This Week's Freshwater Report - Updated Oct. 25

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Week 43 Freshwater Report

The most updated and complete South Carolina Fishing Report for each week is only available here on SCFishingReport.com.

Because of publication deadlines the version of our report available from other sources is up to 7 days behind the latest version on this site, and the version of each week's report which includes full detail never leaves this site. For readers who like the format of being able to read the whole report on one page we are offering the complete freshwater and saltwater trends for each week here.


Mountains Area

Lake Jocassee

Lake Jocassee is up to 89% of full pool.

Bream: Good. In the backs of creeks, coves and around waterfalls bream are being caught in good numbers. Fish crickets, worms or small artificials like inline spinners.

Black Bass: Fair to good. Captain Pat Bennett (864-384-5922) reports that seasonal changes and good water levels are improving the bite. Fish are starting to move back into creeks and coves following the bait and some schooling activity is beginning to be seen. The baitfish should continue to bunch up tighter and tighter and the bass action should continue to improve for the next month. His boat is having best luck fishing around heavy brush with Texas rigged worms. Green colored shakey head worms are also a good choice around lighter cover. To read more about fall bass fishing on Lake Jocassee visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3107.

Trout: Slow. Captain Steve Pietrykowski (864-353-3438) reports that the trout bite has been slow ever since the rain caused levels to rise rapidly and dirtied the water. Try trolling minnows and spoons around 80 feet deep.

DHEC Fish Advisory – Only one meal per week of largemouth or spotted bass.


Upstate Trout Report

No new report.

For more information visit:http://www.fishingwithmarcus.blogspot.com/. No DHEC fish advisories, but many areas are closed to harvest outside of the summer.


Lake Keowee

Lake Keowee is up to 98 % of full pool.

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Captain Chris “Fishboy” Schuber (864-888-7974) reports that the topwater bite continues to improve and his boat is catching fish on the south end of the lake over 5-15 feet of water around schools of shad. 3/8 ounce Nemire Baby Buzzer buzzbaits in red color have been successful for catching both spots and largemouth. Look for topwater fishing to get better and better as temperatures cool. Deep drop shotting and fishing shakey head worms will also catch fish and Captain Chris has been landing bass in 10-30 feet using a 3/16 ounce Falcon Lures shakey head jig with a watermelon seed worm. Read more about fall bass fishing on Lake Keowee: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=2944.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Lake Hartwell

Lake Hartwell is up to 658 and the lake is beginning to turn over.

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good to very good. Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) reports that his boat has been going after striped and hybrid bass which remain in the bigger water from the mid-lake down to the dam. He is fishing in around 75 feet of water down lining herring and has been catching good numbers of fish in the 4-10 pound range. His boat caught 40 fish this size Thursday. He has also heard about good schooling action for smaller fish up the Seneca in the Martin’s Creek and Coneross area. Captain Steve Pietrykowski (864-353-3438) confirms that there is strong schooling action for small to medium sized hybrids and striper up the Seneca arm. These fish are chasing small threadfin shad and so it is important to cast to them with small artificial baits.

Catfish: Good. Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) reports that the catfish bite remains fairly strong. In particular channel catfish are biting well in 10-20 feet of water in creek runs and flats. Cut herring and nightcrawlers are the best baits right now. Flathead catfish are also feeding well. Fish at night around brush in old ditches or creek channels, or on the edge of flats, with live bream or perch. Blue catfish remain pretty deep and some big fish are out there to be caught. Drift or double anchor along the edge of the creek or river channel in 20-30 feet of water and use fresh bait – blueback herring, gizzard shad, bream or perch.

Largemouth Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler (864-934-5813) reports that this is the tail end of the topwater season and good numbers of bass are starting to move up the creeks. Some fish will stay on main lake points right through to the winter but others will follow baitfish into the shallows. As long as surface temperatures stay warm enough this is still a good time to fish Spooks, Flukes and Sammys but soon fish will be relating more to the bottom and jigs and shakey head worms will be a better choice. Read more about fall bass fishing on Lake Hartwell with Guide Brad Fowler: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=2880.

Crappie: Slow. Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) reports that crappie fishing is slow but should pick up later in the fall. Try setting out lights at night in the Martin’s Creek area and fishing 12-20 feet deep with minnows.

DHEC Fish Advisories: Due to PCB advisories visit http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish/Advisories/hartwell.htm before consuming any Lake Hartwell fish.


Piedmont Area

Lake Russell

Lake Russell is at 473.

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that there continues to be good fishing for spotted bass on main lake points in 12-18 feet of water. Use a spot remover with a finesse worm in cotton candy or green pumpkin color. Schooling action continues to be reported on the main river channel where bass are keying in on schools of small shad. When these fish are on the top cast for them with a Tiny Torpedo, but fishing a spoon or drop shot rig vertically in 15-25 feet of water in the areas where they show themselves is also effective. When possible trolling through the schools with a shad colored Shad Rap or a Norman Little N crankbait will also work. Shad are starting to move up some of the creeks and bass will not be far behind. To read about fall bass fishing on Lake Russell with Guide Wendell Wilson visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=2853.

Striped Bass: Good. Striped bass fishing continues to improve and the fish seem to be making their way south down the river toward the mid-lake area. The best way to catch them is to fish herring on down line rigs in 18-30 feet of water. 8-10 pound fish are the norm and monsters are out there.

Crappie: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that the crappie are starting to move shallower and follow baitfish up the creeks. Fish will be in water 10-12 feet deep and trolling with a jig 5-6 feet down will catch fish. There are still good numbers of crappie in main channel coves over brush piles located in 20-25 feet of water and rising to within 10 feet of the surface. Drop your line down about 10-12 feet deep and use live minnows.

Catfish: Good. The bite for 2-5 pound eating sized channel catfish continues to be good with the strongest reports coming in from the Beaver Dam area. Look on the bottom in 15 feet of water and use cut herring.

DHEC Fish Advisory: Only one meal per week of largemouth or spotted bass.


Lake Thurmond

Lake Thurmond is up to 328.

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. The Clark’s Hill Herring Hut (864-333-2000) reports that small striper and hybrids are schooling all over the lower lake early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Popping corks with ice flies, Zara Puppies and Spooks, and Rooster Tails will all catch fish. The bigger fish remain in deeper water down around the dam. Down lining with live herring in 30-40 feet of water is the best bet for catching good sized fish. Divers exploring the water around the dam report that striper are stacked up on the bottom in that area.

Bream: Good. The Herring Hut reports that shellcracker are being caught in the lake off long sloping points with mussels. Fish with nightcrawlers on the bottom. Below the dam in the Savannah River the bream bite is starting; fish besides ledges 15-17 feet deep.

Crappie: Fair to good. Fish over brush 18-25 feet deep with small minnows, or troll slider jigs in 10-15 feet of water.

Black bass: Slow to fair. Buckeye Lures of Augusta, Georgia reports that fishing is still tough on the lake. In the BFL Regional last weekend on the lake a few anglers figured the fish out but the winners averaged less than ten pounds per day. The two main bites seem to be the herring bite and the shallower bite. You can live or die by the herring bite depending on whether you locate feeding fish but the general tactic is to target suspended fish on offshore humps, points and ledges in 15 to 35 feet of water with topwater Sammys, Spooks, or a glimmer-blue Zoom Super Fluke. The other major bite is the shallow bite which may be more consistent at times. Throw a Buckeye Lures Buzzbait around the bank, especially early in the morning, and fish soft plastics later in the day. To read about fishing on Lake Thurmond around deep herring schools visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=2994.

DHEC Fish Advisory: Only one meal per week of largemouth bass.


Lake Wylie

Lake Wylie is steady at 97% of full pool.

White perch: Good. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-328-9587) reports that the white perch bite remains strong on Lake Wylie. The best bet remains fishing small minnows on the bottom from 18-22 feet deep. To read about white perch fishing on Lake Wylie visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=176&t=2378.

Largemouth Bass: Fair. Sportsman’s Inc. (803-366-3466) reports that there is still some topwater action on Lake Wylie and fish are starting to follow the baitfish into the creeks and coves. When the sun is higher the fish will be out in the middle of coves but early and late they may be right up against the bank. The plastic worm bite has really slowed down and crankbaits, especially #5 Shad Raps, are most productive right now. Fish can also be found over humps and around drops in 15-18 feet; fish crankbaits that will go down 8-14 feet.

Catfish: Fair. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-328-9587) reports that his boat has been catching some nice stringers of channel catfish but they have had to work harder than usual to catch them. Fish are a bit deeper than normal in 20 feet of water. Perhaps erratic weather and fronts have kept a steady pattern from developing, and Captain Taylor has seen less bass feeding on the surface (catfish are usually waiting underneath) than usual. Drifting with cut bait is the most effective way to target the channel catfish, most of which are in the 1.5-3 pound range with a few pushing 6 pounds. Fish will hit from sunrise to dusk but the early afternoon has been most productive.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Midlands Area

Lake Greenwood

Lake Greenwood remains at 97% of full pool.

Striped Bass: Good. Sportsman’s Friend (864-229-7061) reports that striper are scattered but schooling action has been reported around the State Park and Goat Island and some nice fish have been weighed in. At times bass, white perch and striper all seem to be coming to the surface together and eating shad.

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that drifting cut bait and shrimp in 18-28 feet of water along the river channel and across points and humps will catch both numbers of fish and good sized channel cats. A big flathead or two may be mixed in with the catch. Catfish can also be caught by bank fishermen using cut bait or worms; try suspending the bait slightly off the bottom with a float to imitate a Santee drifting rig.

Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Sportsman’s Friend reports that early and late there has been some good surface action using topwater lures and particularly floating worms. Later in the day fishing plastic worms around brushpiles in 8-12 feet has been working as well as fishing off shallower points in 3-4 feet of water. Cooler temperatures seem to be getting the bass moving.

Crappie: Fair. Sportsman’s Friend reports that crappie seem to have moved from deep brush piles into channels in about the 10 foot depth range. Use jigs tipped with minnows.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Lake Murray

Lake Murray is well above 357.

Bream: Very good. Shellcracker have moved shallower and are being caught in 4-10 feet of water over hard bottoms. Use baby nightcrawlers and red worms.

Striped Bass: Good. Dooley’s (803-359-6084) reports that striped bass are schooling from the dam up to the mid-lake; fish have begun their migration up the lake and into the backs of creeks. Best schooling action is being reported in the evening and schools will be grouped by size. The numbers of keeper-sized fish are getting better and better. When anglers aren’t throwing topwater plugs at schooling fish free lining live herring has been the most productive method, although a few people are still fishing down lines and trolling. Be sure to enter the SCFishingReport.com October Striped Bass Tournament on Lake Murray.

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that some really nice blue catfish are being caught in roughly 20-30 feet of water on cut herring. His boat has been landing fish up 25 pounds.

Crappie: Good. Crappie fishing has improved up the rivers. Fish in 10-20 feet of water with live minnows around drop offs and deep brushpiles. Anglers are also starting to troll again with jigs tipped with minnows.

Largemouth Bass: Fair. Captain Doug Lown (803-924-8946) reports that the suspended bite which helped the Greenwood Bassmasters win the B.A.S.S. Six-Man Tournament is winding down. He is now catching his best fish with soft plastics in relatively shallow water. Shakey head worms have been working particularly well and not just for small fish.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Columbia Area Rivers

Bream: Very good. The Tackle Shop reports that some very large shellcracker continue to be caught in the Congaree on worms. This bite usually continues until it gets very cold. Look in the Congaree Creek area.

Striped Bass: Good to very good. The Tackle Shop (803-739-0063) reports that striped bass have mainly moved out of the Saluda River and into the Congaree. Some very nice fish in the 28-36 inch range have been weighed in at the store recently and both live bait and plugs are working. Live herring is available at the Tackle Shop on Meeting Street in West Columbia.

Catfish: Good. Below the I-77 bridge large blue catfish are being caught on the bottom using live and cut herring.

Smallmouth bass: Good. The smallmouth bass bite remains strong; bumping Texas rigged lizards on the bottom in the current is working, especially in the Congaree between the Gervais Street Bridge and the Blossom Street Bridge. Pulling smaller swimbaits through the current will also catch fish. Some smallmouth have also been caught in the Saluda.

DHEC fish advisories: Largemouth bass and bluegill should only be eaten once a week, and bowfin (mudfish) should only be consumed once a month.

For latest information on river levels visit: http://www.sceg.com/en/my-community/lower-saluda-river/ or http://waterdata.usgs.gov/sc/nwis/uv?02169000.


Lake Monticello

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that good numbers of fish continue to be caught as well as several big blue catfish each trip. Anchoring over humps, ledges and other structure in 30 to 60 feet of water and fishing with cut bait seems to be the best pattern. White perch is durable but the type of cut bait does not seem to make a difference right now – the key to big bites seems to be waiting at least an hour in each spot. In the next few weeks the deep drift bite should really turn on. To read more about catching trophy catfish on Lake Monticello with Captain Chris Simpson visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=206&t=2868.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Lake Wateree

Lake Wateree remains at 97% of full pool.

Catfish: Very good. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-328-9587) reports that the bite for blue catfish in the 2-10 pound range is very good drifting in the middle sections of Lake Wateree between Taylor Creek and Colonel Creek in 15-35 feet of water. Some nice blue cats are also being caught suspended in about 20 feet over 35 feet while striped bass fishing. Cut white perch, bluegill and gizzard shad will all work. Because fish may prefer different baits from day to day have a variety of options on hand.

Striped Bass: Fair. Striper continue to be caught in the mid-lake area drifting or trolling live bait in 20-30 feet of water. Local anglers expect surface activity to pick up anytime now – look for the birds.

Crappie: Fair. Look around bridges up the creeks and fish minnows vertically against the pilings.

Largemouth Bass: Slow. Bass fishing is still tough on Lake Wateree and weights in the first two CATT tournaments of the season have been low. 2009 Walmart FLW Co-Angler of the Year Dearal Rodgers suggests starting a fall trip on Lake Wateree by throwing a topwater lures early in the morning and looking for shad on the surface. Later in the day he suggests throwing a spot remover around docks proximate to deep water. This early in the fall fish are more likely to be in the main lake than up the creeks.

No DHEC fish advisories.


Lower State

Santee Cooper System

Water levels in both Santee Cooper lakes are around 73 feet.

Bream: Very good. Captain David Hilton (843-870-4734) reports that he continues to find a strong bream bite over deep brushpiles in the 22-24 foot range. He is catching upwards of 100 fish on many of his trips but all sizes are mixed together. Nightcrawlers are a good bait.

Striped Bass: Good to very good. Lil N8s Bait and Tackle in Sumter (803-478-6880) reports that striped bass fishing continues to be strong with very good numbers of fish being caught. However, few fish are over the legal minimum of 26 inches. In the morning good schooling activity is being reported and the rest of the day free-lining live bait seems to be the key.

Catfish: Good. Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) reports that falling water temperatures have blue catfish on the move and good catches are being reported both deep and shallow. Right now deep water means 30-40 feet and shallow water is 4-10 feet deep. Shallow water is better at night, even with chilly winds, because the water is usually too clear for good day time fishing; however, the shallows will also produce during the day when there is some wind to break up the surface. On nights when there is current in the diversion canal that area can be hot. The best baits include cut herring, shad and mullet and both drifting and anchoring will work.

Largemouth bass: Fair to good. Captain Inky Davis (803-478-7289) reports that the lake is full of boats fishing the Bassmaster Southern Open this weekend and some good sacks up to about 20 pounds have been weighed in – but no exceptional weights by Santee standards. Captain Davis is still finding that most fish he is catching are in the 2-3 pound range but some larger ones are also mixed in. The best bite continues to be around shallow structure with soft plastics or crankbaits. Some of the tournament leaders have been fishing around vegetation called “floating hearth” but the power company seems intent on wiping it out.

Crappie: Fair. Captain David Hilton (843-870-4734) reports that crappie fishing has slowed a bit in the last week although his boat continues to catch fish. He is still finding the best action around brushpiles in 15-18 feet of water on the upper lake.

DHEC fish advisories: Largemouth bass and bowfin (mudfish) should only be eaten once per week.


Thanks to contributing experts on the SCFishingReport.com Message Boards, Jocassee Outdoor Center (Lake Jocasssee), The Fishing Hole (Lakes Keowee and Hartwell), Lamar’s Fishing Cabin (Lake Hartwell), Captain Wendell Wilson (Lake Russell), Broadway Tackle (Lake Thurmond and Savannah River), Herring Hut (Lake Thurmond and Savannah River), Buckeye Lures (Lake Thurmond), Sportsman’s Inc. (Lake Wylie), Sportsman’s Friend (Lake Greenwood), Lake World (Lake Murray), Dooley’s Sports Shop (Lake Murray), The Crappie Hole (statewide crappie reports), The Tackle Shop (Columbia-area rivers), A&B Outfitters (Lake Wateree), Randolph’s Landing (Lake Marion), Pack’s Landing (Lake Marion), Li'l N8s (Lake Marion), Canal Lakes Fish Camp (Diversion Canal and Lake Moultrie), Angel’s Landing (Lake Moultrie), and Black’s Camp (Lake Moultrie).