You can take Captain Chris “Fishboy” Schuber out of Florida, but you can’t take the Florida out of Captain Chris. When Chris Schuber and his family moved to the Upstate of South Carolina almost ten years ago he left behind the shallow, weedy lakes that he had bass fished growing up. Deep, clear, weed-free Lake Keowee became his home lake, but Chris had little interest in adopting conventional deep water strategies such as fishing a drop shot rig in 60-80 feet of water year round,. With years of practice and countless hours spent on the water Captain Chris has modified his Florida shallow water techniques to make them effective on Lake Keowee. Not only does Captain Chris catch a lot of fish today by staying shallow – he also has a lot more fun than he would by going deep.
Owned and operated by Duke Power, Lake Keowee is a unique lake in Pickens County. The approximately 18,500 acre lake is oriented in a North/ South direction and about halfway up is a nuclear power plant and cooling station. The water near the plant is very, very warm, and on the late summer day when Captain Chris showed me around Lake Keowee steam rose off the water and we read temperatures up to 95 degrees. The area above the power plant is known as the upper lake, and the area below the power plant is the lower lake. To the north water from Lake Jocassee feeds Lake Keowee, and to the south water that flows out of Lake Keowee makes up the Seneca River and the headwaters of one branch of Lake Hartwell.
Lake Keowee is known for its population of aggressive spotted bass, and Captain Chris estimates that spotted bass now make up approximately 90% of the lake’s bass population. When Captain Chris first moved to the area about 9 years ago the split between largemouth and spotted bass was more even, and each year he has seen the percentage of spotted bass get heavier. Today Chris finds that he is more likely to catch largemouths in the spring and summer than in the fall and winter, and he has also discovered that largemouths are more likely to be caught in the backs of creeks and coves than near the main channel. As far as other species beside black bass the Department of Natural Resources does not stock Lake Keowee with striped bass, unlike Lake Hartwell to the south. Lake Keowee does have healthy populations of catfish, bream and crappie, and trout are even caught occasionally near the hot hole. The main forage base in the lake is threadfin shad (discussed later).
Unlike Lake Hartwell to the south and even Jocassee to the north Lake Keowee has very little cover. Captain Chris says that Georgia clay, rocks and floating boat docks are about all you will find on the lake – lake rules dictate that docks cannot have pilings. Vegetation would not be plentiful “naturally” but the grass carp have mostly wiped out what little vegetation would try to grow.
It is well known that spring time bass movements are dictated by their drive to reproduce, and as fish come shallow to spawn for a time Lake Keowee bass fishing gets “easy”; Captain Chris says that in the spring there are often fish everywhere. Since they are shallow the bass are generally eating bluegill during this period, and Chris likes to throw a crankbait that imitates a bream. He likes a Rapala DT6 in a bluegill pattern, and he will also throw a Strike King Redeye Shad. He often fishes the crankbaits with such a fast retrieve that at the end of the day his arm hurts.
Bluegill Pattern Rapala DT6
The other pattern which starts early in the year is fishing around shallow floating boat docks with a floating worm. Captain Chris likes a Lake Fork trick worm in watermelon seed or pumpkinseed colors and fishes it around docks and out to the first ledge. This is generally a secondary pattern for Chris that will work from March until late fall.
The spawn dictates bass behavior early in the year and boat docks will hold some bass feeding on bream nearly year round, but outside of spring the majority of Lake Keowee bass will be following and feeding on schools of shad. Fishermen say that on lakes with certain forage bases and cover bass behavior can be reduced to “spawning and schooling,” and this is especially true on Lake Keowee with its population heavy with school-oriented spotted bass. The key to catching bass consistently on Lake Keowee is understanding and following the movement of the shad.
Finding shad is not as hard as it might be, though, because Lake Keowee has an abundance of shad. When Captain Chris and I were on the water in early September schools of shad were everywhere, and he said that was typical for most coves and creeks on Lake Keowee.
There are certainly schools of shad in very deep water in Lake Keowee and there are plenty of anglers who fish most of the year around bait schools in 60-70 feet of water. Another popular target is around humps in 30, 40 and 50 feet of water, but that is not the population of shad on which Chris prefers to focus.
Starting in the summer and continuing until early December Captain Chris finds shad in pockets, creek mouths and coves just off the main channel. He believes that bass roam the shore and push the shad, causing them to ball up. I asked if there is any particular area of the lake where Chris finds shad and he says that the lake has such a healthy population of shad that they can be found most anywhere, and although he prefers to fish the lower half of the lake many anglers concentrate more on the upper lake.
Since shad can be found in most pockets, coves and creek mouths, I wondered how Captain Chris decides where to fish. He says that one of the main things he looks for is areas where he has not seen other boats. Since the baitfish can be found all over the lake the bass can be too, and he prefers to fish in areas where other fishermen are not fishing. First, there is no competition for spots. Second, the population of bass in these areas is likely to be undisturbed. Third, because bass are bait and not structure oriented on Lake Keowee they frequently move around and are likely to head for areas where they are not bothered by boats. Quiet areas, then, are not only more likely to support a “resident” population of fish – they are also likely to draw in fish from other areas.
At night shad schools tend to move towards the top of the water column, and so early and late anglers are likely to see bait popping on the surface. On cloudy days the shad frequently stay on the surface all day long, although wind will usually push them down. In the heat of the summer and early fall the shad tend to hold a little deeper, but as surface temperatures cool the bait schools will spend more time in shallow water. They will also spend more time on or near the surface.
In the heat of the summer Captain Chris finds that bass are harder to catch and feed less often. However, as September winds down and October and November arrive the bite can be as good as the spring bite. Water temperatures enter an ideal range for bass activity, and like bears storing up energy for hibernation bass are looking to pack their bellies with shad.
In the summer Chris mainly throws crankbaits around shad schools, but by early August he is beginning to think about topwater lures. By late September and then during October and November he anticipates throwing topwater lures almost exclusively. Although bass fishing in August and early September on Lake Keowee is usually tough, this year Chris has found that the bite was better and topwater action got started a little earlier than in previous years. At times fishing this late summer and early fall has almost been like spring fishing, although his lure choice may get some of the credit.
Captain Chris has discovered a new topwater lure, the Nemire Baby Buzzer, which is now the main lure he throws when looking for a surface bite. The Baby Buzzer is a cross between a traditional buzzbait and a spoon, and Chris believes it has the advantages of both. In addition to the surface commotion caused by a typical buzzbait the lure also has the unique, tantalizing wobble for which spoons are known.
The Red Nemire Baby Buzzer
The lure is also perfectly suited to Lake Keowee. Because Keowee is a clear lake largely devoid of cover it is a finesse lake, and the Nemire Baby Buzzer is a finesse version of a traditional buzzbait. It has a smaller profile than most buzzbaits and its profile in the water closely matches the size of typical Lake Keowee shad. Shad are school fish unlikely to be found alone, and the spoon behind a buzzer on the Baby Buzzer gives the appearance of a school of bait, or at least several shad following each other closely. Its curvature also makes it remarkably weed-less, and I can personally testify that even if you throw it over the ropes anchoring Lake Keowee floating docks to shore 9 times out of 10 it can be pulled safely free. And since Lake Keowee has so many small spotted bass pulling a buzzbait, known as a big fish lure, makes sense. Finally never underestimate the value of throwing a lure the fish haven’t seen, and at least for now the Nemire Baby Buzzer is relatively new on Lake Keowee! (although it can be bought at Lake Keowee Marina and other local stores, and will soon be available through this site!)
The Curvature of the Baby Buzzer which Makes It Weedless
Well, It Will Occasionally Catch Little Spots!
Captain Chris has found that the red or silver Nemire Baby Buzzers are most effective on Lake Keowee, although late in the evening or at night he will throw the black version. He is having the best luck with the 3/8 or ½ ounce sizes. Fishing it without a trailer hook gives the lure more of a finesse profile, but on days when the fish are hitting short a trailer hook can make all the difference. On the water experimentation will tell you whether to fish with or without a trailer hook on a given day.
Two Nice Bass Early Fall Bass Caught on the Red Nemire Baby Buzzer
Going after the surface bite is where Chris anticipates starting to fish most days this fall, but especially in September there will be days when the fish aren’t feeding on the top. Throughout the fall his secondary pattern will be fishing crankbaits, including a Strike King Red Eye Shad and a Rapala DT6, in the same areas. Unlike the spring when he is using a bluegill pattern Captain Chris will turn to a shad pattern since he is fishing around shad schools. On days when there is heavy chop on the water shad will stay down and extra flash will be necessary, and so a spinnerbait will be a good lure choice. He looks forward to seeing how the Nemire Spin Ripper (the company’s spinner/ spoon version) will perform on Lake Keowee.
Late in the fall, usually around the end of November, and continuing throughout the winter Captain Chris will have to start fishing more traditional Lake Keowee techniques. First the bait will leave the shallow coves and pockets, then the bass will leave, and then the fishermen will not be far behind. By the beginning or middle of December most if not all of the shad and bass will be out in the main channel. Vertical fishing will be necessary and being able to read your graph and find the schools of shad and bass will be essential. This is deep drop shotting, shakey head worm fishing, and spoon fishing time.
While many Keowee anglers will be fishing in 60-80 feet of water Captain Chris’ preference for shallow fishing still comes through, and his boat will mainly be targeting shallower bait and bass schools in 25-30 feet of water. He likes a 1/8 or 3/16 ounce shakey head jig made by Falcon lures because of its flat head that rests upright on the bottom. He usually pairs that with a Lake Fork finesse worm in watermelon seed or pumpkinseed color. This year he also looks forward to experimenting with Nemire’s “Red Ripper” spoon.
The Shakey Head Rig - Notice the Flat Head
Captain Chris' Shakey Head Brands
A unique feature of Lake Keowee is the “hot hole” as locals call the discharge area around the power plant, and the water can be 25 degrees warmer than in the rest of the lake. Particularly when it is cold this is obviously a fish magnet. When the Women’s Bassmaster Championship came to Lake Keowee in conjunction with the February Classic on Lake Hartwell they allowed the lady anglers to fish around the hot hole because deep winter can be so tough on the lake. However, for most tournaments the hot hole is off limits. On the warm day when we went fishing Chris showed me the hot hole and we still saw multitudes of nice bass on the surface in 95 degree water. Interestingly, though, despite throwing a tackle box full of lures at them we were unable to draw a strike – they apparently only wanted live shad.
The Hot Hole
A Closer View of a Boat Fishing Right Up Against the Outflow
95 Degrees!
Steam Rising off the Water
Lake Keowee’s natural beauty and aggressive spotted bass make it a rewarding lake to fish, but it is also a challenging lake. Captain Chris worries that it may be becoming even more challenging to catch keeper fish as the population of 10 and 11 inch spotted bass continues to grow. It is not uncommon for tournament anglers to catch 20 bass but no keepers, and Chris worries that the fish are starting to become stunted. A catch and release mentality is almost universal among bass fishermen today, but much like the population of bream in farm pond need to be thinned the same may be true of Keowee bass. It is certainly still possible today to catch 4 and 5 pound spotted bass and largemouth approaching 8 or 9 pounds in Lake Keowee, but if that possibility is to remain anglers may need to start removing some small bass.
My thanks to Captain Chris “Fishboy” Schuber for taking me around Lake Keowee and showing me this Upstate gem. Chris loves to show off his home lake and to teach, and he is a natural entertainer. He guides for largemouth and spotted bass on Lake Keowee, and if you would like to book a trip with Captain Chris email him at fishboyadventures@yahoo.com, private message “Fishboy” on here or call him at 864-888-7974. He is available for half day and full day trips, and he also offers two hour trips for someone without much time who wants to see the lake. Also be sure to check out his website, http://www.fishboyadventures.com, and take a look at http://www.NemireLures.com. Captain Chris grew up in Florida throwing spoons made by Nemire Lures for inshore redfish, and he remembers the legendary Flip Pallot testifying about how good the Nemire spoons were. As a member of the Nemire Lures Pro Staff today Chris feels lucky to be part of a proud tradition.