Santee Cooper System
Catfish: Slow to fair. Captain Jim Glenn reports that the catfish bite has been slow and erratic, with weather systems seeming to have a negative impact. Better fishing should be nearby as temperatures warm and hopefully stabilize. For now anglers have had some limited success with blue catfish both shallow and deep fishing cut bait. Largemouth bass: Slow to fair. Captain Jimmie Hair reports the few that were caught could be very nice fish. The best pattern has been fishing square billed crankbaits 7-9 feet deep out in front of spawning areas at the mouths of creeks and outside of backwater ponds. Around eel grass a Rattle Trap has been effective for triggering reaction bites. On sunny afternoons fish have been coming shallower.
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Midlands area
Lake Wateree (unchanged from March 14)
Crappie: Fair. A few fish are moving shallower and can be caught on long lines trolling in 6-14 feet of water. The best areas are around the creeks and specifically Beaver and Wateree and also on the main lake.
Lake Greenwood (unchanged from March 14)
Crappie: Fair to good. Tournament angler Russell Riley reports that crappie are near the river channel and he is catching them a couple of feet off the bottom in 14-18 feet of water. When water temperatures start to warm fish will first move vertically in the water column, and the next move will be shallower towards the mouth of creeks. A combination of jigs and minnows is working. Largemouth Bass: Fair. There continues to be some scattered schooling activity across Lake Greenwood, with bass, striper, and some other species all mixed together. Fish can also be located by following the birds, and bass, striper and white perch can all be caught jigging spoons underneath the birds when fish are not on the surface. Some decent bass are also being caught fishing crankbaits off points, and on warmer days some fish can be found in the backs of coves.
Lake Monticello (unchanged from March 14)
Catfish: Good. Patience is very important right now to catching big blues on Monticello. The most consistent way to catch big fish is to anchor on humps with baitfish nearby when you are marking fish underneath them.
Lake Murray
Shellcracker: Fair to good. Lake World advises that shellcracker are feeding on the lower end of the lake in 2-8 feet of water. Fish nightcrawlers around points with shells nearby. Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that fishing has gotten more consistent. Warm days will scatter fish across shallower flats in 15-25 feet of water, and cooler temperatures will push them back into 30-50 feet in the channel. The best technique has been drifting with cut herring for blues and channels, and the key to catching fish is being willing to adapt to conditions on the water and search for the fish. Largemouth bass: Fair. Veteran Lake Murray tournament bass angler Captain Doug Lown reports that the numbers of fish being caught are still relatively low, but some very nice fish are being landed. Fish are generally still being found in 8-12 feet of water around secondary points, at the mouths of bays and pockets and other staging areas. Shakey head worms and crankbaits have both been effective.
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Piedmont Area
Lake Russell
Crappie: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that crappie are not shallow yet but should be very soon. For now fish can be caught trolling 1/16 ounce jigs 3 or 4 feet off the bottom in 12-15 feet of water around the mouths of larger creeks. In the next few days fish should be caught fishing jigs under floats around the shallows. Striped bass: Fair. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that a very large striper was recently caught on the lower end of the lake. For now the best pattern is free lining large herring or fishing them on planer boards across shallow points on the lower end of the lake.
Lake Thurmond
Crappie: Good. Captain William Sasser reports that some fish are being caught around the banks only a few feet deep, and others are still grouped up 15 or so feet deep over 30 feet of water in the troughs of coves. Black bass: Fair to good. Buckeye Lures in Augusta reports that bass are moving shallower and they can be caught on mop jigs and other Goby Sleds in staging areas.
Lake Wylie
Catfish: Slow to fair. Captain Rodger Taylor reports that the most likely pattern remains targeting the middle to lower end of the lake focusing on the riverbed, the mouths of deep creeks and adjacent deepwater flats. Blue cats will be moving back and forth from the riverbed to the flats, depending on a variety of factors, but they are generally following the bait movement. The best technique seems to be slow drift fishing in 30-55 feet of water, which allows anglers to cover lots of water looking for scattered fish. The best baits include gizzard shad and small pieces of cut fish (the size of a quarter coin). Channel catfish are also being caught, but in less numbers than blues.
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Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee
Black Bass: Slow to fair. Captain Pat Bennett advises that Lake Jocassee bass fishing is still mostly in a winter pattern, but better spring fishing is right around the corner. Until water temperatures warm a few more degrees look for bait schools on your graph in deeper water, and then lower down a jigging spoon or drop shot rig. Very soon fish will start to move up shallower around the first drop off from the bank as they begin to stage for the spawn.
Lake Keowee
Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Guide Brad Fowler that Lake Keowee bass were still essentially in a winter pattern before the warm spell hit, but that will change any day now as temperatures rise. A drop shot rig was a very effective way to target them. 80 degree days will quickly push fish towards a spring pattern.
Lake Hartwell
Crappie: Slow to fair. Captain Bill Plumley reports that a few crappie have been caught casting tiny jigs around docks. Fish can also be caught trolling 20-25 feet deep in the creek channels. Look for the bite to change quickly as temperatures rise. Striped and Hybrid Bass: Slow to fair. Captain Bill Plumley reports that striper are scattered all over the lake but the best pattern has been free-lining herring in the mouths of creeks and across main lake points. The biggest fish have been caught on large gizzard shad fished the same way, and a few striper have been picked up on umbrella rigs.
