S.C. Freshwater Fishing Trends – 11/10/2008

Lake Hartwell:

Anglers are turning to smaller boats to put in due to low water levels. The Maryann Branch landing is still usable, but Hartwell State Park is very, very shallow.

Largemouth Bass: Very good. Topwater action is hot on Lake Hartwell, and fish orienting to schools of shad balling up are feeding aggressively. If you can find the schools of bait you will find bass. Throw a Zara Spook, Sebile swimbait or a clear Sammy, or fish a crankbait in the schools of shad. Clear, windy days are best – if the wind is calm look for boat traffic to stir the water up and activate bait fish. Main channel points and particularly clay points, visible humps, and even brush piles are all holding fish – bass are scattered. Carolina rigs around structure are another successful pattern.

Catfish: Very good. Fish a Carolina rigged nightcrawlers on the bottom, and wind it very slowly across clay points. Dead herring and other cut bait are also effective. Striped and Hybrid Bass: Good. Fish are holding from the dam to where to the Seneca and Tugaloo Rivers split. The Settlers Creek and Lightwood Log areas are both producing striper and hybrids; look for topwater action between 9 and 10 a.m. If you can get on the water Monday that is a very good day – the Corps is not generating power on the weekends, but on Monday when they pull water the fish are really turning on.

Crappie: Good. Crappie are feeding very well, and are much shallower than typical for this time of year. The most productive area of the lake is where the Seneca and Tugaloo rivers split – because of lake levels fish are staging there in around 18 feet of water. Bridge pilings and backs of creeks are also effective.

Lake Jocassee:

Trout: Good. Troll in 85 to 90 feet in the big water around the dam. Minnows and spoons are most effective, and limits of brown trout are common.

Black Bass: Fair. Some anglers report topwater action early in the morning using Zara Spooks or Rebel Pop-Rs. A more consistent bite is coming working a shakey head jig with a 5 inch pumpkin seed worm around the backs of small coves in the main lake area, particularly before the sun gets high. Bass have also been seen cruising the shoreline over the first drop in 10 to 15 feet of water. Some anglers are also still reporting catching fish much deeper with jigs or finesse worms.

Lake Keowee:

Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Fair. Early in the morning until 11:00 or so anglers are reporting very good results for spotted bass using soft jerk baits and swimbaits. Spotted bass are schooling in the major creeks above the power station in 10 to 25 feet and hitting well on blue colored rattle traps or strike king red eye shad in black and silver patterns. Also target main lake points in the upper lake area as fish are keying on shad balling up. Carolina rigged worms in watermelon seed and chartreuse pumpkin colors have also been effective later in the day around islands in 25 feet of water. Some doodling and drop shotting action continues to be reported in 40 to 60 feet of water, but overall fish are moving shallower.

Crappie: Fair. The crappie bite is beginning to improve slightly, and fish are being found around brush in 8 to 12 feet of water.

Bream: Good. Not many anglers are concentrating on them but bream are still shallow for Lake Keowee in 8 to 12 feet of water. Use crickets or worms just off the banks.