February 1

Lake Murray water levels are slightly up to 355.48 (full pool is 360.00) and water clarity is fairly normal. Morning surface water temperatures are generally in the upper 40s. 

With three 20 plus pound bags weighed in this weekend’s Fishers of Men tournament, one could be forgiven for thinking the largemouth bass bite is better than it is. However, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that even though there were some good fish caught the vast majority of fishermen struggled. Many people who have been doing well recently failed to catch a limit.

Overall fish are still mixed between shallow and deep, but finding a good pattern is tricky. You can fish a crankbait or Alabama rig on rocky, windy points in less than 10 feet, and you can also fish deeper around brush or bait with a spoon or jig. But finding a hot bite either place takes skill and/or luck. 

With warmer weather this week it’s possible that by this weekend for the CBC there could be some early movement shallower, but Andy doesn’t think it will be enough of a sustained warming to make a big difference. Instead, he thinks it’s more likely that this weekend will again feature post-frontal conditions and tough fishing. Of course, with a few big bags at the top!

The striped bass on Lake Murray are in a pretty normal winter pattern, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that like normal there are a lot of fish up the rivers which can be caught pulling free-lines or planer boards or casting at them.  There are some birds to guide you but not a ton, and for some reason more of the birds seem to have stayed down the lake this year. 

However, the cold weather over the last couple of weeks has also pushed a lot of herring deep, and as a result there has been a good down-line bite in some of the deeper creeks. There is one big group of fish in Hollow Creek, and there is another big group of fish in Bear Creek. Warming temperatures could change this, but for now both groups of fish are in the 40-60 foot range in the main channel of the creeks.  

In the lower lake crappie fishing is still a bit off with the partial exception of some really deep brush that is low to the bottom, but Captain Brad reports that up the rivers the fishing is pretty good. Fish are on the verge of committing to the creeks, but for now they are still concentrated on the main channel around steep drop-offs in about 15 feet of water. Both docks and ledges in that range are holding a pile of fish, but they are not biting very aggressively. Both minnows and jigs can work but for now minnows seem to be fishing a bit better. 

The blue catfish bite continues to improve with the colder weather, even though Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that there are some days where you can mark a lot of fish but they refuse to eat. One group of fish is grouping up in the river channels in 20-30 feet of water where there is current, and there are also a lot of fish further down the lake (but still in the upper lake) around ledges. Gizzard shad and white perch are the best baits. 

January 20

Lake Murray water levels are up to 355.22 (full pool is 360.00) and the water ranges from muddy to stained to relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are generally in the lower 50s and even upper 40s.

All the fresh water coming into the lake has improved the striped bass fishing on Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that (as often happens) the current has caused some of the fish to tuck into protected pockets and bays where they will be concentrated. There are a lot of fish in the rivers, a ton of fish where the rivers split, and then a good bite as far down as Macedonia Church. 

You can either cast to them or pull free-lines or planer boards. 

As often seems to happen on herring lakes like Murray, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that as temperatures have gotten more typical for the season the bass fishing has really improved. As of now he is not finding a very good deep bite, although that may change with the weather this weekend, but in less than 10 feet of water they are catching them on a crankbait and Alabama rig. Rocky, wind-blown areas have been fishing the best. 

While veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda expected to be able to kill the bass with a jigging spoon, for right now he is also finding the best bite shallower. In 5-7 feet of water he has also caught fish on a Frittside crankbait or Shad Rap, but an Alabama rig has probably been working the best.   

In the lower lake crappie fishing is still a bit off with the partial exception of some really deep brush that is low to the bottom, but Captain Brad reports that up the rivers the fish have gotten extremely concentrated around steep drop-offs in about 15 feet of water. Both docks and ledges in that range are holding a pile of fish, but they are not biting very aggressively. Both minnows and jigs can work but for now minnows seem to be fishing a bit better. 

The blue catfish bite is also improving with the colder weather, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that fish are starting to group up better in the river channels. They will take herring, gizzard shad, or white perch. 

January 6

Lake Murray water levels are holding around 354.27 (full pool is 360.00) and the water has gotten some color up the rivers and in most of the creeks. Morning surface water temperatures are generally in the mid-50s.

It’s a very good time for striped bass fishing on Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that there is a pile of fish that can be found from Buffalo Creek up the rivers.  Brad is seeing thousands of fish in school after school. Due to the rain and current in the river they are scattered all through the water column, with some deep, some shallow and everywhere in-between. You can either cast to them or pull free-lines or planer boards.  Surprisingly, there are not a ton of birds up there. 

While the concentrations are not as high there are also a bunch of striper in the lower lake, and there actually seem to be more birds. 

While veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda concurs with all of that, he also adds that around deep rocks and brush they have been catching fish on a jig and shakey head. In 5-7 feet of water he has also caught fish on a Frittside crankbait or Shad Rap. 

Overall the crappie fishing remains a little off, and Captain Brad reports that up the lake fish are mostly relating to steep drop-offs whether those are adjacent to deeper docks or bridges. About 15-18 feet with shallower and deeper water on both sides has been the key range. Just plain minnows have been working the best. 

In the lower lake it seems that crappie are roaming more and the fishing is very tough. Most of the fish being marked are around very deep brush in the 30-45 foot range. 

The blue catfish still haven’t gotten predictable, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that with this colder snap he is optimistic that the fish will group up better in the river channels.  They should take herring, gizzard shad, or white perch. 

At the same time the channel catfish are still biting extremely well, and in 10-30 feet of water the action has been outstanding with a variety of baits. Cut herring are hard to beat, but shrimp, worms and more have also been good and plenty of fish have been caught as a by-catch on minnows or even artificials. 

December 22

Lake Murray water levels are down to 354.72 and dropping towards their winter level of 354.00 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s.

Fresh off a second-place finish with 19 pounds in a trail championship over the weekend, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that bass are still scattered all over the place. In the last couple of weeks they have been catching good ones from very shallow out to 30 feet, but with the warmer weather over weekend – which looks likely to return again – they still caught fish both places but actually found the best concentration in mid-depth areas about 10-12 feet. Moving baits that imitated shad, and particularly crankbaits, were most effective. All of their weight came in the middle to lower lake but there have also been some good fish caught shallow cranking up the lake. That pattern can probably be replicated everywhere and particularly where there is rock. 

Andy notes that, even during these periodic warm spells, there will still be fish that can be caught on jigging spoons and so he always keep the bait tied on and available. In his experience on Lake Murray the fish are in almost totally random locations but he usually finds them around bait in about 30 feet. 

The striped bass fishing continues to be really good up the rivers, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that the biggest concentrations are still up that way. He is finding them mostly over the channels in 25-30 feet, but the biggest change is that with a few cool days they are staying deeper where they can be caught on bucktails under the birds. 

You can also catch fish on free lines and planer boards, and when we get a few more warm days they are likely to move up shallower on the flats again. 

None of that is to say that there are onlyfish up the river, and while fishing the tournament over the weekend Andy Wicker marked (and caught several keeper) striped bass in perhaps the largest school he has ever seen. It was in the lower lake. 

Up the lake the crappie continue to not really be relating to brush, and Captain Brad reports that a bunch of fish are on bridges right now. However, what they really seem to be relating to are the steep drop-offs whether those are adjacent to deeper docks or bridges. About 15-18 feet with shallower and deeper water on both sides has been the key range. Just plain minnows have been working the best. 

In the lower lake it seems that crappie are roaming more, but they can also be found on very deep brush in the 30-45 foot range. 

The blue catfish still haven’t gotten predictable, but Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that with this colder snap he is optimistic that the fish will group up better in the river channels. They should take herring, gizzard shad, or white perch. 

At the same time the channel catfish are still biting extremely well, and in 10-30 feet of water the action has been outstanding with a variety of baits. Cut herring are hard to beat, but shrimp, worms and more have also been good and plenty of fish have been caught as a by-catch on minnows or even artificials. 

December 16

Lake Murray water levels are down to 354.95 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 degrees. 

With water temperatures basically in an ideal range for bass everywhere, including from the surface to the bottom since the lake has finished turning over, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that mean the fish can be about anywhere.  You can catch them from 2-30 feet of water, and likely deeper. The action is much better than during the fall turnover, but as a result of water conditions the fish are just as spread out as they are while the lake is turning over. 

They are biting very well, with several bag in the low to mid-20s caught recently. Wickers have been responsible for some of those, and with a championship tournament Saturday Andy can be forgiven for not wanting to distribute his waypoints!

However, they have caught some really good fish shallow including the largest they weighed in last week. Just cruising around in the clear water it’s obvious that there a lot of good ones up, and they can be caught on crankbaits. It’s hard to find a pattern to where they are located and they seem to be on both flat and steep places. Docks also seem to be holding fish. 

Finally, as would be expected you can catch bass on about any lures right now, from topwater baits to jigging spoons. It’s not every December when you can catch a frog fish, but that happened this week in a creek.  

Like the bass the striped bass fishing has been really good this week, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that the fishing is so good up the rivers right now that he has had no reason to fish anywhere else. 

In the morning most of the fish are over the channels in 25-30 feet, while in the afternoons they will move up on the flats. You can catch fish pretty much however you want to target them, and while Brad has been pulling free-lines and planer boards you can also cast bucktail/ ice fly double rigs all day and catch a pile. 

For some reason there are less birds up the rivers than last week, and all Brad can figure out is that weird water temperatures are creating almost a spring effect. However, there are still enough birds to let you know where the fish are feeding. 

When customers get tired of catching striper Brad likes to show them something else, and this week that meant fishing for white perch. They are in all the major creeks, and you just need to mark bait and then find a point or flat adjacent to the depth of the bait where the perch can sit on the bottom and wait for the bait to come by. Right now Brad has found good schools in Buffalo Creek about 40 feet deep, and to his surprise they also found lots of 1-pound crappie mixed in with the perch. 

Right now there don’t seem to be as many crappie on brush, but bridges and any of the deeper docks up the rivers are holding large numbers of fish.  The bridges are particularly loaded with fish, and while this can change right now the fish seem to be either about 3 feet below the surface or on the bottom in 12-15 feet.  Tight-lining with jigs and minnows as well as casting the same combination is working.

December 2

Lake Murray water levels are down to 355.89 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 to 60 degrees on the lower end. 

As temperatures have slowly dropped the bass have gotten into a pretty normal late fall pattern on Murray, and veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that a variety of shallow cover back in the creeks has been holding fish. Shallow rock, hard cover, docks and secondary points have all been productive as bass have moved back into the creeks following shad, and a variety of baits have been working. Crankbaits with a tight wobble like the Frittside have been good, and swimbaits, jigs and shakey heads have also caught fish. We are also in period where an Alabama rig can stand out. 

At the same time that there has been a good shallower bite, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the deep, early winter bite has also started to come on. It was not great, but they have caught some fish on baits like jigging spoons and football jigs in 20-30 feet. However, this warming trend could really mess up that bite – especially as we head into the weekend. 

This should be the time of year when the blue catfish bite gets really good on Lake Murray, but Captain William Attaway(803-924-0857) reports that it’s actually gotten really tough both drifting and anchoring. There are suspicions that the fish may have gone way up the rivers. 

At the same time the channel catfish are still biting extremely well, and in 5-20 feet of water the action has been outstanding with a variety of baits. Cut herring are hard to beat, but shrimp, worms and more have also been good and plenty of fish have been caught as a by-catch on minnows or even artificials. 

More information to follow. 

November 19

For now Lake Murray water levels are stable at 356.14 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 63 degrees on the lower end. 

As of Thursday it had not gotten cold enough for the bass fishing patterns to change much on Lake Murray, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that even though nights have been cold – usually more important to seasonal changes than daytime temperatures – sunny days that approach 80 have kept temperatures up. The same shallow patterns such as rocky points, mid-depth grass and mid-depth docks have all been good.
However, with the cold front coming through Andy expects that in the next few days more fish will get on offshore spots and the topwater bite will drop off. There will still be fish caught shallow around rock on crankbaits in places where the fish move up to feed, but jigs, spoons and more fished around deeper structure should get good fast. 

The striped bass fishing has improved a little this week on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that the river bite has gotten a little better and some more birds have showed up. Free lines and planer boards are producing the best. 

The best fishing is now up the rivers related to the channel, but there are also plenty of fish that are being caught in the creeks down to Dreher Island. Creek much below that seem to mainly have smaller fish, with some exceptions. In the creeks pulling baits over 20-30 feet has been best. 

On the crappie front, Captain Brad reports that the fish are getting set up in the creeks and they are also very channel-oriented. Up the lake he is finding them in the 15-foot range around brush and deeper docks, while in the lower lake fish are around brush in 15-25 feet of water. Both minnows and jigs are working. 

The fishing will continue to improve as water temperatures drop, but the fall catfish bite is good on Lake Murray. Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that anchoring up the Little Saluda River in the main channel or on ledges they are still catching a healthy mix of blue catfish and big channels. The fish are not at any one particular depth, and so fan-casting and covering shallow to deep water is the best option. Herring, bream, white perch and gizzard shad can all be the bait of choice on a given day, so it’s best to have an assortment of options.

In the rest of the lake channel catfish seem to be feeding up for winter, and they are biting well in the 10-25 foot range on cut herring and more.   

November 11

Lake Murray water levels have dropped to 356.47 (full pool is 360.00) and the lake is finally turning over down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 65 degrees on the lower end to about 58 up the rivers. 

The striped bass are moving into cooler weather patterns on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that you can still catch some fish on down-lines but they are mostly smaller. Free lines and planer boards are starting to produce the best, and a handful of gulls are just beginning to show up. They should be here in good numbers by Thanksgiving. 

There has been some good fishing up the rivers related to the channel, but there are also plenty of fish that are being caught in the creeks down to Dreher Island.  Of course there are also some fish in the creeks on the lower end, but Buffalo Creek has been particularly good. In the creeks pulling baits over 20-30 feet has been best. 

Right now the bass fishing patterns are fairly stable if not hot on Lake Murray, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that it seems to be consistently taking about 14 or 15 pounds to win recent tournaments. The cane pile bite is pretty much done and schooling activity seems to be winding down, but veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that you can still catch some fish in the leafy pond grass that grows out to about 8-10 feet on soft plastics.

The best two patterns, however, seem to be throwing a shakey head off rocky points and fishing a buzzbait around the banks. Hard cover seems to be holding the most fish. 

On the crappie front, Captain Brad reports that the fish are starting to set up in the creeks and they are also very channel-oriented. Up the lake he is finding them in the 15-foot range around brush and deeper docks, while in the lower lake fish are around brush in 15-25 feet of water.  Both minnows and jigs are working. 

The fishing will continue to improve as water temperatures drop, but the fall catfish bite remains pretty good on Lake Murray. Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that anchoring up the Little Saluda River in the main channel or on ledges they are still catching a healthy mix of blue catfish and big channels. The fish are not at any one particular depth, and so fan-casting and covering shallow to deep water is the best option. Herring, bream, white perch and gizzard shad can all be the bait of choice on a given day, so it’s best to have an assortment of options.

In the rest of the lake channel catfish seem to be feeding up for winter, and they are biting well in the 10-25 foot range on cut herring and more.   

November 4

Lake Murray water levels have dropped to 356.87 (full pool is 360.00) and the lake is starting to clear again in places although it is still turning over in others. Morning surface water temperatures are about 67-69 degrees.  

The bass fishing has gotten tougher on Lake Murray according to veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda, and Stan reports that the offshore cane pile bite for suspended fish is very close to disappearing if it’s not gone already. There are still some fish in the leafy pond grass that grows out to about 8-10 feet which can be caught on Texas rigs or Chatterbaits, but that bite also seems to have slowed down since the BFL Regional and then the CBC. One of the better patterns that is still working is fishing a shakey head off rocky points.   

In the areas he is fishing tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the water is noticeably cleaner that it was just a few days ago, but he agrees that the deep topwater bite is pretty much over. We may be on the last leg of some schooling fish but the suspended bite is done. Flipping conventional wisdom on its head, Andy says that right now a buzzbait is fishing better down the lake while in the middle to upper lake a shallow running crankbait is better.

It’s a transition period for striped bass on Lake Murray, and in the areas he is fishing Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that with the lake currently turning over the fishing has been a little funky. The oxygen is better deep in the 30-35 foot range and so he has been having to use a lot of weight to get baits down, but in order to get the fish to bite the baits have needed to be moving and he has had to pull them on weighted free-lines. It’s not unusual for the fishing to get like this around the turnover. 

In general there are a lot of fish in the creeks as well as some good ones way up the rivers in 10 feet or less, and right now Brad is seeing a lot of fish in Buffalo Creek in particular.

On the crappie front, Captain Brad reports that for the last few days he has only been able to get the fish to bite on jigs even though they are loaded up pretty well on brush. In the Big Saluda he is finding them on brush off the side of the channel in about 12 feet of water, while down the lake they are more likely to be in the 15-20 foot range where more of the bait is holding. 

Catfish report to follow. 

October 20

Lake Murray water levels have dropped to 357.77 (full pool is 360.00) and the lake is a little dingey as it turns over in places. Morning surface water temperatures are about 72-74 degrees.  

Fresh off a third-place finish in the BFL Regional this weekend on Lake Murray that qualifies him to fish the All-American next June, tournament bass angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that it seems pretty clear to him that we are at the very tail end of the offshore suspended bite – whether that is throwing topwater lures for actively schooling fish or calling them up over brush and cane. There will probably continue to be some more fish caught on flukes, Spooks and the like offshore, but the bite was already dropping off before the regional. As the tournament week went on between the fishing pressure and changing conditions it just kept getting worse. Of course extreme wind on the final day also didn’t help for the stuff Andy was fishing, nor did it help the tournament leader over the first two days who was fishing deeper grass on the lower end where the wind was the worst.

The lake is already starting to turn over in places and this will probably make for some tough fishing for the next two weeks to a month, and some anglers will respond by going to the bank and fishing topwater lures or a Chatterbait. You can also fish a shakey head around shallow rocks in less than 10 feet.

Overall, it will be interesting to see what winning patterns emerge from the CBC Championship this weekend on Lake Murray. 

While the schooling action for striped bass has slowed down on Lake Murray, Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that the better fish are eating herring on free-lines and planer boards more than on down-lines. Mostly smaller fish are coming on down-rods.  From the creeks to the rivers most of the fish are concentrated over the channel, and even though they want to feed up they have generally been in the bottom half of the water column. This morning Brad was marking the most fish about 30 feet down in 50 feet of water. The majority of the fish are also starting to be creek-oriented, but instead of being well back in the creeks they are in the middle of the mouths of major creeks. 

On the crappie front, Captain Brad reports that fish are starting to transition off of the main lake and, like the striper, they are starting to move into the mouths of creeks. He is seeing the most fish suspended about 15 feet down over brush. 

More crappie information to follow. 

There can be a little inconsistency with the big fish from day to day, but overall Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that the catfish are starting to get into a strong fall feeding pattern. He has caught several 20-plus pound blue catfish in the upper half of the lake, and there have also been good numbers of channel catfish for the catching. While you can certainly target channel catfish all over the lake in 10 plus feet of water during the day, to target the bigger blues fishing in 30-50 feet of water has been the best pattern. The fish are relating to flats, the river channel and ledges at times and so you just have to put out a bunch of lines and see where they want to be on a given day. Bream and cut herring seem to be the best baits right now, and even though the fish will take chicken William has found it’s a slower bite. 

October 7

Lake Murray water levels are down to 357.30 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 79 degrees.

With water temperatures relatively unchanged the striped bass fishing is holding pretty steady on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that there is still a (growing) group of fish way up the rivers. They are being caught above the bridges pulling free-lines and planer boards

There are also a large number of fish still in the mid-lake area, and schooling activity is still widespread if totally random – as is normal at this time of year. Hollow Creek has been particularly good, and there are already some fish schooling way back in the creeks even as more fish are out towards the mouths.

 

Even though veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the bass fishing seems to be slowing down on Lake Murray, tournament bass angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that still the biggest numbers of fish seem to be suspended offshore where they are being caught fishing topwater baits and flukes over cane piles and off points, typically in the 14-25 foot range.

However, in the big bass tournament this weekend there were some good fish in the 5-pound range caught early on a buzzbait, and it seems likely that a few more fish are making their way towards the banks as temperatures drop. 

While there is still no change with the crappie, Captain Brad reports that we are right on the cusp of a significant movement as the water starts to cool. Still, for now bait remains in small pods and the fish are following it all over the place, making them super scattered and suspended. 

The most catchable fish are still up the river and Brad is still catching good numbers of fish 6-8 feet down over brush in 12-15 feet of water on minnows. Outside of the rivers you need to fish deeper, and for the fish that aren’t roaming the best place to look is 20-25 feet down over brush in the 30s. 

Even as the catfish start to move into their fall spots Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) is finding a really tough bite right now, and while it’s easy to mark a lot of fish getting them to bite is another matter.  He has fished the river channel, the ledges and the flats, and used cut herring, gizzard shad and white perch.  On all three locations and with all three baits bites have been hard to come by.  There is every reason to think that the fish should start feeding better as soon as water temperatures drop just a few more degrees as the fish are already starting to set up in the places they like to feed in the fall.

September 29

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.51 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s to very low 80s. 

The patterns that were expected to produce in the BFL two-day this weekend on Lake Murray did, but tournament bass angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that the fishing has gotten a little tougher than a few weeks ago when all the 20 plus pound bags were being caught. 36 pounds in two days won, and Andy finished in 6^th place with just under 31 pounds. 

The majority of the top weights seemed to come fishing topwater baits and flukes for suspended fish over cane piles and off points, or when anglers happened upon schooling fish. The fish are still mostly suspended in the 14-25 foot range, although again there are times when they will school over deeper water. 

Unsurprisingly the cooler snap also seems to have put a few fish on the bank, and Andy did catch a few fish on a buzzbait. However, at least the fish he saw related to the bank were smaller.

Typically a Lake Wateree correspondent, young tournament angler Fisher Rodgers of Camden managed an impressive third place finish on the strength of a really strong second day bag that included a couple of big fish for a two-day total of almost 35 pounds. Fisher was also fishing for offshore fish using his electronics, and his father Dearal Rodgers could only be described as a proud Dad. 

Offering one final thought on the tournament was veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda, one of the pioneers of cane pile fishing. Stan points out that it may very well be that the bite is slowing down, but it also didn’t help that they had a couple of slick calm days for the main event. The lack of wind likely depressed the weights. 

It’s still a really good striped bass bite on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that some fish have already moved way up the rivers. There are some fish being caught above the bridges pulling free-lines and planer boards, but there are also still a ton of fish in the mid-lake area. Hollow Creek has been outstanding, and the area around Bear Creek has also been very good. In the mid-lake area there has been frequent if intermittent schooling activity, and right now the fish are not really grouped by size. It’s not unusual to catch a 14-incher followed by a 21-incher. 

There’s still no real change with the crappie, and Captain Brad reports that bait is still in small pods and the fish are following it all over the place, making them super scattered and suspended. 

The most catchable fish are up the river and Brad is still catching good numbers of fish 6-8 feet down over brush in 12-15 feet of water on minnows. Outside of the rivers you need to fish deeper, and for the fish that aren’t roaming the best place to look is 20-25 feet down over brush in the 30s. 

The catfish are also very scattered right now, and while Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) would prefer they lock down in one area they are still mixed between the flats and the river channels – with some fish still suspended. He suspects water temperatures need to drop another 8-10 degrees before they get really grouped up. For right now anchoring is producing a little better than drifting, and 20-30 feet of water has been the most productive range. There are also some shallower fish on points and off riprap. Cut herring is most productive at the moment, but there are also a lot of fish pecking at herring right now. 

September 16

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.62 (full pool is 360.00) and the main lake is still relatively clear (with a summer green tint). Morning surface temperatures have fallen into the lower 80s. 

The same patterns are still producing bass on Lake Murray, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the best way to catch fish is still to throw topwater baits and flukes over cane piles and off points – and to look for schooling fish. The majority of the bass seem to be offshore, and there are still lots of four to six plus pound fish out there.  Fish are generally in the 15-25 foot range, although at times they will school over very deep water.

But while that pattern is still producing, tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria points out that it’s not quite as good as it was a few weeks ago. Realistically that’s because of fishing pressure, and when a lot of people are throwing lures at the same fish it will almost always change the bite.

As the fall progresses Andy looks for more fish to move towards the bank, and soon there should also be a pretty good buzzbait bite. 

The biggest change in the striped bass fishing is that schooling action is now pretty widespread, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that from the area around Ballentine Bay to Bomb Island to Shull Island there are a lot of fish on top. The action is sporadic and what time of day they school depends on factors such as sunshine and weather, but generally they are holding in that area and looking to come up on bait. 

Outside of the topwater activity fish are still mostly suspended about 30 feet down in the mid-lake area related to depth changes like points and channels. While some have moved a bit further back bait and striper are still mostly in the main lake and the mouths of the creeks, and the water will have to cool down a little more before striper go well back into the creeks following food. Only little ones are way back so far. 

Both down-lines and planer boards are working. 

It probably won’t be until October 1 that there’s a lot of change with the crappie, and Captain Brad reports that bait is still in small pods and the fish are following it all over the place, making them super scattered and suspended. 

The most catchable fish are up the river and Brad is still catching good numbers of fish 6-8 feet down over brush in 12-15 feet of water on minnows. Outside of the rivers you need to fish deeper, and for the fish that aren’t roaming the best place to look is 20-25 feet down over brush in the 30s. 

It’s not a huge challenge to catch channel catfish right now, and Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that they can be caught in 10-30 feet of water over most of the lake with a variety of baits. However, for numbers cut herring is hard to beat.

However, if you want a chance to hook into blues or flatheads as well as channel catfish the best bet it to fish up the river and anchor down on the ledges in 10-25 feet of water. Cut bait will work for everything, and if you want a better chance of catching a flathead mix in some live baits. 

September 1

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.96 (full pool is 360.00) and the main lake is still relatively clear (with a summer green tint). Morning surface temperatures rose but have fallen back to about 84 degrees. 

Results are in for last Saturday’s Fishing for a Cause benefit bass tournament, and it’s confirmed that there are some really good fish being caught on Lake Murray.  The first place team had 24.89 pounds, second place had 22 plus, and there were 5 or 6 more bags over 17 pounds. More importantly, tournament director Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that with 76 teams competing (up by 20 boats from last year), they were able to raise an incredible $20,000 for A Place for Us Ministry International. Stan is profoundly grateful for the generosity of anglers and sponsors for making this possible, and honored that God gave him this opportunity to help others.

Back to the fish, in an inversion of the usual pattern, right now you can still get a few bites throwing a buzzbait (even though the action has slowed) but it’s not the best way to get a kicker fish. The biggest fish are coming offshore, whether they are related to cane piles in 15-20 feet or just schooling off points and chasing bait in 30-50 feet of water. The best concentrations of big fish seem to be around cane, such as the 7.68 pound big fish caught by Stan’s son Meredith Havird.  Flukes and topwater lures were both working. 

There were also some pretty good bags up to about 17 pounds caught in the rivers, but as Stan says is usually the case, when the fish are biting in the lake that’s where the largest bags are going to come. This tournament was no exception. 

The striped bass continue to move towards a fall pattern on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that fish are still mostly suspended about 30 feet down in the mid-lake area related to depth changes like points and channels. Bait and striper are in the main lake and they also have moved into the mouths of the creeks, but the water will have to cool down a little more before striper go well back into the creeks following food. Down-lines are working as are planer boards, and one big change this week is that Brad has seen more schooling activity. 

In a similar vein, Captain Brad reports that when the water temperatures drop then crappie will become easier to target when the bait really groups up.  For now the bait is in small pods, and the fish are following it all over the place and so they are super scattered and suspended. 

The most catchable fish are up the river and Brad is still catching good numbers of fish 6-8 feet down over brush in 12-15 feet of water on minnows. Outside of the rivers you need to fish deeper, and for the fish that aren’t roaming the best place to look is 20-25 feet down over brush in the 30s. 

There are still a bunch of big channel catfish suspended with the striper right now, while others are still on the bottom.  Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports both groups are still feeding really well, and during the day anglers should look for them on the bottom in 25-40 feet of water over points and humps. They will take cut herring, shrimp, dip baits and more. At night the fish are still sliding up shallower to feed, and the best pattern is to fan-cast baits to the backs of coves and off secondary points in 1-15 feet of water.