Santee Cooper Shellcracker Fishing

Davis does all his shellcracker fishing with a 16-foot fiberglass Shakespeare pole no reel, which is set up with 16 feet of line and rigged simply with a cigar-style float, split shot and hook baited with a worm. There’s no need for long casts for this style of fishing, and the simple rig lets Davis to swiftly and precisely place his offering in every little cut that may hold fish. When the cork darts under or moves decisively sideways, he hooks the fish with a lift of the rod, then swings it aboard or wears it down the bend of the long wispy rod, if it is a big ‘cracker. (southcarolinasportsman.com)

Reports. The Diversion Canal, which connects Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, looks to concentrate shellcrackers in the fall months. Throughout the fall and winter, shellcrackers are caught in 15 to 20 feet of water. Anglers fish on the end of the current, right along the bottom. The fall run of shellcrackers typically starts the 1st week of November and continues through mid-December. Then shellcracker-fishing gets good again around Easter and runs through the summer months. ‘. (nighthawkpublications.com)

Boating fees differ depending on hp and physical address of anglers. Spartanburg County residents can expect to pay $60 for boats with motors exceeding 15 hp. The fee for South Carolina residents outside of the county is $120 and non-residents could pay $240 for an yearly permit. Fees for boats with motors 15 hp and less are $40, $80 and $120, in that order, for Spartanburg County residents, South Carolina residents outside of Spartanburg County and non-residents. (gameandfishmag.com)

In Florida lakes, where shellcracker reach the peak of angler popularity in public waters, anglers usually target spawning fish. The redear spawn season starts about when bluegills also move onto beds. In Florida, this on occasion commences in March, although more usually afterward, when water temperatures rise into the low to mid-70 F range. Many experts use the full moon to time its start. As with bluegills, males grow somewhat bigger and sport lighter colors bright yellow on the chest and with gold flecks along the flanks, also to their telltale red tab on the gill flap. (in-fisherman.com)

Whitey was fishing and hunting for as long as he can remember. A native of St. Matthews, South Carolina, he grew up hunting and fishing with his father, grandfather and his grandmother on Santee Cooper Lakes. His father was an industrial insulator that fished on the weekends on Santee. Both father and grandfather had houses on Santee where the families could gather every chance they had and – fish. Whitey’s great grandmother bought him his 1st ship when he graduated from high school. She was an entrepreneur that grew up throughout the great depression and became a successful businesswoman while instilling simple values in her kids and grandchildren with business sense. (santeecoopersportsman.tv)

Catfish: good. Captain Rodger Taylor says that catfishing is strong on Lake Wateree now as fish are in pre-spawn mode and feeding heavily. In general fish are making their yearly migration upward and laterally ? that’s, they’re moving up the river towards the dam also as towards the backs of the creeks. A common pattern is to start out early in the day fishing the river channel, and especially drops in the river channel. Anglers should put out baits to cover an array of depths, as well as on the ledge, where the ledge drops off, and the deep hole itself. One depth will be more productive most days, however it may differ from day to day. (indexjournal.com)

Catfish: just to good. This time of year blue catfish have moved up shallower and into the creeks this January, and when conditions allowed you may be able to catch some pretty good numbers of 8-12 pound blues on cut herring. Drifting in 15-30 feet of water was pretty efficient, and if anglers could find a shore that was possible to pull up on they could most likely do well anchoring baits at the same depth. The wind was periodically strong so that anchoring a ship in open water was tough. Cut herring, cut shad, or most any other new cut bait works. Striped Bass: Slow to just. Captain Bill Plumley says that fishing was pretty tough for striper, however some fish have been caught on jigging spoons. (thetandd.com)

Lakes Marion and Moultrie are called the Santee Cooper Lakes due to two river systems that the project connected. This lake system consists of 110, 600 acres Marion and 60, 400 acres Moultrie joined by a 6. 5 mile diversion canal. These world-class fishing lakes were produced in 1939 to 1942 by the South Carolina Public Service Authority usually called ‘Santee Cooper’ for a hydroelectric project. Now, these lakes hold the world record Channel Catfish 58 lbs, Stripped Bass till 1993 55 lbs, and Arkansas Blue till 1996 109. 4 lbs . Other State records now held include: Largemouth Bass 16. (clarksinnandrestaurant.com)

Crappie: Good to good. Captain Steve English says that crappie are moving into an early winter pattern where fish gang up on deeper brushpiles, where they should hold through December. Now the best action is coming fishing about 20-28 feet down around the tops of brushpiles in roughly 35-40 feet of water. Both minnows and jigs are catching fish. Catfish: just to good. Captain Jim Glenn says that with seasonal changes blue catfishing has improved on both Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, rising the frequency of quality catfish being harvested in both lakes. Blue cats in the 20-70 pound range have been caught recently, with fish coming at a range of depths. (wezl.iheart.com)

Striped bass: Good. The lower end of the lake continues to be producing above average for this time of year, and now as many fish are caught on the lower end as at the top of the lake. In the lower part of the lake the best pattern is fishing down lined herring 30-40 feet deep in pretty deep water, while on the upper end of the lake below the Hartwell Dam the best pattern is free lining live herring along the river channel. (Check out your url)