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The newest Santee Cooper fishing report, updated July 2, can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-santee-cooper-sc-summer-2017-fishing-report/

June 9

Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.68 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.46 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5).  Water temperatures are around 78 degrees and the water is high and dingy.

As anticipated Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that the catfish bite in the Diversion Canal is strong.  There’s a lot of water running through the canal, and as a result the fish are stacking up in there.  The best pattern is drifting down the center of the canal (while dodging boats) on the bottom in about 27 feet of water, and a variety of cut baits are working well.  There is also a pretty good night bite.

Meanwhile, crappiefishing has gotten tough.  Steve says that you can pick up a few fish but overall it is slow.

It’s easy to catch bream over brush right now, but Steve says that most of them are small.  There will be fish up shallow bedding with the full moon, but due to water conditions it can be a little tough to spot them.

Bassfishing can be pretty good right now if you know offshore spots, as the period when you could catch a bunch of fish shallow is definitely over.  In the tournament last weekend several boats had limits in the mid to high-20s, but they were catching these fish out of deep water.

June 5

Santee Cooper water levels are at 75.63 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.48 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5).  Water temperatures are in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and the lake has good color.

On recent catfish trips Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) reports that they’ve been seeing less of the 2-6 pound fish that were prolific a few weeks ago, but the numbers of better fish have picked up.  Good numbers of fish in the 8-pound range have been caught, along with some big fish up to 45 pounds.

Drifting cut shad in 6-35 feet has been the best pattern, with the biggest fish and most bites coming in the high teens and upper 20s.  Blue catfish are in the early stage of the spawn which will likely last into late July/ early August.  Channels are probably near the peak of their spawn or a little past it.

While Jim hasn’t been fishing the canal, with good water flow through the lakes conditions should be about perfect.

News on other species to follow.