South Carolina DNR Freshwater report 8-12

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: Good. Capt. Steve Pietrykowski advises that numbers are a little down in the heat, but especially for quality fish the catch rate has overall been pretty good. Trolling in the big water 60-100 feet down with spoons and live shiners has been most effective. The intakes are still producing some fish off and on, but night fishing has slowed. Night fishermen should try suspending nightcrawlers and shiners 25 to 40 feet down near the intakes.
Black Bass: Fair. Capt. Pat Bennett reports that some fish will still feed in the middle of the day, but really it’s too hot to be fishing except early, late and at night. The majority of the fish seem to out in deep, open water following roaming schools of baitfish, but early and late some fish move shallower. First thing and at dusk there can be a good bite on topwater lures such as Spooks and Jitterbugs worked around points that extend out a good ways. In the morning and evening some fish will also relate to shoreline cover proximate to deep water, where they can be caught on shakey head worms, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits. Lake Jocassee is down to 88 percent of full pool.

Lake Keowee:

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Slow. Guide Brad Fowler reports that fishing remains slow on Lake Keowee. Early in the morning there may be a little topwater activity, but after the sun gets up anglers need to drop back and fish drop shot rigs, Carolina rigs and shakey head worms over deep structure such as points and humps. Sporadic schooling activity may take place throughout the day as fish feed on threadfin shad, but getting these fish to bite is difficult. Most anglers continue to head up the lake to the cooler, running water below the Lake Jocassee dam. At night some fish move shallower where they can be caught on worms around brush and lighted docks. Lake Keowee is at 96 percent of full pool.

Lake Hartwell:

Catfish: Good. Capt. Bill Plumley reports that channel catfish don’t seem to mind the heat and they continue to feed well. Fish are scattered out across the whole lake in 15-30 feet of water, with catches of small to medium sized fish strong. Dip (stink) bait, especially Hoss’ Hog Bait, is vastly outperforming both cut bait and nightcrawlers. The best times to fish are early, late and at night. Blue catfish have generally moved out to deeper water where they are difficult to catch in the Lake Hartwell timber, although a few have been picked up at night. There are some strong reports of flatheads being caught at night on live bream, including a reported 70 pounder last week.
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair. Capt. Bill Plumley reports that striper and hybrid fishing remains a little off, with catch rates down from last year at this time. The best bite is still fishing around main lake points or along the edge of the main river channel over trees. Fish have not yet moved super deep, as they should by the end of the summer, and best results are coming on down lined live herring fished 35-50 feet down.
Black Bass: Slow to fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that Lake Hartwell bass fishing continues to be tough. While the topwater bite off deeper, main lake points remains fair, average sizes continue to be down. Fish will hit Spooks, flukes, swimbaits and assorted topwater lures all day long, especially on windy days when there is surface disturbance. Small fish can also be caught fishing a drop shot rig or Carolina rig around points 25-30 feet deep. The bigger fish seem to be very deep in 40-50 foot deep timber, where they are mixed in with striper and blueback herring schools. You can catch a big fish dragging a 10-12 inch worm through the deep timber, but fish are tough to pinpoint. Finally, there is a decent night bite when some good fish move shallower. Try working a buzzbait around the banks.
Crappie: Slow. Capt. Bill Plumley reports that some crappie are being caught under lights at night around deeper bridges and brush piles in 20-30 feet of water. Anglers are fishing both minnows and jigs. Daytime action is very slow. Lake Hartwell is down to 656.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell: (unchanged from August 4th)

Largemouth Bass: Fair, casting shallow-running crankbaits, plastic worms around flats and points. Better late in the evening.
Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair, using bucktails, cut and live herring and jigs below the dam if the water is running.
Catfish: Good, using cut bait and nightcrawlers on the bottom and around the riprap at bridges.

Lake Thurmond: (unchanged from August 4th)

Striper: Very good. Fish at 35-40 feet on the bottom with live herring, especially in front of the dam. Some trolling in the afternoon is producing around 25 feet down mostly with bucktails. Some action reported at the top of the lake in the tailrace.
Crappie: Slow. The summer lull is on and there are not good numbers, but the fish they do catch are fair size. Check around 25 feet deep for best results with medium and large minnows.
Largemouth: Improving. Some schooling activity reported on the surface because the shad and small herring are in the top of the water column, but it’s all over the lake and can be tough to find. Cast plastic worms for best results.
Shellcracker: Good. The fish are bedding all over the lake even though it’s a bit late in the season. A worm on a split shot will produce.

Lake Wylie:

Catfish: Very good. Capt. Rodger Taylor reports that, despite the intense heat, the catfish bite on Lake Wylie is very strong. Many anglers are choosing to fish early, late and at night, but fish will bite throughout the day for fishermen who can handle the temperatures. Channel catfish are scattered across relatively shallow flats from Belmont to the dam, with 10-20 feet being a productive depth. Cut bluegill are a good bait. The big blue catfish in the 20-30 pound range are very active, and some are being caught on the drift. Fish sometimes seem to be holding in tight groups, which can make for some exciting multiple hook-ups. For anchor fishing gizzard shad are available in the backs of most of the major creeks on the southern end of the lake, and are easily cast netted. The head makes a very good anchor bait for big blues. Finally, flatheads as well as big blue cats can be caught night fishing with live bait around cover and structure.
White perch: Very good. Capt. Rodger Taylor reports that sizes are down but perch are biting very well on the flats in 15-20 feet of water. Fish minnows or worms on a Sabiki rig vertically. Targeting perch is a good way to catch catfish bait or just get your line pulled.
Largemouth Bass: Slow. FLW Professional and Guide Matt Arey reports that the bite has gotten even tougher on Lake Wylie, and tournament anglers are really struggling. The bream bite is dying off as the spawning season winds down, and the majority of the good bags are being caught by anglers who happen upon schooling fish. These bass are roaming in open water following schools of threadfin shad, but to the extent they are related to anything they can be found over humps, channel swings and around creek mouths. One positive to these fish is that they are feeding and aggressive, and so they will take most shad imitations including small swimbaits, topwater lures, etc. Another possible pattern is fishing near the bottom around humps, bridges and points with DD-22s, Hopkins spoons, football jigs and big plastic worms.

Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood:

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that the channel catfish bite remains pretty good and catches of big fish will increase now that the spawn should be over. The best approach is anchoring on humps and points, setting up so that you can fan cast offerings in 5-20 feet of water. The best option is fishing with stinkbait and shrimp, but adding in some cut or live bait will increase the chances of catching bigger fish (and gars) but decrease overall numbers.
Crappie (unchanged from July 21): Slow to fair. Sportsman’s Friend reports that the best fishing is at night around bridge pilings, brush and other manmade structure and cover in 20-30 feet of water. Cover and structure in creek channels may be best, and both minnows and jigs will catch fish.
Largemouth Bass (unchanged from July 21): Slow to fair. Sportsman’s Friend reports that it’s really too hot for bass fishing, but anglers who insist on getting out on the water have the best chances of catching fish early in the morning, especially around block walls. The baitfish like the cooler water from the blocks and settle in overnight. Topwater lures and floating worms are a good bet. A few fish can also be caught working plastic worms in 15 to 18 feet of water around brush piles. At night some fish will be caught around brush in 12-18 feet of water by anglers pulling dark worms.

Lake Wateree:

Catfish: Excellent. Capt. Rodger Taylor reports that in spite of the heat the catfish bite is awesome. Drifting the mid-lake flats in 4-10 feet of water is producing large numbers of channel and small blue catfish, and larger blue cats in the 10-20 pound range are also mixed in along with some much bigger fish. The cats are schooled up around large schools of threadfin and gizzard shad, and herons will often give away the bait locations. Small pieces of cut bluegill and white perch are both strong baits, with white perch staying on the hook longer. An anchored large gizzard shad, bream or perch head is the ticket for a huge blue. A mayfly hatch is underway, but the easy availability of insects doesn’t seem to be slowing the bite. Early and late are most comfortable for anglers, but the bite is hot all day long.
White Perch: Excellent. Capt. Rodger Taylor reports that huge schools of white perch are roaming the mid-lake flats in the same areas as the catfish, and cut pieces of shad make excellent bait on Sabiki rigs. Catching six fish at once on a Sabiki rig is very possible, and some big perch are mixed in with the smaller ones.
Largemouth Bass: Fair. FLW Professional Dearal Rodgers reports that the best fishing on Lake Wateree remains off deep ledges, humps, underwater points and other offshore structure. When fish first move offshore they will take a variety of baits, but after a few weeks of being out there and getting hammered by anglers they have become much more finicky. Downsize your lure and make your presentation as natural as possible. Small jigs, small worms on Carolina rigs, and other finesse-style baits are a good bet. The best offshore bite is in the evening, and during the day bass will often be suspended. Some fish will also be caught around docks in or proximate to deep water on jigs or worms. Finally, some fish will always be found very shallow.
Crappie: Fair. Will Hinson of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail reports that the key to catching crappie right now is hunting for good brush piles, and the best brush is in 15-21 feet of water close to the channel. Lake Wateree has a lot of 14-15 foot brush piles, but finding deeper ones can be tough. The end of the lake does not matter much, with fish scattered from the top to bottom of Lake Wateree along the river channel. Early in the day fish are often suspended just above the brush, while later in the day they will be lower down in the thick of it. Jigs are working best, especially Fish Stalker Ugly Green, Pearl White and Robin Egg (blue with metallic flakes). Minnows will also catch fish.

Lake Murray: (unchanged from August 4th)

Striper: Lake World reports that some fish are still on the surface occasionally, but primarily have a wide range of 30-80 feet. Open water humps are also producing. Trolling is starting to improve with Roadrunners. Any rain moves the fish up the water column.
Shellcracker: Fair. Check around 12-15 feet. The fish are harder to find, but good when you do. Use redworms, baby nightcrawlers and crickets.
Crappie: Fair. No real change except the fish are almost in a spring-like pattern only a few feet deep in rivers and creeks. Still stay over the brush and drop minnows down 12-20 feet.

Santee Cooper System (unchanged from July 28)

Crappie: Good. Captain Steve English reports that the crappie bite remains strong around offshore brushpiles in 7-18 feet of water in both the upper and lower lake. Some really nice fish over 2 pounds have been caught in 10-12 feet of water. The best brush is proximate to depth changes, and fish will take both minnows and jigs. Use your trolling motor to hold over the brush. Summer heat does not necessarily force the fish deep, and so fish may stay around brush at this depth for some time.
Bream: Good. Captain Steve English reports that bream are scattered out in 3-5 feet of water around grass, lily pads and shallow brush. Crickets are the best bait. They will spawn throughout the summer on the full moons, and at those times they will be found over shallow beds.
Largemouth bass: Slow to fair. Captain Jimmie Hair (843-553-1139) reports that fishing remains more difficult with the intense heat, and he is still targeting much of his effort in the swamp above the I-95 Bridge. Fish in the shade of cypress trees in 5-10 feet of water. Captain Hair is making his best catches on a creature bait called an Ugly Otter. In the main lakes the shallow bite has turned off, but a few fish can be caught off drops on Carolina rigs. In the Cooper River fishing remains strong because of the current and cooler water temperatures. 1-2 pound fish can still be caught at the lower stages of the tide on Senkos, with the best tide being the outgoing around the ditches and rice fields. The best river bite for larger fish is in the late evening and after dark. Big worms and buzzbaits will catch quality fish, but the best night-time lure is a black jitterbug.