Friday, Nov. 27, 2009

SC fishing report

MIDLANDS

LAKE GREENWOOD: Striped Bass: Good. Striper are scattered, but schooling action has been reported around the State Park and Goat Island, and some nice fish have been weighed in. Bass, white perch and striper at times all seem to be coming to the surface together and eating shad. Catfish: Good. 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. Early and late there has been 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. Cooler temperatures seem to be getting the bass moving. Crappie: Fair. Crappie seem to have moved from deep brush piles into channels in about the 10-foot depth range. Use jigs tipped with minnows.

LAKE WATEREE: Catfish: Very good. The bite for blue catfish in the 2- to 10-pound range is very good drifting in the middle sections of Lake Wateree between Taylor Creek and Colonel Creek in 15-35 feet. Nice blue cats are 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 day to day, have 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. Local anglers expect surface activity to pick up - look for the birds. Crappie: Fair. Look around bridges up the creeks and fish minnows vertically against the pilings.

LAKE MONTICELLO: Catfish: Good. Anchoring over humps, ledges and other structure in 30-60 feet 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. The key to big bites seems to be waiting at least an hour in each spot.

LAKE MURRAY: 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. 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. Catfish: Good. Nice blue catfish are being caught in roughly 20-30 feet on cut herring. Crappie: Good. Crappie fishing has improved up the rivers. Fish in 10-20 feet with live minnows around drop-offs and deep brushpiles. Largemouth Bass: Fair. Shakey head worms have been working particularly well, and not just for small fish.

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