Post by Steve Sutton on Jul 10, 2010 13:30:16 GMT -5
July 12, 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
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 (or herring if you can't get shiners). Most trout are being caught in 35-60 feet of water throughout the day, and more fish seem to be picked up on live bait. Black Bass: Fair. Captain Pat Bennett reports that fishing is getting tougher as bass settle into summer patterns. Try fishing around moving water, or fish tight to rock outcroppings in about 15 to 20 feet of water. Some bass can probably be found suspended over deep water. Shakey head worms are a good bet, and night fishing may be a good idea in the heat.
Lake Keowee
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good to very good. Captain Chris "Fishboy" Schuber reports that spotted bass can be caught on lipless crankbaits in 10 feet or less around rocky points and boat docks. 3/16 ounce shakey head worms in watermelon seed color are also working well.
Lake Hartwell
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that striper and hybrid fishing is still strong off points in 30-45 feet of water. Down lined live herring are working, and fish are still spread out over much of the lake. Captain Bill's boat has picked up a few fish in 50 feet of water over 80 or 90, but none deeper than that yet. Largemouth Bass: Good. Guide Brad Fowler reports there is good topwater action on Lake Hartwell early in the morning and continuing most of the day on windy days. Spooks, flukes, and topwater lures will all catch suspended fish. 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 fishing main lake points with a Carolina rigged finesse worm or a Spot Remover remains a good pattern for spotted bass, and if you want to catch largemouth in the same areas try a Carolina rigged lizard. Fishing the sides of points up Beaverdam Creek in about 15 feet of water has produced some nice largemouth. Probably 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 predominant patterns for catching crappie are fishing bridges at night under a light and fishing brushpiles. Look for brush in 15-20 feet of water near creek channels, and suspend a minnows down about 10-12 feet over the top of the brush. 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 the best catfish pattern is fishing cut herring at night on long, main lake points. Anchor and fish several rods on the bottom. 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. Guide William Sasser reports that striper and hybrid fishing has been excellent. Start out with baits on the bottom in 30 feet of water beside long points that drop off sharply or off ledges, and then work out horizontally. 30 feet deep seems to be the magic number right now, and drifting with down lined live herring has been productive. Striper are frequently running in the 10-12 pound range, and hybrids have been 3-6 pounds. Crappie: Very good. Guide William Sasser reports that crappie are feeding well about 20 feet deep over 20-25 feet of water. The two productive patterns are anchoring and fishing minnows around deep brush, or using the trolling motor and tight-lining in old creek channels. Concentrate on creek channels that have timber, which gives the fish some cover and concentrates them. Black bass: Slow. Buckeye Lures in Augusta tell me that bass fishing on the lake has gotten tough, and it's likely to stay that way for a while. The water is 90 degrees, and with July and August yet to come it shouldn't be falling anytime soon. The best pattern is fishing on humps close to the river channel with plastic worms or Spot Removers. 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. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that beating the heat is the name of the game, and so he is fishing in the morning and then at night. Decent stringers of a mixture of blue and channel catfish have been taken from the upper lake area. Good catches of channel catfish are also being caught in the early morning hours in major creeks drift fishing cut bluegill and shad. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. FLW Professional and Lake Wylie Guide Matt Arey reports that fish have 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. Largemouth Bass: Fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that very early in the morning there is a decent topwater bite, and fish can be caught up against the block walls when surface temperatures have cooled a bit overnight. During the day the best bet is fishing worms or deep running crankbaits in 15-20 of water around brushpiles. Some schooling activity has also been reported, with a mix of largemouth, white bass, white perch and stripers coming to the top. Crappie: Fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that crappie have moved deep. The best bet is fishing around deep brush or deep bridge pilings with minnows and jigs.
Lake Wateree.
Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that he has had some excellent days on the water despite the heat. Some big fish have been caught anchoring up the river, and it appears that those fish are still recovering from the spawn. Down the lake catfish are fat and drifting cut bait is working well.
Largemouth Bass: Good. Camden's Dearal Rodgers reports that a strong summer pattern on Wateree is fishing around offshore structure such as ledges, humps or underwater points on shakey head worms, deep running crankbaits, and jigs. Fish can also be caught around deep docks. Crappie: Good. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that fish can be found around most any brush in 12-20 feet of water. They are holding very tight to the cover, so try working one rod at a time and circling the brush with your trolling motor. Plain minnows or Fish Stalker Jigs in Ugly Green or Yellow Pepper colors have been working.
Lake Murray
Bream: Very good. Lake World reports the bream bite is the best thing going on Lake Murray right now. For bluegill fish popping bugs and crickets around docks, and for shellcracker fish worms on the bottom in the backs of coves or off points. Striped Bass: Very good. Lake World reports that striped bass fishing is about as good as it gets right now, and lots of limits are being caught. Try fishing 45-60 feet deep in the creeks with down lined live herring. Some anglers are catching fish trolling with plugs at night near the towers. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Captain Doug Lown reports that the three main patterns for catching bass on Lake Murray right now are targeting suspended fish with topwater lures in the morning, fishing around deep brush with soft plastics and fishing up the rivers. The river bite is the shallowest pattern, and fish can be caught with soft plastics on the shady bank wherever cover creates current breaks and eddies. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that crappie can be caught out in the main basin of the lake and at the mouths of major creeks, including Bear Creek and around Dreher Island. Fish around brush in 20-25 feet of water, and use minnows for numbers of fish and jigs for bigger fish. Up the river a shallow thermocline has already formed, and fish can be caught trolling jigs and minnows 10-12 feet deep (just above the thermocline) in 17 or 18 feet of water.
Lake Monticello
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite is still a tad inconsistent, but he has been catching some monster fish up to about 60 pounds. Some days the best fishing is off steep ledges, but other days the biggest fish are feeding on long sloping points. Be willing to try different things. Cut bait is the ticket for large catfish, and the free line drifting bite also remains strong.
Santee Cooper System
Crappie: Very good. Captain Steve English reports a very strong crappie bite around mid-depth brush. Fish 10-12 feet deep over brush in 16-18 feet of water, and use the trolling motor to tight-line live minnows to the fish. Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that blue cats are scattered, but fish are being caught in water 8 to 12 feet deep. A few blues and channels are also being caught in 27 to 32 feet. Some big fish are being landed, but numbers are down overall. Drifting perch or herring is still the preferred method. Night time fishing in the Diversion Canal has been good, with strong catches of blues coming when current is moving. Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that bream left the deep brush and moved shallow again to bed. They can be caught on crickets or worms. Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Captain Inky Davis reports that even in the hot water some bass remain shallow. He is catching good numbers of fish in 2-8 feet of water on soft plastics fished around trees, stumps, logs, lily pads and other cover.
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
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 (or herring if you can't get shiners). Most trout are being caught in 35-60 feet of water throughout the day, and more fish seem to be picked up on live bait. Black Bass: Fair. Captain Pat Bennett reports that fishing is getting tougher as bass settle into summer patterns. Try fishing around moving water, or fish tight to rock outcroppings in about 15 to 20 feet of water. Some bass can probably be found suspended over deep water. Shakey head worms are a good bet, and night fishing may be a good idea in the heat.
Lake Keowee
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good to very good. Captain Chris "Fishboy" Schuber reports that spotted bass can be caught on lipless crankbaits in 10 feet or less around rocky points and boat docks. 3/16 ounce shakey head worms in watermelon seed color are also working well.
Lake Hartwell
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that striper and hybrid fishing is still strong off points in 30-45 feet of water. Down lined live herring are working, and fish are still spread out over much of the lake. Captain Bill's boat has picked up a few fish in 50 feet of water over 80 or 90, but none deeper than that yet. Largemouth Bass: Good. Guide Brad Fowler reports there is good topwater action on Lake Hartwell early in the morning and continuing most of the day on windy days. Spooks, flukes, and topwater lures will all catch suspended fish. 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 fishing main lake points with a Carolina rigged finesse worm or a Spot Remover remains a good pattern for spotted bass, and if you want to catch largemouth in the same areas try a Carolina rigged lizard. Fishing the sides of points up Beaverdam Creek in about 15 feet of water has produced some nice largemouth. Probably 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 predominant patterns for catching crappie are fishing bridges at night under a light and fishing brushpiles. Look for brush in 15-20 feet of water near creek channels, and suspend a minnows down about 10-12 feet over the top of the brush. 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 the best catfish pattern is fishing cut herring at night on long, main lake points. Anchor and fish several rods on the bottom. 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. Guide William Sasser reports that striper and hybrid fishing has been excellent. Start out with baits on the bottom in 30 feet of water beside long points that drop off sharply or off ledges, and then work out horizontally. 30 feet deep seems to be the magic number right now, and drifting with down lined live herring has been productive. Striper are frequently running in the 10-12 pound range, and hybrids have been 3-6 pounds. Crappie: Very good. Guide William Sasser reports that crappie are feeding well about 20 feet deep over 20-25 feet of water. The two productive patterns are anchoring and fishing minnows around deep brush, or using the trolling motor and tight-lining in old creek channels. Concentrate on creek channels that have timber, which gives the fish some cover and concentrates them. Black bass: Slow. Buckeye Lures in Augusta tell me that bass fishing on the lake has gotten tough, and it's likely to stay that way for a while. The water is 90 degrees, and with July and August yet to come it shouldn't be falling anytime soon. The best pattern is fishing on humps close to the river channel with plastic worms or Spot Removers. 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. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that beating the heat is the name of the game, and so he is fishing in the morning and then at night. Decent stringers of a mixture of blue and channel catfish have been taken from the upper lake area. Good catches of channel catfish are also being caught in the early morning hours in major creeks drift fishing cut bluegill and shad. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. FLW Professional and Lake Wylie Guide Matt Arey reports that fish have 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. Largemouth Bass: Fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that very early in the morning there is a decent topwater bite, and fish can be caught up against the block walls when surface temperatures have cooled a bit overnight. During the day the best bet is fishing worms or deep running crankbaits in 15-20 of water around brushpiles. Some schooling activity has also been reported, with a mix of largemouth, white bass, white perch and stripers coming to the top. Crappie: Fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that crappie have moved deep. The best bet is fishing around deep brush or deep bridge pilings with minnows and jigs.
Lake Wateree.
Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that he has had some excellent days on the water despite the heat. Some big fish have been caught anchoring up the river, and it appears that those fish are still recovering from the spawn. Down the lake catfish are fat and drifting cut bait is working well.
Largemouth Bass: Good. Camden's Dearal Rodgers reports that a strong summer pattern on Wateree is fishing around offshore structure such as ledges, humps or underwater points on shakey head worms, deep running crankbaits, and jigs. Fish can also be caught around deep docks. Crappie: Good. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that fish can be found around most any brush in 12-20 feet of water. They are holding very tight to the cover, so try working one rod at a time and circling the brush with your trolling motor. Plain minnows or Fish Stalker Jigs in Ugly Green or Yellow Pepper colors have been working.
Lake Murray
Bream: Very good. Lake World reports the bream bite is the best thing going on Lake Murray right now. For bluegill fish popping bugs and crickets around docks, and for shellcracker fish worms on the bottom in the backs of coves or off points. Striped Bass: Very good. Lake World reports that striped bass fishing is about as good as it gets right now, and lots of limits are being caught. Try fishing 45-60 feet deep in the creeks with down lined live herring. Some anglers are catching fish trolling with plugs at night near the towers. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Captain Doug Lown reports that the three main patterns for catching bass on Lake Murray right now are targeting suspended fish with topwater lures in the morning, fishing around deep brush with soft plastics and fishing up the rivers. The river bite is the shallowest pattern, and fish can be caught with soft plastics on the shady bank wherever cover creates current breaks and eddies. Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor reports that crappie can be caught out in the main basin of the lake and at the mouths of major creeks, including Bear Creek and around Dreher Island. Fish around brush in 20-25 feet of water, and use minnows for numbers of fish and jigs for bigger fish. Up the river a shallow thermocline has already formed, and fish can be caught trolling jigs and minnows 10-12 feet deep (just above the thermocline) in 17 or 18 feet of water.
Lake Monticello
Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite is still a tad inconsistent, but he has been catching some monster fish up to about 60 pounds. Some days the best fishing is off steep ledges, but other days the biggest fish are feeding on long sloping points. Be willing to try different things. Cut bait is the ticket for large catfish, and the free line drifting bite also remains strong.
Santee Cooper System
Crappie: Very good. Captain Steve English reports a very strong crappie bite around mid-depth brush. Fish 10-12 feet deep over brush in 16-18 feet of water, and use the trolling motor to tight-line live minnows to the fish. Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that blue cats are scattered, but fish are being caught in water 8 to 12 feet deep. A few blues and channels are also being caught in 27 to 32 feet. Some big fish are being landed, but numbers are down overall. Drifting perch or herring is still the preferred method. Night time fishing in the Diversion Canal has been good, with strong catches of blues coming when current is moving. Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that bream left the deep brush and moved shallow again to bed. They can be caught on crickets or worms. Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Captain Inky Davis reports that even in the hot water some bass remain shallow. He is catching good numbers of fish in 2-8 feet of water on soft plastics fished around trees, stumps, logs, lily pads and other cover.
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