FISHING REPORTS - December 4, 2016

Posted

Information on fishing trends provided courtesy of www.AnglersHeadquarters.com, South Carolina’s premier fishing report source. Customers of the Angler’s Headquarters online tackle store have access to daily updates and full-length reports on its site.

DHEC Fish Consumption Advisories: www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish.

Freshwater Fishing Report:

Santee Cooper (11/4)

Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) reports that good numbers of small to medium-sized catfish have been caught drifting cut baits.

Crappie: Fair to good. Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that crappie have moved shallower and they can be caught on minnows fished over brush.

Bream: Fair to good. English reports that bluegill are starting to stack up on brush piles where they will take crickets and worms. Some better fish are starting to show up.

Bass: Fair. Steve Harmon reports that some nice bags have been caught recently, with topwater lures fished shallow the best pattern.

Midlands Area

Lake Wateree (11/4)

Crappie: Good. Will Hinson advises that fish are still in brush along the main channel, but they have moved a bit shallower. Minnows will catch fish but Fish Stalker Jigs have been working very well.

Bass: Fair and improving. Dearal Rodgers reports that as water temperatures have dropped the bass bite on Wateree has improved. A variety of shallow water lures including topwaters, shallow-running crankbaits, spinnerbaits, worms and jigs have all been catching fish.

Lake Greenwood (11/4)

Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the catfish bite is pretty stable on Lake Greenwood. Channel catfish are being caught drifting with cut herring and shad, and flatheads are being caught anchoring with live bream and perch.

White perch: Good. Simpson reports that jigging spoons are catching strong numbers of white perch mixed in with other species.

Bass: Fair to good. Stan Gunter reports that bass are making a seasonal move shallower as temperatures drop, and the fishing is picking up. Running the banks with buzzbaits, square-billed crankbaits and shakey head worms is the best pattern.

Lake Monticello (11/4)

Catfish: Fair. Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the big fish bite is still only fair on Monticello. Anchoring with cut gizzard shad and white perch on the bottom is the best option.

Bass: Slow to fair. Andy Wicker reports that this round of cool weather should finally improve bass fishing. For now fishing topwater lures around the bank is a good option.

Lake Murray (11/2)

Catfish: Good. Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fishing continues to improve for both channels and blue catfish, and drifting cut herring is the best way to catch fish right now.

Crappie: Fair to good. Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that crappie are feeding well on minnows fished over mid-depth brush.

Striped bass: Fair. Taylor reports that fish remain in a transition period. Striper are being caught on down-lines, free-lines, and planer boards, although the pattern should change very soon.

Bass: Slow. Captain Doug Lown reports that fishing has gotten even tougher, and anglers are really struggling to catch fish. Once the turnover is completed fishing should get better.

Piedmont Area

Lake Russell (10/20)

Bass: Good. Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) report that they are catching good numbers of spotted bass fishing a drop shot in mid-depth water. To target largemouth head to the backs of creeks.

Striped Bass: Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that fish are on the move, but some very big fish can be located and caught on herring fished on down-lines.

Crappie: Fair to good. Wilson reports that some nice crappie are being caught on minnows around mid-depth brush piles.

Catfish: Fair to good. Wilson reports that channel catfish can be caught off deeper points on cut herring.

Lake Thurmond (10/20)

Bass: Good. Buckeye Lures reports that fishing remains improved, and there are several different patterns for catching bass. Topwater lures, buzzbaits and shakey head worms will all work in the right conditions.

Striper and Hybrids: Good. Captain William Sasser (864-333-2000) reports that striper have moved into shallow water where they will take down-lines, and there is also good schooling activity taking place.

Crappie: Good. Sasser reports that nice crappie continue to be caught in about 25 feet of water around brush.

Lake Wylie (11/4)

Perch: Excellent. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that there continues to be some very good perch fishing, particularly in the evenings with small shad. Both numbers and good-sized fish are being caught.

Catfish: Good. Taylor reports that both channel and blue catfish are biting well on cut bait slow-drifted.

Bass: Slow but improving. Guide and FLW Angler Bryan New (704-421-5868) reports that fishing remains tough, albeit improving very slightly. Some fish are being caught on crankbaits in the backs of creeks, and it’s worth keeping your eyes open for schooling activity.

Mountains Area

Lake Jocassee (9/23)

Trout: Slow to fair. Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that trout fishing is still a little slow, although some fish continue to be caught. Fish are about 80-100 feet deep, and both spoons and live bait are catching fish. Some nice spotted bass have been picked up as a by-catch.

Lake Keowee (9/22)

Bass: Fair. Guide Brad Fowler reports that fishing has picked up in the last week or two, and weights in the BFL tournament last weekend were better than expected. A number of patterns are catching fish right now, with anglers fishing everything from deep water with drop shot rigs and shakey heads to buzzbaits in the shallows. Schooling activity is increasing.

Lake Hartwell (11/4)

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Fair. Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) and Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) report that striper fishing is still a little tough and fish remain pretty deep. Fish can be caught on down-lines and there is also sporadic schooling activity.

Catfish: Fair. Captain Bill Plumley reports that channel catfish are still scattered out in fairly deep water and they will eat dip baits, cut bait, worms and more.

Bass: Slow. Fowler reports that bass fishing is still tough as water conditions have declined. Tournament weights are very low, but some random fish are being caught shallow on soft plastics, spinnerbaits and other lures.

Crappie: Slow. Plumley reports that crappie fishing is slow but the best bet is fishing around deep brush or at night around lighted bridges.

South Carolina freshwater recreational fishing regulations: (Pdf file): www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/freshfishing.pdf

Saltwater Report:

Greater Murrells Inlet (9/23)

Inshore: Perry’s Bait Tackle (843-651-2895) in Murrells Inlet and Captain J of Fishful Thinking Guide Service (843-902-0356) reports that the biggest story this week has to be bull red drum, but inshore black drum are being caught on shrimp and crabs as well as trout on topwater lures. Small redfish are being caught as well as sporadic flounder.

Surf, pier and jetty: Bull red drum are biting on menhaden, mullet and blue crabs, and with the mullet run still on bluefish are definitely around. Whiting and croaker are also being caught in the surf.

Nearshore: At the nearshore reefs big flounder, Spanish mackerel, and weakfish, are being caught.

Charleston (9/20)

Inshore: Captain J.R. Waits of Fish Call Charters (843-509-7337) reports that the creeks are full of shrimp and schools of finger mullet, and a mixed bag of flounder, trout and bluefish can be caught. But the hottest thing going in the creeks has been the redfish which are eating finger mullet very well. A little further out the bull red drum have arrived, and they should be here for another month or two. They will eat cut mullet and menhaden.

Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that the weather hasn’t cooled much yet, and so true September/ October fishing hasn’t really gotten underway. Small black drum, whiting, and some large 30+ inch red drum have been caught off the pier recently.

Edisto Island - Sept. 23

Inshore: Captain Ron Davis Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that fall fishing is getting better, with the biggest story this week the arrival of the bull red drum.

Redfish continue to feed well on the river flats and up the creeks on live shrimp fished under a cork or on a weedless jighead or flutter hook. On the flats good numbers of eating-sized black drum are mixed in with the redfish catch, and in the creeks reds are also taking cut mullet. Trout fishing is good with live shrimp fished 4-5 feet under a popping cork in the rivers close to the ocean, and flounder fishing is also good in the same areas on live shrimp, mullet or mud minnows. Sheepshead are feeding well on fiddler crabs fished around structure.

Surf zone: The tarpon bite is very good around sandbars at the mouths of inlets, with fish eating live mullet or menhaden fished under a float. Whiting are abundant and bluefish and ladyfish are also common.

Nearshore: Just offshore at The Rocks bull red drum can be caught on menhaden and mullet, and at the reefs Spanish mackerel are still feeding very well. Anglers can catch them by trolling Clarks Spoons or casting at diving birds with small, heavy spoons.

Offshore: Bottom fishing is starting to pick up, and as soon as water temperatures drop a few degrees live bottom in 70-110 feet of water will be wide open.

Beaufort - Sept. 22

Inshore: Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that with redfish, trout and flounder is good in the Beaufort area, and voracious jack crevalle are also around. Redfish continue to tail well on the right tides and they can also be found chasing shrimp on lower stages of the tide, and trout can be caught early and later on topwater lures as well as on moving tides with shrimp. Lots of flounder are being caught on mud minnows, and jacks can be caught on topwater lures.

Hunting Island Pier (843-838-7437) reports that baby sharks, sting rays, some whiting, and a few flounder off-and-on are being caught.

Hilton Head - Sept. 21

Redfish: Good. Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that inshore redfishing is still hit-or-miss on the flats, but bull red drum have started show up in the area and are providing some reel-screaming action. Cut mullet or menhaden on a big circle hook are the best bait. The best inshore fishing for redfish is still in the small creeks with cut mullet and mud minnows.

Trout: Fair to good. The best trout fishing has also been way up the creeks on live shrimp.

Tarpon are in the area and can be caught on mullet and menhaden.