.
Lake Wateree
Largemouth Bass: Good. Camden's Dearal Rodgers reports that some residual
fish can still be found shallow especially as long as high water levels
remain. Other fish have moved into a summer pattern and caught be caught
around offshore structure on shakey head worms, deep running crankbaits, and
jigs, or off deep docks. Crappie: Fair. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie
Tournament Trail reports that Lake Wateree crappie fishing is day to day,
with fish cooperating some days and not others. Best fishing is coming over
brush piles in 15-22 feet of water vertical jigging or tightlining. Minnows
will work, and Fish Stalker jigs in Ugly Green or Pearl White and mini jigs
in yellow/white and dark green/chartreuse will also catch fish. Catfish:
Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the upriver bite has been good lately,
especially with good water flow. Anytime current is present in the river
section, the chances of getting a good fish are good. Point fishing will
also be good in the evenings and late at night when big blues come shallow
to feed up. Some scarred up male fish are being caught which indicates the
major part of the spawn is ending as these fish start to leave nests and get
into post spawn patterns. Large fish are taken on occasion in water less
than 10 feet drifting cut bait near shore.
Santee Cooper System
Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that day time drift fishing has
produced some nice blue cats in the early part of the day. Cut white perch
has been the bait of choice, and most fish have been caught in less than 30
feet of water. A number of 6-10 pound channel cats are also showing up,
especially in deeper water. Smaller channels are being caught on dip baits
in shallow water. Drift fishing the Rediversion Canal out of Arrowhead
Landing in the evening, and anchoring at night in the Diversion canal, is
good and should only improve as summer progresses. Crappie: Very good.
Captain Steve English reports that they are catching some good stringers of
crappie in the lower lake around brushpiles 15-30 feet deep. Both minnows
and jigs are working. Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that
shellcracker have mostly finished spawning and moved back to deeper water.
Some small bluegill are on the beds right now, but more will come up on the
next full moon.
Purchase a SC fishing license at: www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html
South Carolina freshwater recreational fishing regulations: (Pdf file):
www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/freshfishing.pdf