Little River

* Inshore: Captain Michael Rutenberg reports that fewer boats, less humidity and the abundance of live mullet makes the end of summer and early fall a great time for fishing. Many inshore fish are now gorging themselves on the abundance of bait and/or gathering in large numbers to spawn. This means more large adult fish are inshore than during the summer months. In the shallow creeks and ICW slot-sized redfish, trout and flounder can all be caught on live mullet or mud minnows under a popping cork. Cut mullet has also been landing black drum, whiting, and croaker. A few big redfish can be caught in the surf along the shallow sandbars adjacent to the main channel using crabs, and in the next few weeks all lines will be focused on the jetties for the big spawning red drum. Cherry Grove Pier reports that big Spanish over have started to run, and small to medium sized flounder are also doing well. They also report some big pompano have been caught.

Grand Strand

* Red drum and black drum: Good to very good. Perry's Bait and Tackle in Murrell's Inlet reports that both red and black drum are biting well in the creeks on live and cut bait, and the bull drum fishing is very strong at the tip of both Murrells Inlet jetties for a couple of hours either side of low and high tide. For big red drum at the jetties anchor a bottom rig - fish finder or Carolina rig-style - with a 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook baited with cut bait. The big fish often refuse to chase a live offering. Cut mullet, menhaden or quartered blue crabs will all work, and smaller black drum are eating sand fleas very well.
* Sheepshead: Good. Perry's reports that sheepshead have turned on at the jetties, especially down towards Georgetown, and fiddler crab sales are strong. Fish a fiddler crab on a Carolina rig around structure. Spot: Good. Perry's reports that it isn't a full blown spot run yet, but big spot are being picked up in the creeks around Murrell's Inlet.
* Flounder: Fair. Perry's reports that inshore flounder fishing is picking up. For best results cast or troll Carolina rigged live mud minnows on the bottom over sandy bottoms and around hard structure. Fishing is often best for a couple of hours either side of low tide. Surf and Pier Report: Perry's reports that the surf has really come alive with mullet, bluefish, Spanish and even king mackerel have all been caught by surf casters. Croaker are prolific. Spanish are also being jigged up off the piers and weakfish are being caught around the sea walls.

Charleston

* Spottail Bass: Very good. Haddrell's Point reports that redfish continue to feed heavily, and they can be found all over the estuaries right now. The best bite is coming around structure like docks with deep holes and around submerged rockpiles, also look at the mouths of feeder creek on falling tides. Carolina rigs baited with mullet, mud minnows or shrimp are good bets for fishing around structure, and live shrimp under a float will produce around creek mouths.
* Trout: Very good. Haddrell's Point reports that strong numbers of small to medium sized trout continue to be caught on a daily basis. Fish live shrimp under a popping cork or DOA shrimp around shell rakes in 3-5 feet of water. Quality trout have been reported on "walk-the-dog" type lures early in the morning.
* Tarpon: Good to very good. Haddrell's Point reports that tarpon season is about to peak, and fishing is strong in the North Edisto inlet, Bull's Bay, and at the Charleston Jetties. Use large mullet or menhaden rigged on a long 80 pound leader.
* Flounder: Good. Haddrell's Point continues to report an above-average flounder bite in inlets and creek mouths. Mud minnows and finger mullet fished on the bottom are the baits of choice. Folly Beach Pier reports that pier fishing remains pretty slow, with a few redfish, bluefish and a bunch of whiting caught.

Beaufort

* Spottail Bass: Very good. Bay Street Outfitters reports that fishing has improved as temps have continued to fall. Redfish are generally feeding on crabs and shrimp, and tailing fish will take flies in both patterns. On peak high tides when tails aren't exposed but redfish can be seen "pushing" they will also take minnow imitations. Captain Dan "Fishin' Coach" Utley reports that in Hilton Head the action for redfish has been strong. High tides have created some good tailing action, but the best bite has been back in the creeks fishing deep holes at the creek bends nears docks or fallen trees on the last half of the outgoing tide.
* Trout: Fair to good. Down around Hilton Head Captain Dan "Fishin' Coach" Utley reports that since the shrimp have become big enough to put on a hook the inshore action for spotted seatrout has been picking up. Live shrimp under a popping cork will catch fish.
* Tarpon: Slow to fair. Bay Street Outfitters reports a few tarpon have been caught in the Broad River, but they are pretty rare. Dead menhaden fished on the bottom and live menhaden fished on the surface will both catch fish.

Mountains Area

Lake Jocassee:

* Trout: Slow to fair. Captain Steve Pietrykowski recommends fishing both spoons and live shiners (or herring if you can't get shiners) in the main lake. The best fishing is coming about 90 feet down where fish are right at the thermocline trying to escape the heat.
* Black Bass: Slow to fair. Target ledges in 20-30 feet of water near the main channel throughout the lake. Use your electronics to determine at which depth the fish are holding, and then lower a drop shot rig to a depth just above the suspended fish. Small 4 inch finesse worms in watermelon or green pumpkin are working, and Captain Pat has been doing best letting the worm sit still.

Lake Keowee:

* Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that Lake Keowee is still very warm, even though water temperatures have dropped a few degrees. The most effective pattern has been fishing a drop shot rig on main lake points in 30-40 feet, either just off the bottom or higher in the water column when suspended fish show up on your graph. Some topwater action has also been reported, and for fish suspended high in the water column that won't take a traditional topwater lure try a soft plastic body on a Scrounger head.

Lake Hartwell:

* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that striper and hybrids are still holding pretty deep, down 50-75 feet. They will be off points, along the river channels, or roaming and following bait at that depth. He is catching fish on down lined live herring, and this pattern should stay about the same until the 2nd or 3rd week of October when the lake turns over and fish begin to move into the creeks. Captain Steve Pietrykowski's reports live bait on down rods is still producing best for him in 70-110 feet of water 45-60 feet down in the main lake.
* Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Guide Brad Fowler reports that water temperatures have dropped a few degrees, and particularly weekday boating activity has dropped off, the topwater bite is improving again. Sebilles, Spooks, Sammys and flukes will all catch fish on top off deep points.
* Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that catfishing remains about the same, but he has had a couple of good trips for them recently. Early in the morning he has caught some flatheads in 25-30 feet of water on live bream, and drifting cut bait on the bottom in 35-40 feet he has caught a couple of blues and some healthy channels.
* Crappie: Slow. Captain Bill Plumley reports that some crappie are being caught at night around bridges. Tie up in 15-25 feet of water and put out a light, then fish with live minnows. Overall, though, the fishing is still really tough, and many of the fish are suspended in deep timber around threadfin schools. The fish only have to move up and down to feed, and searching for them can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Cooler weather should improve the bite soon.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell:

* Crappie: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that he has had some good crappie fishing trips mid-lake around the golf course at Richard Russell State Park. Fish are holding in coves around brush in 18-25 feet of water, and while they are pretty spread out 3 or 4 good fish can be taken off of each spot. Use a slip float rig or fish a plain minnow behind a split shot, and work it very carefully around the top of brush. Fish are not aggressive and will take the bait when it is eased around the brush. Some white perch are also mixed in with the crappie, as well as some small spotted bass.
* 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 night fishing cut herring and nightcrawlers on the bottom in 12-15 feet of water off long, main lake points. Anchor and fish several rods on the bottom.
* Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair to good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the best pattern for catching good largemouth is flipping visible timber in 20-40 feet with Texas rigs or Spot Removers for bass suspended 12-15 feet down. 3/16 or ¼ ounce weights will get the bait down to where it needs to be. Striped bass: Fair to good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the biggest striper will be found in the cool water below the Hartwell Dam.

Lake Thurmond:

* Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good to very good. Captain William Sasser reports that little striper and hybrids are schooling all over the lower end of the lake. Fish are averaging 1-2 pounds, but can run up to 7 or 8 pounds. The best schooling is very early or from mid-afternoon until dark, and they will take all kinds of surface lures and ice flies.
* 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.
* Crappie: Fair. Captain William Sasser reports that the water temperature has dropped a few degrees and the bite has improved a bit for crappie. He is catching most of his fish 20 feet deep over 40 feet of water around brush that he has put out. Everything is coming on straight minnows. Daily catches have been in the 60-90 fish range, and sizes are all over the place. By late fall almost all of the fish he catches will be good sized.
* Black bass: Slow. Buckeye Lures in Augusta reports that the bass fishing on Clarks Hill remains tough. Decent numbers of fish can be caught, but keeper fish are few and far between. Some schooling activity is starting to be reported, and the bite should pick up soon.

Lake Wylie:

* Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that large schools of threadfin and gizzard shad are present during the low light hours until around 10 a.m. Channel catfish are abundant and easy to catch on the drift with most any cut bait, but some days cut shad has been most effective. The bite should continue to improve as the water cools and the density of the shad schools increases.
* White perch: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that white perch have been pretty easy targets early in the morning using minnows fished 25 feet deep over hard bottoms.
* Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. FLW Professional and Lake Wylie Guide Matt Arey reports that the fish are relating almost 100% to schools of shad, which are now thick in the very backs of the creeks and pockets. Schooling activity is very strong, and particularly on cloudy days topwater activity will continue all day long. Small grubs or blade baits are good options for schooling bass, and to draw fish up to the surface try buzzbaits or Zara Spooks.

Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood:

* Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite remains very strong for good sized channel cats, although some days you have to work to locate them. Drifting will work but anchoring on secondary points in creeks and in the backs of creeks is more productive. Shrimp and stink bait are the best baits for quickly filling a cooler.
* Bream: Fair to good. Sportsman's Friend reports that fish remain shallow around docks and in the backs of coves. Fish crickets and worms under a float or on a split shot rig.
* Crappie: Fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that crappie have moved deep. The best bet is fishing around deep brush or deep bridge pilings at night with minnows and jigs.
* Largemouth Bass: Slow to fair. Sportsman's Friend reports that the fishing has gotten tough. There is still scattered schooling across Lake Greenwood, with fair sized striper and largemouth coming up to the top. Some white bass and white perch are also mixed in. Fish are feeding on threadfin and small gizzard shad, and the most likely places they will be found are off points and humps and around the edges of islands - proximate to depth changes. About halfway back in the creeks is also a good place to look. In addition to topwater lures, crankbaits and bucktails will also catch schooling fish. Besides schooling fish, early in the morning a few fish may be found around block walls which cool at night and draw in baitfish. First thing bass will feed around them, and floating worms and topwater lures will both work.

Lake Wateree:

* Catfish: Good to very good. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that on some days blue catfish have been biting very well on the drift. Drift flats in 9-15 feet of water with cut bait. In the evening and at night anchoring has also been productive. Fish are also starting to move into the creeks.
* Crappie: Good. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that right now is a transition period and crappie are starting to move off brush and into the creek channels. Bait is making its way into the creeks, and in Singleton, Dutchman and Wateree Creek he has been finding crappie by trolling minnows very slowly just off the bottom 10-14 feet down over 12-16 feet of water. The same pattern will work in lower lake creeks, but they are a little behind those in the upper lake so Will advises fishermen not to look quite as far back.

Lake Monticello:

* Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite is still a little 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.

Lake Murray:

* Striped Bass: Excellent. Lake World reports that striper fishing is still excellent from Spence Island down to the dam. Best fishing is 45-65 feet down around humps and points with live herring. Some fish are also being picked up trolling. In the last few days schooling activity has just started to be reported, but most of the fish are still small. A few keeper sized fish have been mixed in, though, and that percentage will continue to rise.
* Bream: Very good. Lake World reports the bream bite remains very strong. For bluegill fish red worms and crickets around docks and fallen trees. The shellcracker bite is not as good, but fish can be caught in 4-10 feet of water with worms fished on the bottom in the backs of coves or off points.
* Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that anchoring on the upper half of humps and points in the 10-20 foot range is the most consistent method right now. Stink bait has really worked for putting numbers of channel cats and the occasional blue in the boat, with cut herring and white perch catching fewer but bigger fish.
* Largemouth Bass: Slow to fair. Captain Doug Lown reports that fishing remains difficult, but some boats are picking up 16-18 pounds on good days. Generally the most productive pattern is fishing topwater lures over deep points for suspended fish on sunny days when there is some wind.
* Crappie: Fair. Captain Brad Taylor reports that he is still catching the most crappie down the lake with minnows around deep brush. A few fish have also started to be picked up around bridges in the Big and Little Saluda. Casting jigs at the pilings and letting them drop about 14 feet down should put crappie in the boat. Bait is also just starting to move up into the creeks, and in the next couple of weeks a fall pattern should emerge.

Santee Cooper System

* Bream: Good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that bream are can be caught near shallow vegetation and on drops in 10-12 feet of water that contain brush. Crickets and worms will both work. Crappie: Fair to good. Captain Jim Glenn reports that crappie can be caught on minnows around brush in 12-20 feet of water. Some days crappie will be suspended over the brush, and on others they will hold tight to it.
* Catfish: Fair. Captain Jim Glenn reports that blue cats are moving in and out of shallow water both day and night in both lakes. The bite is a little erratic from day to day and fish can be hard to find, especially during day time. Night fishing has not been the best generally, except in a few shallow areas that must be prospected. Good breezes during daytime have mitigated the heat a little and allowed for some good drift fishing on Lake Moultrie. Either cut perch or herring or shad will produce fish.
* Largemouth bass: Fair. Captain Inky Davis reports that he has had some good trips in the heat, and fish can be caught as long as you fish the morning bite and stay away from the heat of the day. Even in the hot water some bass remain shallow, and 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.

http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/fishingreport.html