Information provided by the S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources
May 5, 2008
Lake Marion Fishing on the upper end of the lake is very strong, and boat ramps such as Pack's Landing are open again with the rising water. Striped Bass: Fair. Use cut bait and live herring; occasional striped bass are being caught. Largemouth Bass: Good to very good. Reports of 6 to 10 pound fish are fairly common and bass are being caught around shallow structure and submerged cover. Fish soft plastics or try topwater lures as the water continues to warm. Catfish: Very good. On both the upper and lower ends of the lake catfish are moving very shallow to spawn - fish up to 50 pounds or bigger can be caught in 2 to 6 feet of water using cut bait on the bottom. In the lower part of the lake large catfish can still be caught in deeper water, too, drifting or anchored. Crappie: Very good. Most crappie have already completed spawning but are still feeding very well. Fish in the Jack's Creek area and around Santee State Park up towards Stump Hole Landing. Fish around bridges for fish that have moved back into deeper water. Bream and Shellcracker: Very Good. Fish shallow water along the banks near Santee Park and Stump Hole. Fish have moved shallow and will spawn and feed aggressively for the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Diversion Canal Shellcracker: Fair to good. Shellcracker are being caught on the Moultrie end of the canal but the largest numbers of bream and shellcracker are in the shallow water of the main lakes. Catfish: Very good. Flathead catfish up to 50 and 60 pounds are being caught in the canal at night. Anchor or slowly drift cut bait.
Lake Moultrie Striped Bass: Slow to fair. The striper bite is not good enough to plan a trip around it but there is some schooling activity in the Bonneau area and at the mouth of the Diversion Canal. Anglers should have a rod ready with a bucktail in case a school hits the surface while they are pursuing another species. Largemouth Bass: Very good. Some bass are still on the beds and some very big fish are being caught. Fish shallow running crankbaits or floating worms around shallow structure; try jigs and spinnerbaits in deeper areas. Catfish: Very good. Lots of blue and flathead catfish in the 30 to 40 pound range are being caught as well as plenty of smaller blue and channel catfish. Drifting with the wind in 10 to 25 feet of water is productive; on calmer days try anchoring up and bottom fishing. Cut shad, herring and white perch have all produced fish, while the largest fish have been caught on white perch. Crappie: Good. Some crappie are still spawning and remain near the banks. Fish just south of Angel's Landing and on the east side of the lake between Bonneau and Russellville in the mid lake area. Shellcracker: Good. Catches of shellcracker are starting to pick up as the fish move shallow and start to spawn. The mouth of the Diversion Canal on the Moultrie end is producing shellcracker in late afternoon but overall fishing in the Upper Lake is stronger for shellcracker, perhaps because of the standing timber.
Cooper River Shad: Excellent. The shad run is still hot in the Tailrace and the females are making their way from the ocean up the river towards the Lake Moultrie Dam Tailrace to spawn. Some really nice roe shad are being taken, ranging from 3 to 5 pounds. Conventional fishermen should use a small green grub and fly anglers should use a chartreuse Clauser on a #4 hook.
NEW LAWS REGULATE SANTEE COOPER ARKANSAS BLUE CATFISH
Governor Mark Sanford and the General Assembly have approved a new law limiting the harvest of Arkansas Blue Catfish. The law applies to only the waters of Lake Marion, the Diversion Canal, the Rediversion Canal above St. Stephen Dam, and Lake Moultrie. The law limits the catch of Arkansas Blue Catfish to one fish 36 inches and larger per person per day, regardless of harvest method. This includes bow fishing and applies to both recreational and commercial anglers. The new law was instituted to address catfish anglers' perception of fewer large blue catfish as the popularity of these large fish has grown over the past decade. The law is expected to shift more of the harvest of large blue catfish to recreational rod and reel anglers, whose tourism dollars add considerably more to the local economy than do other harvest methods. There continues to be no harvest restrictions on blue catfish less than 36 inches and anglers are encouraged to harvest as many as they can reasonably use. The law will be considered for renewal in 2010. Check rules and regulations for fresh and saltwater fishing at the DNR Web site: www.dnr.sc.gov/fish.html
MARINE EVENT APPLICATION NOW ONLINE
The Marine Event Application for Approval is now on the S.C. Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) website. This application is required for any type of marine event that includes 20 or more boats using state waterways. The form also needs to be completed if an event is coordinated on the water and does not include boats, such as charity rubber duck races and swimming contests. In order to have an event approved, the coordinator must complete the application and submit the form to the DNR's Charleston Marine Investigations Office at least 30 days prior to the scheduled event. Applicants must also enclose a chart or scale drawing showing the boundaries of the event and/or various watercourses or areas to be used by participants and spectators, as well as the proposed rules and regulations governing the event. The application is accessible online at (PDF file) www.dnr.sc.gov/boating/Forms/PDF/Marineeventapp.pdf. For additional questions, or to receive a mailed or faxed Marine Event Application for Approval, contact the DNR's Marine Investigations Office in Charleston at (843) 953-9378. DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at www.dnr.sc.gov.