June 7

Lake Keowee is at 98.0% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are now approaching 80 mid-lake, with the coolest water at the very northern end of the lake by the Jocassee dam.  

It looks like water temperatures are finally on the rise after a few weeks of cool weather, and as a result N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports the bass are beginning to move out deeper after the sun gets up in the mornings. 

There is still a good early bite on points with a small crankbait or topwater.  This bite will last longer on a cloudy or windy day. 

After the sun gets up, the best is fishing 20-plus feet deep with a shaky head or soft plastics on points or out deeper with a drop-shot in creeks or around drop-offs.  Any deeper brush or structure you can find is a good target. Keep an eye open for any schooling fish and try to find creeks holding bait. 

For anglers wanting to fish shallower, looking for bream beds is another technique. Use a popper or prop bait, and expect the best action in the morning.

Fishing has definitely slowed down over the last few days with warmer weather.

June 1

Lake Keowee is at 98.1% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s over most of the lake except for the very north end by the Jocassee dam.  

For yet another week water temperatures have remained stable on Lake Keowee, and as a result N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fishing remains strong due to the abnormally cool waters for June. That can’t last forever, and water temperatures will almost certainly be changing over the coming week as it appears we are finally moving into more summer-like temperatures. 

For now a shallow bite early on points and humps with a crankbait or topwater is present throughout the lake, while the mid-lake area continues to have a strong topwater bite throughout the day on points. 

Soft plastics from 12-25 feet are working as well.  Some fish are also being caught out deeper (to 40 feet) on ledges with a drop-shot. 

As the mid-lake warms and we move into summer the topwater bite is likely to be better on the northern end of the lake.

May 25

Lake Keowee is at 98.5% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the 70s over most of the lake. 

Cloudy, cool weather has kept water temperatures pretty steady over the past week, and as a result N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the fishing pattern has also remained stable with an early bite on points with a crankbait or topwater.  An extended topwater bite has also been found every day with the cloud cover on main lake points with a walking type of bait or a pencil popper. 

There are also fish moving out deeper along drop-offs and humps in 30-45 feet of water.  They can be targeted with a soft plastic like a shaky head or a drop shot. 

Overall, the lake is fishing at least a few weeks behind schedule this year due to the cool temperatures and cloudy skies.  Expect many more fish to transition to deeper water when the temperature rises above 80 degrees.  

May 17

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have risen to the mid to upper 70s's over most of the lake.  On the very north end, temperatures are around 70. 

For the most part the spawn is over on Lake Keowee, although N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that some fish can still be found bedding on the north end of the lake. 

There is a shallow early morning bite on points, humps, and rocky shorelines with a crankbait or topwater.  An extended morning topwater bite can be found in areas holding baitfish. 

Overall, fish are starting to move out to deeper water and after the sun gets up, a drop shot or shaky head in 25-40 feet of water is working well. 

Fishing remains very good on the lake.

April 27

Lake Keowee is at 99.0% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have remained steady this week with the cooler weather and rain, and most of the lake is now in the upper 60s to low 70s. 

As is usually the case in the spring on Lake Keowee, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish in different parts of the lake are overall at slightly different stages of the spawn. Fish in the mid-lake area are largely post-spawn now, while fish are still on the bed on the south and north ends of the lake. 

An early morning bite on points with crankbaits and spinnerbaits (if windy) is good.  A very good topwater bite can also be found off points and in coves where bait is present – a walking type of bait is producing well.  Since there are always some fish schooling in the mornings, always keep a topwater bait ready. 

Soft plastics out to 16 feet or so are also working well on points and around docks. 

Overall, fishing remains very good on the lake.

April 21

Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are now in the mid-60s over most of the lake, with low 70s mid-lake. 

The bass are in all three stages of the spawn on Lake Keowee, but N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the progression varies in different parts of the lake.

In the mid-lake, the majority of fish are now post-spawn.  However, there are still many fish on the bed in the south and even more on the north end of the lake. 

An early morning bite with a square-bill or lipless crankbait on points continues to improve.  A topwater bait can also be effective early and well into the morning in areas holding schools of baitfish.  Fish could always be chasing bait on the surface so keep a topwater handy at all times. 

Soft plastics continue to work well out to 15 feet or so in spawning areas and around docks.  Fish the shady side of the docks in the afternoon.  

April 14

Lake Keowee is at 98.2% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have remained fairly constant this week, with mid-60s common. 

The bass fishing remains good on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that many spotted bass are on the bed, from a few feet deep out to 14 feet.  Points, humps, and flats are all producing fish on soft plastics such as a shaky head, Texas rig, Ned rig, etc.  The spawn is a protracted event on Keowee and will last well into May.  

But while many fish are on the bed, others are chasing bait in the mornings back in coves and can be caught on a topwater or swimbait.  Some schooling activity is also being noted in the mid-lake area where the water is the warmest.  And an early morning bite on points with a square-bill crankbait or spinnerbait is found anywhere bait is found. 

Overall, it continues to be a great time to be on the lake!

April 6

Lake Keowee is at 98.2% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures continue to rise on the lake, and they are now in the mid- to high 60s throughout.  

While spotted bass are in a strong spawning pattern right now, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that not all fish on Keowee spawn at the same time and there will be another wave or two in the coming weeks before the spawn is completed. 

Fishing is excellent currently with a shallow bite on soft plastics along shorelines, points, and docks.  Putting a bait on any shadow or bright spot on the lake bed will often result in a bite from a spotted bass on the bed. 

An early bite on points is developing with small square-bills, spinnerbaits, or lipless crankbaits – this bite will get stronger in the coming weeks.  A topwater bite is also improving on the lake, both early morning and late afternoon in areas holding bait fish.  A small swimbait or topwater walking bait is effective. 

Overall, this is a great time to be on the lake for numbers of fish and the chance to catch a big spotted bass up shallow.

March 31

Lake Keowee is at 98.7% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-60s on the south and north ends of the lake, and mid-lake temperatures are now approaching 70 degrees.  

Water temperatures are on the rise again on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that accordingly many bass are either on the bed or in a heavy pre-spawn pattern. 

A variety of baits are working on the lake, including swimbaits, spinnerbaits, square-bill crankbaits, and topwaters which are all a good choices for an early bite on points or coves where fish are chasing bait.  Soft plastics such as a Texas rig, Ned rig, and more are working out to 25 or so feet on points and spawning areas such as protected coves or around docks.  Note that the first big bream bedding could take place on the next full moon. 

Overall, fishing remains very good on the lake.

March 22

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 50s and low 60s over most of the lake. 

While water temperatures have generally held steady this past week, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that in the last day the temperatures have begun to move back up and, likewise, the bass are moving up again.  An early bite in long coves or creeks where bait is present can be found with a swimbait or top water.  A spinnerbait will also work if windy. 

After the sun gets up, soft plastics are working well around docks, long points, and spawning coves.  For spotted bass, fish out to 18 feet or so in these areas for fish moving up in heavy pre-spawn mode or spawning.  Some fish have been caught this week with signs of being on the bed in 12 feet or so. 

With warming temperatures in the forecast, a big wave of fish should be moving up in the next week.

March 16

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have fallen 1-2 degrees to around 60 over most of the lake. Around the power plant temperatures are in the mid-60s, while near the Jocassee dam they are in the upper 50s. 

The recent cold fronts have slowed the down the migration of Lake Keowee bass to the banks, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that some of the fish that were up shallow have also backed off a bit this week. 

The best baits have been a swimbait early and late each day around fish chasing bait in long coves and creeks – look for areas holding bait and spotted bass are typically nearby.  After the sun gets up, soft plastics fished from a few feet deep out to 20 feet or so are working.  Docks, steep banks, and wind-blown shorelines have been the most productive areas. 

Overall, fishing is good on the lake.  The swings in spring temperatures and conditions are affecting the fish on a day-to-day basis so adjusting each day to those factors is important.

March 9

Lake Keowee is at 97.6% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-60s over most of the lake. 

As water temperatures continue to rise, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that bass have moved up quickly and fish are now on the bed in many areas of the lake.  This past week marks the first big wave of fish moving up to spawn.  Other fish are in heavy pre-spawn mode and moving up as well. 

The best baits have been a swimbait and soft plastics like a shakey head or Ned rig in 5-15 feet of water.  Wind-blown shorelines and points are better.  Fish are also moving up around docks and any structure found in the lake.  Spinnerbaits and squarebills are also catching some fish shallow, especially on windy points. 

Overall, fishing is very good on the lake as fish have moved up well ahead of normal for this time of year.

March 2

Lake Keowee is at 98.3% of full pool and clarity is normal. Around the nuclear station water temperatures are in the mid-60s, with most areas of the lake now in the low 60s. 

Due to the rapid rise in water temperatures, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that bass are generally a few weeks ahead of the typical pattern. Fish are moving to the bank daily and the shallow bite is improving every day.  There are still some fish in deeper water but this pattern is weak now. 

From the bank out to 20 feet or so is working.  Fish can be caught shallow on plastics, small swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and similar spring-time techniques.  Fish are chasing bait early in the morning and late afternoon in creeks with bait present – a topwater bait will catch them.   

Expect to see fish on the bed anytime if the weather pattern persists.  

February 23

Lake Keowee is at 98.1% of full pool and clarity is normal. The lake has warmed to about 60 degrees on the north and south ends, with the mid-lake rising to the mid-60s over the last couple of days. 

Due to the rapidly warming water temperatures, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that things are changing pretty quickly on Lake Keowee. Fish are starting to aggressively move up and this trend will probably continue if the current weather pattern persists. 

In the American Bass Association Open last week, the top five anglers caught fish at a variety of depths, including some deep.  However, most of the winning bags came shallow on soft plastics, jigs, and swimbaits fished out to 30 feet or so on docks and secondary points.  Sunny, warm afternoons are bringing fish up on the docks and they can be targeted with a shakey head, jig, or Ned rig.  Some fish are also chasing bait off main lake points and in coves with bait present.  These fish can be taken with a swimbait or jerkbait (if windy). 

Overall, fishing is good and the trend should continue to improve in the next few weeks as a strong pre-spawn bite gets underway.

February 16

Lake Keowee is at 97.5% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures continue to rise on the lake with the mid-lake now in the mid-60s and the upper 50s at the north and south ends. 

Due to temperature differentials, especially in the mid-lake region N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that more fish are beginning to transition to shallow water.  Some surface activity has been noted in the mid-lake as well and those fish can be targeted with a topwater or jerkbait. 

Soft plastics around docks and primary and secondary points out to 30 feet are working.  Rocky points that warm up throughout the day are more productive. 

 

February 13

Lake Keowee is at 98.7% of full pool and the lake is very clear. Water temperatures are around 57 on both ends of the lake but 68 mid-lake!

Tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley has a had a heck of an early spring bass fishing on Lake Keowee, winning the Skeeter Bass Challenge two weeks ago and with typical partner Greg Glouse now adding the Palmetto Boat Center scalp to his resume this Saturday. They had a giant seven pound largemouth and a 5 ½ pound spot to put them over 23 pounds, but if they had not lost another 5-pounder they could have been closer to 30 than 20!

Saturday was an extremely windy day, and they found the better fish set up about 20 feet deep off points and banks in the creeks.  If wind wasn’t blowing onto it, it wasn’t worth fishing. They would locate huge schools of bait on their forward-facing sonar, and then see large schools of 10-20 fish hanging off the bait. The Alabama rig was the deal, and while they also caught a few fish on a spinnerbait all the quality came on the A-rig. Once you figure out the type of banks the fish are sitting on it’s a pretty predictable pattern to locate fish. 

Right now the fish are in a transition period, but particularly in the mid-lake section Joe is already seeing fish cruising up shallow and even some bucks on beds.  In the next week or two the fishing should be in a hard spring pattern instead of a late winter bait pattern.  Everything happens earlier on Keowee because of the power plant. 

February 9

Lake Keowee is at 98.4% of full pool and clarity is high. Water temperatures have remained constant this past week, ranging from the low 50s on the south and north ends to the low 60s mid-lake.

For now bass fishing on Keowee remain largely in a winter pattern, but N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that a slow upward trend in temperatures is likely from this point and more fish will continue to move up to shallower water. 

Tactics that are working include swimbaits and jigs in ditches, along with soft plastics out to 30 feet or so around docks and points.  Deeper fish can still be targeted with a drop shot or spoon but that bite is not as strong as it was a few weeks ago.  A jerkbait, particularly on windy days, is productive on rocky points and shorelines.

With mid-lake temperatures in the low 60s, expect to see fish move up in that area sooner than on the northern or southern ends of the lake.  

February 2

Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and clarity is high on the main lake with the backs of major creeks stained. Morning surface water temperatures are nearing their winter lows with readings in the low 50s over most of the lake and just over 60 degrees near the power plant discharge.

Every January there are lots of tournaments on Keowee, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that has again been the case in 2023 with the ABA, BFL, Skeeter Challenge, high school, and multiple club tournaments being held in the last four weeks.  There have been some big limits weighed, including some big largemouth coming to the scales.  As is common on Keowee a lot of limits of 7-10 pounds have also been recorded, and many anglers have struggled to catch five fish. 

There are various patterns that are working on the lake currently.  A creek/ditch bite with an underspin, swimbait, jig, or shakey head out to 40 feet of water is working.  For the deeper fish, a drop shot or spoon out to 80 feet is also a good choice.  In the creeks, many of the fish are hugging the bottom and a slow presentation is required. 

In the mid-lake region, there continues to be some surface activity (particularly on cloudy days) where bait is found.  These fish can be targeted with a topwater, swimbait, or jerkbait.  Fishing around docks and rocky points with soft plastics or a jig out to 20 feet of water is another option. 

Overall, the lake remains in a winter pattern and the transition to early spring techniques will largely depend on the weather over the coming month.

January 30

Lake Keowee is at 98.4% of full pool and the water is a little more stained than usual. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s on the north and south ends and low-60s near the nuclear station.   

Fresh off 18 pounds and first place in Sunday’s Skeeter Bass Challenge, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that every time he goes out on Keowee the bass are doing something different. They seem to be following the bait, and one day the bait will be in 60 feet then one day it will be in 20 then one day it will be in 40.  The bait doesn’t move around as much as on Jocassee, but it’s not far off.  The good part is that once you figure out where it is at a given time it seems to be fairly stable.  Some of the best concentrations of bait seem to be related to rare timber that was left standing.

While Joe is targeting some of the fish he catches looking at them on forward-facing sonar around cover like boat docks, some of them are glued extremely tight to the bottom and he doesn’t see them until he casts. Once he casts towards the bait he will see them rise off the bottom. 

They caught a couple of the smaller fish he weighed on a Ned rig, but their two good largemouth as well as the better spot came Sunday on an Alabama rig. He would cast the Alabama rig towards a bait school and then watch fish rise off the bottom to swim towards it. Another advantage of the forward-facing sonar is that you can see how fish react to different baits. Without it you would never know there are fish there ignoring a particular offering.  

While there are certainly bass out in very deep water, Joe advises that there are some fish surprisingly shallow as well. In practice Friday he caught a 4.29 pound largemouth in less than five feet of water. 

Finally, right now the more stained areas seem to be producing a bit better. 

January 25

Lake Keowee is up to 99.3% of full pool. 

In the Palmetto Boat Center high school tournament this Saturday on Lake Keowee more than 100 teams fished, but only eight broke ten pounds. One of these was the Pendleton High School team of Blake Sloan and Parker Fowler, son of our regular Upstate correspondent Guide Brad Fowler of Pendleton.

Blake and Parker had a good day out on the water, catching fifteen or more fish and culling multiple times on their way to third place and 12.71 pounds. They did it the normal way, fishing out deep with the usual baits of drop shots and jigs.  They also caught a few on a swimbait. Interestingly, Brad said they never picked up a jigging spoon. They mainly stuck to the mainly lake, fishing 50-80 feet of water on the bottom, but they also headed into the mouth of some creeks.

They did go shallow looking for a big largemouth but never found it and had no bites shallow. Recently there have been some good largemouth caught up the lake. 

With both boys being ninth graders, mainly competing against upperclassmen, expect more good things to come!

January 19

Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures are stable this week, with morning surface temperatures in the mid-50s on the north and south ends and low-60s near the nuclear station.   

It’s an interesting time for bass fishing on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that some bigger fish already seem to be moving up in less that 20 feet in the backs of coves and pockets. In multiple tournaments on the lake this past weekend some nice weights were recorded fishing shallow, and some fish seem to be on the bed or moving that way in certain areas. 

Otherwise, a winter pattern is still dominant over much of the lake with fish in creek channels and on ledges or channel swings.  Drop shots, spoons, jerkbaits, jigs and soft plastics are all options depending on which section of the lake you are fishing. 

Another round of big tournaments (the BFL and Skeeter Challenge) are on the lake the last weekend of the month and so it will be interesting to see if they continue to catch big bags relatively shallow. 

 

January 11

Lake Keowee is at 99.3% of full pool and clarity is normal except for muddy conditions in the backs of creeks. Morning surface water temperatures are stable over the past week with mid-50s over most of the lake.  The warmest water is around the nuclear station and the coolest water is in the very back of major creeks.   

The lake is now in a typical winter pattern for bass fishing, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that means that many fish are deep around structure or drop-offs.  These fish are best targeted with a drop shot in depths of 50 plus feet. 

Some fish can be caught on a jerkbait off points.  Look for birds diving on bait to potentially locate a school of bass. 

Fishing soft plastics such as swimbaits, shaky heads, or a jig in creek channels out to 40 feet is another good winter technique on the lake.

January 2

Lake Keowee is at 97.7% of full pool and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have fallen into the lower 50s over most of the lake. 

Last week’s cold front significantly dropped water temperatures, and as a result N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish moved into a winter pattern with many fish now deep and often hugging the bottom.  These fish can be targeted with a drop shot or jigging spoon. 

Some fish are still being caught on jerkbaits off points and in pockets.  A jig or swimbait fished slowly is also another good winter pattern on the lake. 

Fishing has slowed as the water temperature has dropped but you can still have a productive day on the lake, particularly in areas where bait fish can be found.