November 19

Lake Wylie is at 97.1% of full pool and the lake is normal color.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 61 degrees. 

There are a few positive signs with the bass fishing on Lake Wylie, and in the most recent CATT tournament at least the winning weight was in the teens.

November 12

Lake Keowee is at 98.4% of full pool and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid to high-60s over most of the lake.  

It’s still a really good time to fish for bass on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports

October 21

Lake Hartwell water levels are still high but slightly down to 661.39 (full pool is 660.00) and the main lake is clear while the rivers are dirty to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from the low 70s to about 75 degrees depending on area. 

While there’s no doubt you can catch a lot of spotted bass around brush piles, Guide Brad Fowler reports

October 7

Morning surface water temperatures are around 78 degrees in Murrells Inlet.

Baisch Boys Bait and Tackle (843-651-1915) has regular and jumbo mud minnows, live finger mullet, live shrimp, live fiddler crabs (usually), blood worms, fresh head-on shrimp, and a full range of frozen baits. 

September 3

Lake Jocassee is at 94.2% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s on the main lake.    

Last night makes three straight first place finishes for tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley in the Thursday night bass tournaments on Lake Jocassee, and he reports

September 2

Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid-80s degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.

Our regular correspondent Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250)

September 2

Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River have dropped to about 82 degrees and with all the wind clarity has dropped. 

Because the north end of the South Carolina Grand Strand pushes up against the North Carolina border, when it makes sense Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) likes

September 2

Inshore surface water temperatures remain about 85 degrees around Charleston and the creeks are still full of bait, especially shrimp.

Inshore fishing continues to be good in the Charleston area, and Captain Rob Bennett (843-367-3777) reports

September 2

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.98 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is pretty clear despite some rain Tuesday. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 degrees. 

It’s a still a very good, very early bite for hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports

September 1

Lake Wateree is down to 96.5% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. Clarity is above normal. 

There’s not a lot of change in the crappie patterns on Lake Wateree, but tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports

July 28

Lake Hartwell water levels remain very high at 660.84 (full pool is 660.00) but the lake has cleared a little. Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid-80s. 

There are a few more changes with the hybrid and striped bass bite this week, and one is that Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

July 21

Lake Wylie is at 97.0% of full pool. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s. The rivers became extremely muddy after recent rains but that water has now moved down the lake. 

After a lull, the catfish bite on Lake Wylie has really picked up and Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports

June 10

Santee Cooper water levels are high at 75.85 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and bouncing around full in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The water remains clear and morning surface temperatures are around 80. 

There’s no doubt that catfish have provided the most exciting action on Santee for the last week or two, and the fishing has gotten so good that Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) has

May 27

Inshore water temperatures have shot up to the mid- to upper 70s.  

It won’t surprise anyone who has gone outside in South Carolina in the last week, but Captain Rob Bennett (843-367-3777) reports

May 26

Lake Wateree is pretty low at 96.8% of full pool and clarity is high for Wateree. Morning surface water temperatures have just hit 80 degrees. 

Anyone expecting to find an easy bass fishing bite on Lake Wateree this Memorial Day weekend is likely to be disappointed, and tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports

May 7

Lake Jocassee is at 97.3% of full pool, and while the main lake is clear the backs of some creeks are dirty. Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 64 or 65 degrees on the main lake but higher in the creeks.

In the last week Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) has caught another trout that weighed more than 6 pounds

April 16

Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River are in the mid to upper 60s and pushing 70, and the water is still pretty clear for this time of year.   

There’s a lot of good action on the north end of the South Carolina Grand Strand, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports

March 26

Inshore water temperatures have risen to the low 60s and the water is surprisingly clean for the amount of recent rain. 

As temperatures warm Redfin Charters (843-277-5255) reports

February 25

Lake Keowee is at 99.1% of full pool. Water temperatures are on the rise with low to mid-50s in the lower end of the lake up to 60s mid-lake. Clarity on the main lake, particularly the northern end, is very high with 10 plus feet of visibility.

With water temperatures moving up bass are also starting to move, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports

February 23

Inshore water temperatures are still in the upper 40s.  

It’s a feast-or-famine time of year for catching redfish inshore, but recently Captain Rob Bennett (843-367-3777) reports

February 18

Lake Hartwell water levels are up to 658.38 (full pool is 660.00).  The creeks have gotten muddy and the rivers are getting dirtier as well.  

The action for hybrid and striped bass continues to improve on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) is

January 20

Lake Wylie is up to 98.6% of full pool and surface water temperatures are about 49 degrees.  Water clarity has improved and the lake is slightly stained with a green hue. 

The bass fishing remains brutally tough on Lake Wylie, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports

January 13

Santee Cooper water levels are up to 74.63 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 71.92 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5).  Surface water temperatures are around 48-51 degrees and the lake is dingy but fast becoming muddy. 

Very low water levels were affecting the bass fishing on Santee Cooper last week, but Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports