Freshwater Fishing Trends - Sept. 29, 2011
Fishing Information

Mountains Area
Piedmont Area
Midlands Area
Santee Cooper System
SC Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Adobe PDF)
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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 advises that fishing has been fair. The trout are deep, and trolling in the big water 70-110 feet down has been most effective. Live shiners and spoons will both catch fish.
Black Bass: Fair. Captain Pat Bennett reports that as air and water temperatures drop the fishing is improving. Early and late try topwater lures such as Spooks and Jitterbugs around long points. Also target bass related to shoreline cover proximate to deep water, where they can be caught on shakey head worms, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits.

Lake Keowee:

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Slow. Guide Brad Fowler reports that Lake Keowee is fishing tough right now, although there is some scattered topwater activity. A few fish are also being caught on drops shot rigs fished deep and scrounger heads. The bite should improve as water temperatures cool and bait and fish move into the creeks.

Lake Hartwell:

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that striper and hybrid fishing remains strong. Fish are in the main channel on the lower end of the lake 50-70 feet down over 90-150 feet of water. Most fish are concentrated over trees and along old creek channels. Down lining live herring is the number one way to catch fish right now.
Catfish: Good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that channel catfish continue to feed well. Fish are scattered out across the whole lake in 12-20 feet of water, with catches of small to medium sized fish strong. Dip (stink) bait, especially Hoss’ Hog Bait, has been most productive.
Black Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that bass are spread out from very shallow water to deep water, and fishing has remained pretty tough. Fish are being caught on buzzbaits, topwater lures, shakey head worms, crankbaits and in recent tournaments anglers have fished a variety of different patterns. A clearer pattern should develop soon as water temperatures cool.
Crappie: Slow. Captain Bill Plumley reports that some crappie are still being caught under lights at night around deeper bridges and brush piles in 10-20 feet of water. Anglers are fishing both minnows and jigs. Daytime action is very slow but will improve as temperatures cool.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell:

Black Bass: Very good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that bass are feeding very well around bait schools 20-25 feet deep in large coves in the mid-lake. Whether the coves have brush or not is unimportant – the presence of bait schools is the key. Drop shot rigs fished just off the bottom and baited with a plastic worm or live minnows will produce, and jigging spoons are also working. Largemouth bass (particularly small ones) are mixed in with spots. To target bigger largemouth the best bet is fishing a fluke or a Spook up the river around stumps on the edge of the channel. White and yellow perch:
Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that fishing minnows just off the bottom in 25-30 feet of water in the lower lake around the mouth of the Rocky River is the best pattern. Catfish: Fair to good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the best bet for catfish is fishing on the bottom around the large bait schools found in major coves. Anchor and put out cut herring offerings on the bottom, and don’t be afraid to chum to draw in the cats.
Crappie: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the crappie can be caught 10-12 feet down over brush 15-20 feet deep on minnows fished on a tight line. The mid-lake, Beaverdam Creek and the Rocky River are good places to look.
Striped bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that for another week or so the best pattern will be free lining live herring, trout or gizzard shad below the Hartwell Dam, but very soon fish will scatter out down the lake and in the creeks.

Lake Thurmond:

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain William Sasser reports that striper and hybrid fishing is on fire. On the lower end of the lake early and late the schooling activity is excellent. The majority of fish are in the 2-3 pound range, but hybrids up to 8 pounds have been caught mixed in and bigger fish are below. Poppers, Ice Flies and other lures will catch fish.
Black bass: Fair. Buckeye Lures in Augusta reports that bass fishing is improving on Clarks Hill. Buzzbaits and floating worms have both been working pretty well early or all day on overcast days – just pick a bank and work your way down it. Catfish: Fair. Captain William Sasser reports that big flatheads are being caught on the Parksville and Georgia flats at night, but they are scattered. Anchor live bream on the bottom in 15-20 feet of water to catching roaming, feeding flatheads. Channel catfish are being caught on the bottom in 30-40 feet of water.
Crappie: (unchanged from Sept. 22). Captain William Sasser reports that striper have been occupying him recently, but recently his boat was catching crappie out in the middle of the creek about 25 feet down around brush in the main creek channel. Minnows were working well. The Georgia Little River and Ford’s, Grey’s and Cherokee Creek were producing best.

Lake Wylie:

Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that large schools of baby shad can be seen most of the day, but they are especially notable early and late when the winds are light. Game fish are on the surface feeding on the shad. The best bet for catfish right now is drifting with cut white perch or bream, which stay on the hook better than shad. Channel catfish are most likely to be caught in the creeks or shallower open water, but blue catfish – traditionally more associated with the river channel and deeper water flats – are expanding their range into these areas too. Both fish can be picked up on the same drifts, and right now 24 feet is the ideal depth.
White perch: Fair to good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that white perch are starting to be more cooperative again, although finding them is still tougher than last year for most anglers. 24 feet has been a good depth range to fish minnows or worms vertically on a Sabiki rig.
Largemouth Bass: Improving. FLW Professional and Guide Matt Arey reports that fish are transitioning into the backs as the weather cools and bait moves into the creeks and pockets. Big Spooks, spinnerbaits and other shad imitations are the best bet as these fish are almost completely related to bait schools.

Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood:

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the daytime bite is improving and is almost as good as the night bite. The best approach remains anchoring on humps and points in 5-20 feet of water and fan casting baits to different depths.
Largemouth Bass: Fair. Sportsman’s Friend reports that cooler weather has improved the bass bite on Lake Greenwood. Early and late there has been good topwater activity, and on cloudy days fish may be willing to feed on the surface all day long. Buzzbaits and floating worms are good bets. Worms and jigs fished 10-12 feet deep around brush are both catching fish.
Crappie: Fair. Sportsman’s Friend reports that crappie fishing is also improving. Fishing 10-12 feet deep around brush with jigs is the best pattern.

Lake Wateree:

Catfish: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor recommends drifting flats in 9-15 feet of water with cut white perch. Bait schools and fish are moving into the creeks. Anchoring with large pieces of cut bait, especially when there is current, is a good option if you want to target trophy-sized fish.
Crappie: Fair. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that fish are still related to brush, but now they are around shallower brush in 12-16 feet. Fish are still in the main lake, but now you should look closer to the banks instead of in the main channel. Jigs are still working best, especially Fish Stalker Ugly Green, Pearl White and Robin Egg (blue with metallic flakes).
Largemouth Bass: FLW Professional Dearal Rodgers reports that shad and the fish are moving toward the creeks. Try deep and medium running crankbaits on points and channel swings in the creeks. Everything will move shallow in the next few weeks, so it's a good idea to check docks with a jig on a daily basis. Try buzzbaits in the mornings for topwater activity.

Lake Murray:

Striped Bass: Very good. Lake World reports that striped bass fishing is as strong as it has been in years. There is phenomenal schooling activity across the lower half of the lake and a very high percentage of keepers are being reported. Trolling Stretch 25s and bucktails, free-lining live herring and fishing down rods with herring 25-30 feet deep have all been productive.
Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the daytime bite has improved and a few blues and channel catfish are starting to be caught drifting in water 25-40 feet deep. However, the most productive pattern is still anchoring on points and humps that will allow you to cover a wide range of depths until you find the most productive zone. Cut herring or perch, shrimp and stink bait are the best baits.
Largemouth Bass: Fair. Captain Doug Lown reports that weights have improved in recent tournaments, but there is a significant drop off after the first few places. The dominant pattern right now is fishing for suspended fish that are chasing bait off points 6-20 feet deep. It seems that on warmer days topwater lures are working well, but on cooler days soft plastics like flukes are doing better twitched just below the surface.
Crappie: Fair. Captain Brad Taylor reports that the bite remains a little slow, but he suggests fishing in the mid-section of the lake around 25 foot brush. The best brush is on main lake drops in the big water.

Santee Cooper System

Crappie: Good to very good. Captain Steve English reports that the crappie bite is strong around deeper, but not very deep, offshore brushpiles. He is fishing 10-15 feet deep over brush in 17-25 feet of water. Both jigs and minnows are working.
Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that bream have moved back to brushpiles in 8-15 feet of water where they are feeding well on crickets. In the canal fish are biting well on worms fished 7-10 feet deep around grass.
Largemouth bass: Fair. Captain Jimmie Hair reports that air and water temperatures have dropped and the bass fishing has improved. Bait is moving into the creeks and bass are following them. The best pattern has been fishing soft plastics around wood and grass, where he has been catching good numbers of 2-3 pound fish.
Catfish: Improving. Captain Jim Glenn reports that blue catfishing has improved during the last two weeks of September, with better numbers in both lakes and some larger fish being caught. It appears that the bigger blues are being caught drifting in water less than 30 feet deep, while smaller blues seem to be more vulnerable to drifting in deeper water. Fresh cut herring, shad and perch are the most popular baits.