November 14

Morning surface water temperatures are around 65 degrees in Murrells Inlet and there are still a few mullet and plenty of shrimp in the creeks. 

November 14

Lake Wylie is at 96.9% of full pool and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 61 degrees.  

November 13

Morning surface water temperatures in the creeks around Edisto Island are 70-71 degrees. Both rivers are clear and there is still plenty of bait in the creeks. 

November 13

Morning surface water temperatures are about 67 degrees in the creeks around Georgetown and there is still a good amount of bait in the area. 

November 13

Lake Jocassee is at 98.5% of full pool and water conditions are normal. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are still around 69 degrees. 

November 13

Lake Russell water levels are bouncing around 474.8 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 69-70 degrees.

November 13

Lake Greenwood water levels are down to 438.21 (full pool is 440.0) and lake is clearing, with the lower end still a little dingy. Morning surface water temperatures are still around 70 degrees. 

November 13

Lake Wateree is at 96.2% of full pool and the lake is still clear for Wateree. Morning surface water temperatures are about 67 degrees. 

November 13

Santee Cooper water levels are down to 75.59 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and bouncing around 75.25 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Morning surface water temperatures are still about 68-70 degrees and the lakes are still dirty but the upper end is clearing first. 

November 13

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.43 (full pool is 360.00) and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 69-70 degrees. 

November 13

Morning surface water temperatures are still around 71 degrees and water levels typically fluctuate frequently. The water is gin clear. 

November 13

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 656.80 (full pool is 660.00) and water conditions are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 68-69 degrees. 

November 13

Clarks Hill water levels are at 327.54 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is very clear because of the absence of recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures are around 68 degrees.

Fishing activity is still well below normal, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that he has been finding a pretty fantastic hybrid and striped bass bite. On their last trip they caught 70 fish in two hours, and even though fish are moving around a fair amount they have been able to find some very consistent spots. The best action has been coming 10-20 feet down in about 30 feet of water on the edge of the Savannah River channel, but fish are scattered all over the place. They are in both major river arms, and some days they are moving to the very backs of the creeks. 

While it’s not uncommon to mark fish on the bottom in 35 feet, once they actually start biting they usually come up to about 12-20 feet to feed. 

Captain Rocky reports that the crappie fishing is also good, and fish can be found in the river and creek channels up the lake in about 30 feet of water. They are 15-18 feet down suspended over brush, trees, or any other structure in the channel, and while they will take jigs minnows are working much better. 

But there are also crappie a little shallower, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that they managed to catch a nice limit of crappie on the very upper end of Clarks Hill fishing in 15-17 feet of water. They have caught everything on minnows about 12-14 feet down, and while fish aren’t on every piece of structure when you find them there are some big schools. And lots of big fish. 

While the black bass fishing has also been good for numbers, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that catching decent-sized fish is a completely different matter. On the water recently he has seen and caught a good number of schooling fish, but most of them you have to measure.  He is seeing better ones on top but they aren’t biting. 

They aren’t as shallow as in the spring, and most of the action he is finding is in 12-15 feet. It’s also pretty random, and some points and humps are covered in fish while others are desolate.  Brush does seem to make a big difference.

But the hardest part is not locating the fish but getting them to bite, and with the bass on very small bait at times that is “outrageously” tough. Bright skies and calm days make it even worse. Everything he has caught has been on a small fluke or Sashimmy swimbait. 

As for other patterns, a buzzbait should only get better in the next couple of weeks but for now Tyler is not getting many bites on it. A white or methiolate floating worm should also be good, especially with all the newly fallen trees in the water.

Finally, there are a lot of fish on brush piles that you can see on electronics but right now they are more likely to follow a bait than commit. 

Finally, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the fall catfishbite remains remarkably consistent. The productive depth range might vary a bit from day to day, but otherwise things are pretty predictable and the fishing is very good. 

The best pattern is still anchoring on main lake points in 25-50 feet of water. You can also catch some fish dragging the bottom at about the same depths in creeks with cleaner bottoms. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad will all catch fish.

November 8

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 657.14 (full pool is 660.00) and water conditions are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 69 degrees. 

November 8

Lake Wateree is at 97.5% of full pool and the lake is surprisingly clear, from the lower end to at least near the top. Morning surface water temperatures are about 70 degrees. 

November 8

Morning surface water temperatures are around 72 degrees and water levels typically fluctuate frequently. The water is gin clear. 

November 8

Morning surface water temperatures have jumped back to 70-71 degrees inshore around Little River and there are still lots of shrimp and decent numbers of finger mullet around. 

November 8

Lake Keowee is at 99.0% of full pool and water clarity is very high.  Morning surface water temperatures remain in the low to mid-70s over most of the lake. 

October 31

Lake Keowee is at 98.1% of full pool and clarity is basically normal again on the main lake – very high.  Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-70s over most of the lake. 

October 30

Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 69 degrees around Charleston. Bait is abundant. 

October 30

Morning surface water temperatures inshore around Beaufort are still about 70-72 degrees and bait is abundant.    

October 30

Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s around Georgetown and there is a good amount of bait in the area. 

October 30

Morning surface water temperatures in the creeks around Edisto Island are 68-69 degrees. Both rivers are clear and there is still plenty of bait in the creeks.