After a crazy start to 2016 Lake Wateree water levels have finally normalized, and instead of current ripping through the lake like it was a few weeks ago Wateree is actually pretty still right now.  At last reading levels are down to 95.1% of full pool.  Perhaps as a result of this, on his most […]

It appears that Lake Wylie water conditions just aren’t going to get “normal” this winter.  The water continues to go up and down – and from red to clear – seemingly on a weekly basis.  A healthy dose of snow last weekend has done nothing to change that pattern, and FLW angler Bryan New expects […]

Who says South Carolina bass won’t bite when it’s freezing cold, snowing, and windy? On January 16 in the Next Level Fishing open tournament 27 teams competed, with two teams bringing in 28+ pound bags and 9 teams catching 20+ pounds.  The tournament big fish was 8.43 pounds.  It was inevitable that tough conditions yesterday […]

Readers of this site know that during the colder months the Lake World bait shop frequently repeats the mantra that to find striper on Lake Murray fishermen should follow the birds.  Tournament bass fisherman Andy Wicker of Pomaria says right now that is also good advice for catching bass on Lake Monticello, and at this […]

In November and December the Santee Cooper lakes seemed to outdo themselves every week, at least on the catfish front, and news of 40-pound fish gave way to news of 50-pound fish which gave way to 80-pound fish.  But while January can be one of his favorite times to fish the Santee Cooper lakes, Captain […]

The word is getting out that the hawgs are feeding on Lake Murray!  In the Next Level Fishing tournament this past Saturday two teams weighed sacks over 28 pounds, with Reed McGinn and Andy Wicker winning first place with 28.43 pounds and second place going to Hampton Anderson and Zack Woodam with 28.31 pounds.  It’s […]

Even though Clarks Hill water levels have pretty much returned to normal now, very recently they were 7(!) feet above full pool and the Corps had all of the gates running wide open.  But while fish on some other lakes in South Carolina seem to have been disoriented and thrown out of their natural winter-time […]

Here are some pictures, courtesy of Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120), that show water conditions on Lake Hartwell today.  Even though water levels dropped about a foot yesterday – down to 662.91 as of publication – they are still about three feet above full pool.  Pictured here is the view of Double Springs Ramps, which is obviously still closed, […]

Largemouth bass can be caught on Lake Jocassee in January and February, but Guide Rob McComas (828-674-5041) says that he typically spends relatively little time targeting them at this time of year.  When Rob is able to target smallmouth he likes to go after them, and the winter months are the most consistent smallmouth bass […]

Full pool for Lake Hartwell is 660.0 feet, and right now Lake Hartwell water levels stand at 664.15.  This actually represents a drop of about a foot in the last few days, and at their peak water levels were more than five feet above full pool.  Captain Bill Plumley (864-287-2120) points out that the problem is […]

The big bags which were anticipated for Saturday’s finale of the 3-day Costa FLW Series Southeastern Division opener at Florida’s Lake Okeechobee never materialized, and FLW Tour Pro Jason Lambert caught a 12-12 sack to win the event with a 3-day total of 44-12.  The win earned Lambert $60,000.00 as well as a Ranger Z518 […]

The opening day of competition for the Costa FLW Series Southeastern Division event on Lake Okeechobee is in the books, and after a tough day of fishing Peter Cherkas of Des Moines, Iowa is in the lead out of 250 boats with 20 pounds even.  Zach Crider of Tunnel Hill, Georgia is in second place with […]

It’s finally getting to be winter in the lowcountry, but according to Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) in Beaufort for the last few weeks fishing has been atypical for this time of year.  Unusually warm water temperatures meant that through the beginning of 2016 fish could still be seen tailing in the grass, and bait has been […]

It appears that the long autumn on Lake Murray is finally over, and veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown says that a couple of factors are combining to move bass out of their fall habitats and into a winter pattern.  First, water temperatures are finally dropping, and in one week official water temperatures at the […]

It’s been a crazy winter so far this year on Lake Wylie, but bass have continued to feed – albeit not in a traditional winter pattern.  Now that things are starting to normalize fish may start to behave more typically for this time of year. About a week ago rain last fell in the Lake […]

Lake Wateree is at 100.3% of full pool, and there’s no doubt that this is high – about five feet over normal for this time of year.  The amazing thing, however, is that this is the lowest water levels have been since before Christmas, and 100.3 actually represents dropping water!  In fact, December 22 is […]

A few weeks ago Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reported that bass fishing on Lake Russell was very good, but based on historical trends he expected it to soon get even better.  Fish were grouped up in 20-40 feet of water in the middle to backs of the creeks, but as temperatures dropped he expected them […]

Anyone who gets to know Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (803-513-0143) knows that he doesn’t say the fishing is good when it’s not, so around the first of December when Ron said that Edisto Island inshore fishing was at “its absolute peak” it was worth taking note.  Amazingly, a month plus later at the beginning of […]

Lake Greenwood is flooded and muddy, but that doesn’t mean that bass aren’t eating.  Veteran tournament bass angler Stan Gunter reports that even with the crazy water conditions some good fish are still being caught, and in fact the overall bite is pretty good.  Muddy water can often kill a winter bite, but since water […]

While Lake Keowee is one of those lakes where bass can be caught deep the year round, and certainly in December and January, it’s not every winter that around the New Year bass can still be found on the surface.  However, Guide Brad Fowler of Pendleton reports that is exactly what has been going on […]

Around the Christmas holidays it’s a safe bet that big blue catfish are feeding in South Carolina, and even with unseasonably warm weather this year is no exception.  From the North Carolina border to the Midlands to the lower part of the state, South Carolina anglers are putting some big catfish in the boat right […]

Back in November we reported that peak fall fishing for a variety of species was lasting longer than usual, and fish like big red drum were staying in the area due to unseasonably warm weather.  Amazingly, the same is still true only a few days before Christmas.   Captain Tucker Blythe of Grey Ghost Charters (843-670-8629) […]