Latest Santee Cooper Fishing Report
Provided by Captain Joe Dennis with Father and Kyle Austin
Striper
Stripers season is OPEN
Bass
B.A.S.S. report from Captain Kyle Austin
Bass are in their fall patterns. A lot of fish will be moving shallow chasing threadfin Shad and crawfish! Fish will be schooling throughout the day on shad. These fish will be targeted with swimbaits, crank baits, and walking top waters. With the expansive amount of eel grass and hydrilla throughout the lakes this will make for some great cover to find largemouth. Frogs, Texas rigs, and lipeless crank baits will be great techniques to target those fish relating to the grass. Overall the fall bite is coming and the bass fishing will continue to get better
Bream
The big bream are on the deeper brush piles in 20-25ft. Crickets on drop shots or Carolina rigs work the best.
The bite on the Cooper river has been good mainly on the falling tide. Fish crickets on the drop offs, deep points and ricefield breaks with slip corks and drop shots.
Catfish
Both lakes are finally starting to clear up. The current in the diversion canal is not as strong but has a good flow early morning and late evening.
Drift fishing the canal has been producing with cut herring and shad.
In the main lakes Anglers are drifting daytime and night on the 20-25ft hills, flats and small creeks for all sizes but lots of larger 20 plus lb fish coming out the 50 plus foot depth. Use Santee Cooper rigs .Cut herring and shad will be your best baits
Drift fishing the canal has been producing with cut herring and shad.
In the main lakes Anglers are drifting daytime and night on the 20-25ft hills, flats and small creeks for all sizes but lots of larger 20 plus lb fish coming out the 50 plus foot depth. Use Santee Cooper rigs .Cut herring and shad will be your best baits
Crappie
Most of your crappie will be on brush this time of year. Look at all depths from 10 -35ft. Casting small jigs or minnows on corks will work the best.
