Freshwater Fishing Trends - March 24, 2011
Fishing Information



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



Mountains Area

Lake Jocassee:

* Black Bass: Good. Captain Pat Bennett reports that the bass finally seem to have started to move toward the banks and into prespawn feeding mode. The best baits have been soft plastics, especially green pumpkin plastic worms rigged Carolina or shakey head style.
* Trout: Fair to good. Captain Steve Pietrykowski reports that fishing has been good although getting keepers in the boat has been a challenge some days. Fish are pushed up in the creeks around bait, and they can be caught from the surface down to 40 feet on Sutton 31s and live shiners.

Lake Keowee:

* Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that even though water temperatures have risen significantly, fish on many parts of Lake Keowee bass have not completed their springtime move towards the banks. However, around the warm water discharge from the power plant, and in the northwest areas of the lake, water temperatures have risen enough that some fish may already be on the beds. Wind-blown pockets have also been productive, and fishing small crankbaits that imitate the bait can be effective.

Lake Hartwell:

* Catfish: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that he is still catching very strong numbers of blue catfish in the 15-25 pound range, and breaking off some bigger ones. Look around main lake and secondary points in the 10-20 foot range and fish cut bait on the bottom.
* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair to good. Captain Bill Plumley continues to catch fish free lining big bait, especially around pockets. Fish are scattered across the whole lake, but pulling both gizzard shad and large herring should help locate fish.
* Black Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that fish are still in prespawn mode, but any day they could start to spawn. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits have been most effective, but once fish are on the beds the best baits will change.
* Crappie: Captain Bill Plumley reports that some anglers are catching crappie on minnows and jigs fished around blow downs near the banks. Look in approximately 4-10 feet of water.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell:

* Black Bass: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that bass are starting to move towards the banks, and while they have not yet gone onto the beds they are feeding well in medium depth water. Soft plastics have been the go to baits, especially Carolina and Texas rigs.
* Crappie: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that crappie fishing is improving, but the bite is a little behind what he is finding on Clarks Hill, For now some fish can be found in shallow pockets with wood in about 2-3 feet of water.
* Striped bass: Slow. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the striper bite remains elusive on Lake Russell, The most successful pattern should be fishing free lined live shiners (because of their durability).
* Catfish: No reports. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the catfish bite should start to take off very soon.

Lake Thurmond:

* Crappie: Good. Captain William Sasser reports he is catching fish throwing minnows to shallow brush and casting jigs at the banks. Look in the shallow coves and the backs of creeks all across the lake, including the Georgia and South Carolina Little Rivers. On the upper end of Clarks Hill Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the crappie bite is very strong. He is anchoring and casting minnows 2 feet under a float towards little pockets with driftwood and spawning banks, which are characterized by steep sandy or gray dirt bottoms (not clay or rock) with scattered stumps, trees and rocks.
* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. Captain William Sasser reports that striper are being caught on cut bait and lures by anglers fishing right in front of the dam in the evenings. Fishing down lines close to the bottom in 20-22 feet of water is also productive, and pulling herring slowing behind weighted planer boards has also been effective.
* Black bass: Good. Buckeye Lures in Augusta reports that bass have moved towards the banks in preparation for the spawn, and some fish have started to go onto the beds. Fish can be caught shallow on soft plastics, jigs and spinnerbaits.

Lake Wylie:

* Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that drift fishing for blue catfish has been very strong in major creeks mouths. The channel catfish bite in the upper Catawba has also been very strong where creeks are flowing into the main river.
* Largemouth Bass: Good. FLW Professional and Guide Matt Arey reports that bass are looking to move into protected spawning pockets with firm bottoms and good cover. Spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits and jigs are all good for pre-spawn fish that are staging.
* White perch: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that he has been finding white perch feeding well in the upper sections of major feeder creeks.

Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood:

* Largemouth Bass: Good. Sportsman's Friend reports that bass have moved shallow and they can be caught in pockets, around docks and near shallow cover. Lots of fish are being caught in 2-4 feet of water over most of the lake, although some bigger fish can be caught in 10-12 feet off points. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and plastic worms are all working.
* Crappie: Good. Sportsman's Friend reports that crappie can be caught around most any shallow cover with jigs and minnows. Catfish: Slow to fair. Captain Chris Simpson reports that channel catfish are still moving in and out of the main river channel and they can be hard to locate from one day to the next. Cut herring, gizzard shad and threadfin shad are the best baits right now.

Lake Wateree:

* Crappie: Very good. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that crappie fishing is on fire in the backs of almost any creek and fish are moving very shallow. Very strong fishing should continue for the next couple of weeks, and trolling, tightlining in 2-3 feet of water, casting to cover and dock fishing will all produce. Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that an early spring means that many fish are moving into the river or laterally into the creeks. The best baits include gizzard shad, crappie heads, and white perch.
* Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. FLW Professional Dearal Rodgers reports that the fish have made a big move shallow, and big prespawn females can be caught around rocks, docks and shallow brush – most any shoreline cover. Jigs, Rattle-trap type baits and shallow crankbaits will all catch fish, as will a variety of soft plastics. When there is some wind spinnerbaits are a good bet.

Lake Monticello:

* Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the baitfish are moving shallower and the big blues are following. Many fish are also feeding on mussels. The most productive depths have been 10 to 40 feet deep, and fishing mid-way to all the way back into the coves has been productive. Shallower humps and points are also producing. Anchoring has been most effective, and right now fish are taking a variety of sizes and types baits.

Lake Murray:

* Shellcracker: Very good. Lake World reports that shellcracker are still turned on and fish are biting very well around points and secondary points in 2-10 feet of water. Fish worms on the bottom.
* Striped Bass: Good. Lake World reports that some monster fish have been caught recently and a 38 pound fish was caught last week on cut bait. Little to no schooling activity has been reported.
* Largemouth Bass: Good. Captain Doug Lown reports that pre-spawn, spawning and post-spawn fish can all be caught right now, but the majority of fish are pre-spawn or spawning. The jerkbait and crankbait bite is about over and right now fishing Texas rigs and shakey head worms has been most effective.
* Catfish: Fair. Captain Chris Simpson reports that drifting the far upper reaches of the lake in 15 to 35 feet of water is the most consistent way of getting fish in the boat right now. Cut herring has been the best all around bait, but anchoring on points and using half cut bait and half stink bait will be most effective very soon.
* Crappie: No new report. Captain Brad Taylor reports that crappie fishing has been inconsistent at best, especially for numbers of fish.

Santee Cooper System

* Crappie: Good to very good. Captain Steve English reports that crappie can be found both deep and shallow, and not all the fish have started to spawn yet. For shallow fish look around shoreline cover and use a minnow or jig under a bobber.
* Largemouth bass: Very good. Captain Inky Davis reports that largemouth bass fishing has been very strong and pre-spawn and spawning fish can be caught around most any shallow cover. They will take soft plastics bumped on the bottom and reaction baits pulled through the water column.
* Shad: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that American shad are being caught in the Tailrace Canal on curly tail grubs. In the Rediversion Canal shad fishing has slowed.
* Striped Bass: Few reports. Captain Jim Glenn reports that striper fishing is rapidly improving, and striper are being caught on the flats and in the river between Pack’s Landing, Elliotts Flats and below Low Falls. Steve Pack is anticipating a better season than in recent years based on catching in the past few days. Most fish are in the 23-25 inch range, but some 26 inch keepers have also been in the mix. Cut and live herring will both work.
* Bream: Fair. Captain Jim Glenn reports that in both lakes red ear sunfish (shellcracker) are starting to feed in their traditional spring areas. Red ear may congregate at the mouth of the diversion canal on either side inside and outside the channel. They will frequent areas on the flats Northwest of the canal toward Angel's landing over to Russellville flats. Captain Steve English reports that a few bluegill are starting to show up around the brushpiles.
* Catfish: Fair. Captain Jim Glenn reports that in both lakes catfishing is only fair during the daytime when blue catfish can be caught both deep and shallow. Fresh cut herring and shad are the baits of choice and a few catfish are being caught in the river and on the flats out of Pack’s Landing.