Freshwater Fishing Trends - Jan. 27, 2010
Fishing Information

* Mountains Area
* Piedmont Area
* Midlands Area
* Santee Cooper System
* SC Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Adobe PDF)
* Purchase a fishing license
* Boat Ramp Locations
* State Fish Consumption Advisories

StriperFishing trends courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.



Mountains Area

Lake Jocassee:

* Trout: Fair. Captain Steve Pietrykowski reports that trout fishing continues to improve, and as usual the introduction of stocked fish seems to have turned on the larger ones. Right now it can be difficult to catch legal keeper sized fish among all the stockers, but most successful anglers are trolling 25-30 feet deep behind down riggers or dipsy divers with spoons and small Rapala plugs. Slow trolling with live bait will yield smaller numbers of fish, but could weed out the small stocked trout.
* Black Bass: Slow to fair. Captain Pat Bennett reports that shad and blueback herring are dying in the cold temperatures, and they provide easy pickings for the bass. Unfortunately there is so much stunned and dying bait that the bass seem to be sated, and convincing them to bite is difficult. Large bass can be seen in pockets off the major coves hanging around newly stocked trout. However, these fish are also finicky. The best action is still coming fishing over deep water for suspended fish. Look for bait schools on your graph, and then lower down a jigging spoon or drop shot rig. Bait and fish are on the move, but locals know deep spots with underwater structure that will often produce.

Lake Keowee:

* Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that he is catching spotted bass in the lower part of the lake in 50-80 feet of water. Fish are bunched up around depressions, creek channels and ditches. Sometimes he will mark bait or fish before starting to fish an area, but frequently the fish are right on the bottom and you will not see them until after you catch a fish or two – when the school may move up slightly. Fishing drop shot rigs, jigging spoons and doodle rigs (akin to shakey head worm fishing, with minimal motion) very slowly will produce for deep winter fish.

Lake Hartwell:

* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Slow. Captain Bill Plumley reports that the striper bite has really slowed down. Although some fish can still be caught, particularly big fish, it's also possible to fish all day without hooking up. When water temperatures hit 50 degrees striper fishing on Lake Hartwell gets tough, and every degree below that slows the bite even more. When the water is very cold Captain Bill spends most of his time pulling big gizzard shad on planer board or free line rigs, or pulling umbrella rigs to produce a reaction strike. Usually the biggest fish will be in the very backs of creeks, but with water temperatures so low it's better to fish points and pockets adjacent to deeper water. While right now is a pretty good time to catch a big fish, when water temperatures rise into the mid-50s it will be an excellent time to catch a big one. Even without a rise in air temperatures, longer days will raise the water temperatures a few degrees, and February will usually bring a warm spell or two.
* Catfish: Fair. Captain Bill Plumley reports that he continues to catch small blue catfish up to about 10 pounds on cut bait in 25-40 feet of water. Water temperatures are very cold, but as temperatures start to warm next month fish will head into the creeks and start to feed more actively.
* Black Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that the winter pattern on Hartwell is similar to that on Lake Keowee, but shallower. Fish are in water ranging from 30-50 feet deep, and the bulk of fish are scattered around the main lake or at the mouths of major creeks. Within those areas bass will be found around the mouths of feeder creeks and in underwater ditches and drains, and some fish are also holding around deep standing timber. Many fish are lying just off the bottom, and drop shot rigs, jigging spoons and doodle rigs worked very slowly will all catch fish. Captain Brad's boat is also picking up a few fish by dragging a football jig slowly.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell:

* Catfish: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the best bet for catching winter catfish is to fish cut bait on the bottom in 35-40 feet of water in the creek channels. Striped bass: Slow to fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that gulls have arrived, but the striper bite has been elusive so far this winter. The most successful pattern is fishing free lined live shiners (because of their durability), and cloudy days will offer the best and most pleasant window to catch fish. On sunny days, temperatures will start off lower because of the lack of cloud cover, and fish may only feed for the first hour in the morning.
* Crappie: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that crappie are in deep water in the 30-35 foot range, and because most brush piles on Lake Russell are shallower they are relating to bait schools and depth changes instead of brush. Look in the same areas where spotted bass are feeding and fish live minnows.
* Black Bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the spotted bass pattern remains about the same, but as shad die off numbers will get worse. Fish continue to be bunched up in 20-30 feet of water in coves off the main channel. Look for schools of bait on your depth finder before choosing an area to fish, and then lower a drop shot rig baited with either a medium minnow or a four inch finesse worm to the bottom. Most of the fish are in the 1-2 pound range, and about 90 percent of the bass catch is spotted bass. The best bet for catching largemouth is fishing a jig around brush on steep bluff banks.

Lake Thurmond:

* Crappie: Good to very good. Captain William Sasser reports that good sized fish are still feeding well on Clarks Hill, even in the cold. His boat is fishing in the back of mid-lake creeks like Soap Creek and marking fish about 30 feet down over the creek channel in 35 feet of water. Using the trolling motor he is staying over the fish and dropping live minnows to them.
* Black bass: Slow. Buckeye Lures in Augusta reports that bass fishing remains tough. Fish can be caught in ditches on jigs and blade baits, but bites are few and far between.
* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair to good. Captain William Sasser reports that fish are not in their traditional winter locations. He is catching his best fish in the lower lake fishing on the bottom with live herring in 50-55 feet of water. Some anglers are pulling planer boards and free lines in the 20 foot depth range, but they don't seem to be having too much luck. While herring and big striper are in the lower lake near the dam, the upper end of the lake is covered with threadfin shad and small striper and hybrids. However, not much schooling activity has been reported anywhere.

Lake Wylie:

* Largemouth Bass: Fair. FLW Professional and Guide Matt Arey reports that, typical for winter, Lake Wylie is fishing like two different lakes. Around the warm water discharge in the South Fork bass are running bait up around rocks, and anglers fishing rocky secondary points are catching fish. In the lower lake the water is very clear, and a shad are dying off in large numbers as water temperatures plummet. Fish are suspended and relating to creek channel bends, main river ledges, and other depth changes. Since these fish are mainly feeding on shad, the best baits will imitate stressed or dying baitfish. Subtle jerkbaits, flukes, crankbaits with a tight wobble such as a #5 or #7 Shad Rap, and Yamamato single tail grubs fished behind a 1/4 or 3/16 ounce jighead will all catch fish. Be sure to work the bait slowly and try an erratic retrieve.
* Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that something a little different is catching fish this winter. On the southern end of Lake Wylie he is marking large schools of channel cats in open water in the major creeks. Suspending live minnows about 15 feet down has produced outstanding results on his last several trips. For blue catfish, target areas where current is present, which often means the upper lake because of natural current and the warm water discharge from the power plants. The warm water of the Hot Hole is also a bait magnet.

Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood:

* Largemouth Bass: Fair. Greenwood Bassmaster Stanley Gunter reports that catching large fish is difficult, but numbers of fish can be caught in the mid to lower lake around brush piles in 16-21 feet of water. Most of the brush seems to at least hold small bass. Some anglers have been catching bigger fish working a shakey head worm around mid-lake docks in about 10 feet of water, but with the recent cold snap fish may have backed out to deeper water.

Lake Wateree:

* Crappie: Slow. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that low surface temperatures have essentially shut down the crappie bite. Most of the fish are now concentrated in the upper end of the lake near Wateree Creek, lying on the bottom of the river channel in 20-35 feet of water. A very few fish can be caught tight lining live minnows 6-10 inches off the bottom, but the crappie are essentially dormant.
* Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the water is clear and cold with bait fish stressed and dying. The best fishing for numbers of blue catfish is coming drifting cut bait on the river channel ledge around June Creek, Colonel Creek and below. Locate schools of bait before beginning a drift, and look in the 22-30 foot range. To hook up with a big blue cat anchor up the river when current is present with a large cut bait offering.
* Largemouth Bass: Slow. FLW Professional Dearal Rodgers reports that bass fishing has gotten tough on Lake Wateree. So many shad are stressed and dying that getting the bass to eat a hook is difficult. While steep banks usually produce on Wateree during the winter, it has gotten so cold that fish seem to have backed off into the main channel in at least 15 or 20 feet of water. Good places to look for fish are where steep or long, sloping points intersect the main river channel. Jigs or Carolina rigs worked very slowly may catch fish, and using your graph to work a jigging spoon precisely can also be effective.

Lake Monticello:

* Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite for blue catfish in the 10-20 pound range is still good, with fish running bigger not uncommon. Many shad and catfish are glued to the bottom, and the most productive depth range has been 50-65 feet. Anchor around shad schools that are not tight to the bottom and slightly broken up, which indicates that fish are feeding on them. "Blacked out" schools on your graph may indicate dead areas where no predators are feeding. White perch, gizzard shad and even herring are working well, and cutting the bait in cubes about the size of a mussel has been catching the majority of the fish. Don't overlook fishing around mussel beds. Most importantly, be patient as cold water fish are very lethargic.

Lake Murray:

* Largemouth Bass: Slow. Captain Doug Lown reports that, typical for January, fishing is tough. Bass don't need to feed every day as their metabolism slows down in cold water, and so the bite is sporadic. There is no consistent pattern, although one commonality is that almost all fish are at least close to deep water. Fish have been caught from 6-36 feet deep. Bass are not in the back of coves, and positioning your boat in 20-25 feet of water has been a good starting point. The cold front should push fish even deeper. When there has been a little wind, crankbaits and jerkbaits have worked at times, and Texas rigs and shakey head worms have also picked up a few fish. Jigging spoons should be effective when nothing else will work, and be aware that many fish are suspended.
* Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that channel catfish make up the majority of the catch right now, but scattered blues are still mixed in. Ten catfish is a slow day, and 15-20 is a good day. In general, 25-50 feet has been the best depth range for numbers of fish, and drifting cut herring is the best pattern. Expect to pick up a few stripers. Drifting in and out of the channel in 55-80 feet will increase your chances of hooking up with big blue catfish, but decrease the action overall. Fish are moving around a lot, so don't expect to fish the same spot from one day to the next. Jigging a spoon off the bottom while drifting has also been catching a variety of fish, including lots of white perch, some striper, big largemouth and occasional cats.
* Crappie: Good to very good. Captain Brad Taylor reports that he has been catching fish in an unusual winter pattern. Captain Brad is fishing at least 10 feet down over deep brush in 18-30 feet of water with Fish Stalker Jigs, and wearing out the crappie. Sizes are inconsistent but fish are running up to just over 1.75 pounds. Fish can probably also be caught in a traditional winter pattern, tight-lining jigs and minnows 12-18 feet deep in the channel up the Little River. As temperatures continue to drop, plain minnows should become the most popular bait.

Santee Cooper System

* Catfish: Fair to good. Fish are being caught in deep water around suspended bait. Establishing a slow a drift as possible with the standard drift rig or fishing vertically with suspended baits. Bait of choice is cut menhaden.
* Striped bass: Fair. Stripers are feeding on stressed threadfin shad and will take slow trolled artificials, or spoons and slow drifted live baits.
* Crappie: Fair. Success requires light winds and a stable weather pattern. Crappie will take jigs more readily this time of year.
* Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Sunny days warm the shallows a degree or two and bass will hit slow rolled spinner baits and shallow running crank baits. Vertical jigging with spoons on deeper drops also will trigger a good largemouth strike.