FISHING REPORTS: July 17, 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 System 7/3

Bass: Fair to good. Steve Harmon reports that fish have settled into a normal summer pattern. Early in the morning fish can be caught in shallow water where they will take topwater lures, but later in the day the best action is in deeper water. When conditions are calm soft plastics are working best for the deeper fish, and when it is windy spinnerbaits work better.
Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) reports that catfish the bite for numbers of small blue catfish continues to be strong, and more 20-40 pound fish are also being caught drifting cut bait during the day and at night in a variety of depth ranges.
Crappie: Fair to good. Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that crappie fishing remains pretty good, particularly in the lower lake. Fish have not gone super-deep and they are being caught over brush in 12-14 feet of water on minnows.
Bream: Fair. Captain Steve English reports that the bream bite is inexplicably down, although some bluegill and shellcracker have been caught shallow in both lakes.

Midlands Area
Lake Wateree 7/7

Crappie: Good. Will Hinson advises that fish are in brush piles along the main river channel and they are biting well. Minnows are catching fish but the best bite has been on jigs.
Bass: Fair to good. Brett Collins reports that there has been a pretty good shallow bite. The bait hasn’t moved very deep, and so early in the morning fish can be caught shallow on topwaters and once the sun gets up they will take worms dragged on the bottom. Fishing docks with jigs and worms has also been working.
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.

Lake Greenwood 6/23

Bass: Good. Stan Gunter reports that – particularly for early summer – tournament sacks have been pretty good, although the action is a little better for numbers than big fish. Fishing deep-diving crankbaits and large plastic worms around brush has been the best pattern, and some fish have also been caught flipping docks.
Striper: Fair to good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that early in the morning some fish can be caught on free-lines, but the best pattern for catching striper is to fish down-lines in the 18-22 foot range. Schooling activity is just getting underway.
Catfish: Fair to good. Captain Chris Simpson reports that channel catfish can be caught around humps and points on dip baits.

Lake Monticello 6/23

Bass: Good. Andy Wicker reports that big bass have been hard to locate, but lots of solid 3-pound fish are being caught. Bass are stacked up around deeper humps and points as well as mid-depth brush, and they will take spoons, deep-diving crankbaits and worms.
Catfish: Very good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that this isn’t the peak time to catch big fish, but for anglers looking to fill up a cooler with lots of fish – or simply to get their lined pulled over and over – the action right now is hard to beat. The best pattern is free-line drifting over deep water with small pieces of cut fish or shrimp.

Lake Murray 7/6

Striped bass: Good. Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that the best fish are being caught on down-lines fished in 55-70 feet of water in the lower lake. The free-line bite has declined and is mainly yielding smaller fish now.
Crappie: Good. Captain Brad reports that good numbers of crappie are still being caught over brush in 18-25 feet of water and around deeper docks. Both minnows and jigs will catch fish.
Catfish: Good. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fan-casting a variety of baits – including dip baits and cut herring – in 10-25 feet of water has been productive for channel catfish.
Bass: Fair to good. Captain Doug Lown reports that largemouth can be found from shallow to mid-depth to deep water. The fishing has been far better early and late. Buzzbaits fished around the banks when there is some shade will catch fish, and plastic worms fished off points have also been working.

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 6/21

Bass: Fair to good. Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) report that bass are setting up in a typical summer pattern where they can be caught in 20-40 feet of water around depth changes as well as off main lake points. Drop shot rigs, Spot Removers, and deep-diving crankbaits will all catch fish.
Catfish: Very good. Guide Jerry Kotal reports that channel catfish are scattered across the lake and feeding very well on cut herring as well as catalpa worms.
Crappie: Very good. Guide Wendell Wilson reports strong numbers of crappie as well as big fish are being caught around brush in 15-18 feet on worms, and 35-70 fish trips has been the norm.
Striped Bass: Slow. Guide Wendell Wilson reports that striper fishing will get better soon but for now pulling free-lined herring in the mid-lake is the best bet.

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 6/22

Trout: Good. Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that some nice trout have been caught recently. Fish are getting deeper and moving into a summer pattern, and they are being caught as shallow as 40 feet down into the 70-foot range. Spoons are working best.

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