Fishing Reports - June 19, 2016

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 Report
Santee Cooper 5/25
Bass: Good. Steve Harmon reports that one group of bass can be found up shallow in 1-5 feet of water where they will eat frogs, but many of the bigger fish have moved out to deeper points and ditches. These fish can be caught on worms as well as spinnerbaits and swimbaits.
Catfish: Fair to Good. Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) reports that catfish are moving back and forth between shallow and deeper water, and a ton of small blue cats continue to be caught to go along with some occasional big fish.
Bream: Fair to Good. Captain Steve English reports that bluegill and shellcrackers are moving up to spawn around new and full moons, and then heading back to deeper water in between moon phases. Worms and crickets will catch fish.
Crappie: Fair. Captain Steve English reports that crappie can be found around mid-depth brush where they will eat minnows. Fishing in the lower lake has been a little better than the upper lake.

Midlands Area
Lake Wateree 6/2
Bass: Good. Dearal Rodgers reports that fish can be found both shallow around the grass as well as deeper in 10-15 feet of water around structure, but the best bite is in the transitional zone between shallow and deep water. Buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and soft plastics will all catch fish.
Catfish: Fair. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that most fish are focused on spawning, and that can make for more challenging catfish conditions. While it is still worth trying up the river for a big bite, particularly when current is present, the best bite may be further down the lake where pre-spawn and post-spawn fish are more likely to be found. Anglers should experiment with a variety of cut baits to find what the fish want.
Crappie: Good. Will Hinson advises that the largest numbers of fish are moving towards mid-depth brush where they will eat jigs and minnows. With clarity best in the lower lake the best catches have come from that area.

Lake Greenwood 5/24
Bass: Tough. Stan Gunter reports that fish are in a transition period between shallow and deep water and getting bites is not easy. Some fish can be caught early around seawalls on topwater lures, and others are in mid-depth to deeper water where they will take worms and crankbaits.
Striper: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that striper are being caught on free lines as well as down-lines fished at the depth where anglers mark fish. Schooling should get hot soon.
Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that channel catfish can be caught around humps and points on dip baits and cut herring.

Lake Monticello 5/24
Bass: Fair to Good. Andy Wicker reports that this is still a transition period; while some smaller fish can still be caught shallow on topwater lures and flukes, better fish may be beginning to transition out to deeper humps and offshore structure. Deep-diving crankbaits and spoons will both catch fish.
Catfish: Inconsistent. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that some days the bite for large blue catfish is very good, but on other days the fishing can be very slow. Similarly, the free-line drifting bite is inconsistent – it may take some more warm weather before it gets more reliable. Small pieces of cut bait are the best option right now for all sizes of fish.

Lake Murray 5/24
Bass: Fair. Captain Doug Lown reports that first thing in the morning some fish can be found shallow feeding on bait, and later in the day fish can be found around rocky points where they will take Carolina rigs. Throwing topwaters early in the creeks can also catch fish.
Crappie: Excellent. Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that crappie fishing has been very strong with minnows fished over brush in about 15-20 feet of water.
Striped bass: Good. Captain Brad Taylor reports that first thing free lines and planer boards will catch fish, and after that down lines in the 40-foot range have been productive.
Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fan-casting cut herring and dip baits around humps has been productive for channel catfish.

Piedmont Area
Lake Thurmond 6/16
Bass: Fair to good. Buckeye Lures reports that some big bags have been caught in local tournaments even though it has gotten very hot. Fish can be caught around main lake humps on jigs and soft plastics, and there is also some shallow activity early and late.
Striper and Hybrids: Very good. Captain William Sasser (864-333-2000) reports that early in the morning his boat is catching fish 40-50 feet deep on down-lines. In the backs of coves tons of two-pound hybrids can be caught.
Crappie: Good. Captain William Sasser reports that crappie are still biting well over mid-depth brush.

Lake Wylie 6/2
Bass: Fair to good. FLW angler Bryan New reports that the deep bite is significantly better than any shallow pattern. Carolina rigs, swimbaits, jigs and deep-running crankbaits will all catch fish around offshore structure.
Catfish: Fair. Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that priority one for the fish is spawning, and that can make for a tougher catfish bite. Anglers need to display a lot of flexibility and be willing to move around, anchor, drift and try different baits. While it is still worth trying up the river for a big bite, particularly when there is current, more catchable fish may be found in the less riverine areas.

Lake Russell 5/26
Bass: Good. Guides Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) and Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) report that there is a decent shallow bass bite early on topwater lures. During the day bass can be caught on live bait or soft plastics fished off mid-depth points.
Striped Bass: Very Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that solid numbers of large striper have been caught recently on free-lined herring pulled over mid-depth water away from timber.
Catfish: Fair to Good. Guide Jerry Kotal reports that channel catfish can be caught in the backs of coves and cuts on cut bait.
Crappie: Fair to Good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that pretty good numbers of decent-sized crappie can be caught over relatively shallow brush, but the biggest fish have mostly already headed out to deeper brush.

Mountains Area
Lake Hartwell 6/16
Bass: Fair to good. Guide Brad Fowler reports that there is a pretty good topwater bite over points and humps, and fish can also be caught on drop shots as well as around bream beds.
Striped Bass: Good. Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) report that the best striper actions is the middle to lower part of the lake about 30-50 feet deep on down-lined herring.
Catfish: Good. Captain Bill Plumley reports that channel catfish are scattered out in the shallow to middle depths where they will eat dip baits, cut bait, worms and more. Flathead catfish can be caught at night on live bait and most blues are in deeper timber.
Crappie: Fair. Captain Bill Plumley reports that the crappie bite is pretty good around mid-depth brush and bridges on minnows, and night fishing has been a litter better than daytime fishing.

Lake Keowee 6/16
Bass: Fair to good. Guide Brad Fowler reports that fish are getting into a pretty standard summer pattern. Early in the morning there is a topwater bite, and later in the day fish can be caught on drop shots and shakey head worms.

Lake Jocassee 5/24
Trout: Good. Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that some nice trout continue to be caught on Jocassee, with numbers and sizes still pretty strong. Fish are being caught on spoons and minnows fished in the 30-80 foot range, and while fish are still spread out over the lake, they are starting to group up in the big water.

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