July 14

 

Lake Greenwood water level is at 438.90 (full pool is 440.0). The morning surface water temperatures are around 88 degrees, but often even higher in the afternoons.

 

The crappie fishing bite remains very good, and despite the hot weather recently, Captain Roland Addy withCarolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that he’s still catching crappie on brush and woody structure in the creeks. Captain Roland said that usually by this time of the year, most of the crappie are on the main lake relating to deep woody cover, but as of now, not many fish have moved to those locations. Some are filtering out to those areas, but he’s still primarily fishing the creeks.

 

Captain Roland said the crappie bite is still best in the creeks at Lake Greenwood.

 

 

Most crappie are holding in 12-20 feet of water around woody structure, and the fish are being caught around the tops of the brush at 8-15 feet of water. He’s primarily using live minnows with his clients, but anglers familiar with fishing jigs on light tackle can catch plenty of fish.

 

Captain Roland believes the recent rains upstate and slightly cooler temps on cloudy days have helped. And the lake now has some fresh water flowing through it, likely from rain upstream of Greenwood, and he believes that’s helped overall water conditions. The watercolor is good; it has a slight stain to it, not too clear, so that’s helping fish relate to hold steady.

 

Bass angler Stan Gunter reports that bass fishing has changed dramatically for the worse since his last report. The recent extremely hot weather has caused the water temperature to soar near 90 degrees, and the bass bite has slowed noticeably.

 

Stan reports bass are still being caught using similar patterns, but just not nearly as many fish. Early morning action is best in shallow water, and the best fishing is up the river more than down the lake. He recommends targeting areas above the Highway 72 Bridge.

 

Fishing docks and laydowns in that sector using plastic worms is a good bet. At the lower end of the lake, fish are being caught in deeper water around brush at 15-18 feet, on deep crankbaits and soft plastics, but again, this action is slow. While he doesn’t fish at night, he said the action would be better at night if anglers are familiar with the lake.

Terry Madewell

 

July 2 

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.11 (full pool is 440.0) and the lake is clearing. Morning surface water temperatures are around 84 degrees.

With the hot weather the black bass action is slowing down on Lake Greenwood, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that by now we are definitely getting into summer patterns. For the first hour or two you can fish seawalls that have shade with a Pop-R, but after that anglers mostly need to be fishing deep. The tournament Saturday was won deep on brush piles, and Stan finds the most productive brush piles are in 15-18 feet. He targets them with a 5XD or 6XD crankbait or a big worm like an Ol’ Monster.

Docks are also producing right now, but mostly deeper docks that are on main water close to channels. A shaky head or Senko will work for dock fishing. 

June 24

 

Lake Greenwood water level is at 439.19 (full pool is 440.0), and the middle to upper lake is dingy, but improved.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees, but often considerably higher in the afternoons.

 

Overall, fishing on Lake Greenwood is likely better than typical for a late June report for both crappie and bass. Captain Roland Addy withCarolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that he’s catching crappie on brush and woody structure in 10-20 feet of water, and the fish are coming from both up in the creeks and on the main lake. Often, by late June, most of the action is found on the main body of the lake.

 

Captain Roland believes the recent rains and slightly cooler temps on cloudy days have helped. The watercolor is also good; it has a slight stain to it, not clear, so that’s helping fish relate to hold steady. 

 

Captain Roland said the crappie bite continues to be strong throughout the lake.

 

Regardless of where you want to fish, the 10–20-foot depth is best to target them, but the fish are generally found in 8-15 feet around woody structure. Captain Roland said they may relate to the sides or over the top of the structure, often depending on the time of day and sunlight penetration. 

 

He said they tend to be shallower during low-light periods or on cloudy days, and by midday on sunny days, they’re closer to 15 feet deep in the water column.

 

His most effective tactic continues to be casting jigs to the fish and letting the lure fall to the depth where they’re marked on his electronics. The jigs are equally effective as minnows, but live minnows are also a good choice. And as the fish will most likely get deeper over the next few weeks with much hotter weather, vertical fishing with minnows will likely become the preferred method.

 

Bass angler Stan Gunter reports that bass fishing almost seems like an April report because they’re being caught just about any way a person chooses to fish.

 

Stan reports bass are being caught from shallow water action in 2-3 feet of water up the river, well above the Highway 72 Bridge. Anglers are catching fish in good numbers and sizes off docks and laydowns in that sector using plastic worms. At the lower end of the lake, fish are being caught in deeper water around brush at 15-18 feet. These fish are being caught on deep crankbaits and soft plastics.

 

Plus, fishing docks at various depths with soft plastics is good in both the creeks and the main lake.

 

He reports that a bass tournament on Lake Greenwood this past weekend was won with 22+ pounds, a solid number for late June.

 

Also, early morning fishing around seawalls and shoals is good for topwater action for the first hour of light, then the fish retreat to deeper cover. This shallow water action is prime time for buzzbaits and Pop-R’s.

 

Terry Madewell

 

June 9

 

Lake Greenwood water level is at 438.56 (full pool is 440.0), and the middle to upper lake is still quite dingy, but improved.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees.

 

As water temperatures continue to rise, the crappie fishing continues to be good on Lake Greenwood, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that he’s catching fish on brush and woody structure in 10-20 feet of water. 

 

Captain Roland said jigs are his preferred lure for crappies or fish holding in 10-20 feet.

 

Captain Roland said the crappies are now in transition, with the pattern shifting from the fish being in the creeks to moving back toward the main river channel. But for this week, the action should remain stable.

 

He believes that over the next couple of weeks, anglers will see an incremental trend toward deeper water. But even when the fish migrate to deeper water, the crappie will often suspend shallower around the woody structure.

 

He said the fish aren't necessarily holding on the bottom, especially in low light conditions. They’re typically suspended along the sides and above the cover and may be only 5-12 feet deep, suspended around the brush or woody cover. Mid-day, they move deeper in the water column.

 

His most effective tactic right now for catching crappie is casting jigs to the fish and letting the lure fall to the depth where he sees them marked on his electronics. The jigs seem to be equally effective as minnows, but live minnows are also a good choice. And as the fish get deeper over the next few weeks, vertical fishing with minnows will likely become the preferred method.

 

Captain Roland said the bass activity remains very good on the lake; he keeps up with the fishing, and so does his son. Bass are working the shallows early and late in the day with productive topwater lures such as the Pop R. The woody cover, including docks, is a better mid-day target, he said, and he recommends working soft plastics around those targets.

Terry Madewell

 

June 3

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.55 (full pool is 440.0) and the middle to upper lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are around 80 degrees.

The black bass action is fast and furious on Lake Greenwood, with the disclaimer from tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda that the lake is absolutely full of small spotted bass. Still, some good largemouth are being caught in tournaments, with Stan noting that they can be easier to target further up the lake. There is a good topwater bite in the morning, and all month baits like Pop-Rs should catch fish around sea walls. Docks are really good with shaky heads and Senkos right now, but soon cranking deeper brush in 15-20 feet should come on. 

For now the crappie are still on brush in both the creeks and the main lake on Lake Greenwood, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that should continue for a couple more weeks. However, by mid- to late June (depending on weather) most of the fish should head to the main lake and stack up on brush in 15-30 feet of water. Early they will be higher in the water column, and during the day they will sink deeper into the brush. For now jigs are as good as minnows, but as it gets hotter it’s not unusual for it to become more of a live bait bite – although not a certainty. 

May 20

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 438.44 (full pool is 440.0), and the lake is still clear.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 72 degrees.

 

In this post-spawn period, the crappie fishing is very good on Lake Greenwood, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that they are catching fish on brush and woody structure in 10-20 feet of water. 

 

Before we get into the specifics on the crappie fishing, Captain Roland said any lingering concerns he had about the recent fish kill on Lake Greenwood are satisfied. He’s researched the topic thoroughly and even stayed off the lake (he fished nearby Lake Murray) for a while to ensure his clients' safety.

 

He began fishing/guiding on the lake last weekend, and from all the information he’s gathered and studied, it's clear that the authorities see no reason why people shouldn't be fishing and swimming at Lake Greenwood.

 

Captain Roland said the post-spawn crappie are moving to cover and woody structure, with the favored depth right now at 10–20 feet. He said the fish aren't necessarily on the bottom; they’re typically suspended along the sides and above the cover. In low-light conditions, the fish may be in only 5-10 feet of water, suspended around brush or woody cover in deeper water. Mid-day they move deeper in the water column.

 

Captain Roland said it's safe to fish Lake Greenwood, and the crappie bite is excellent. 

 

His most effective tactic right now for catching crappie is casting jigs to the fish, letting the lure fall to the depth where he sees them marked on his electronics. The jigs seem to be equally effective as minnows, but live minnows are also a good choice.

 

Captain Roland said on the last full moon, a lot of shellcrackers spawned and some bream bedded too, but this next full moon is when he believes the first widespread bream bedding activity will occur on Lake Greenwood.

 

In addition to very productive crappie action, it’s time to get the crickets and worms and hunt bream in the shallows on Lake Greenwood.

Terry Madewell

May 7

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 438.76 (full pool is 440.0) and lake is still clear, but overnight rain may provide some dingy water, which is needed.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 66-67 degrees.

It’s early May and the bream and shellcracker have provided good fishing, but fishing guides Wendell and Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) made the journey from their primary home lake (Lake Russell) and found the bream and shellcracker fishing to be phenomenal at Lake Greenwood.

Luke and Wendell each brought their own boats and their clients fished for two days, fishing only six hours each day. Wendell Wilson kept the ‘fish caught’ tally and the final count was 590 fish caught, and the vast majority of those were bream and shellcracker. Wendell said many of the fish were quality bream and shellcracker and the anglers could have kept limits for all fishermen each day.

Guide Wendell Wilson said worms are ideal for bream and shellcrackers

They only kept a total of 50 fish to clean, but enjoyed the fast-paced action trip of a lifetime. Wendell said he and Luke beat the banks, and worked around docks, to make this amazing catch.  Each boat worked along shorelines, casting worms to the shallow water and working the bait back to the boat. Wendell said they used worms because they hoped to catch plenty of shellcracker, which they did.

While they did find and catch some bedding fish, they caught just as many panfish by hooking stragglers while working along the shoreline. Wendell said the some of the biggest bream and shellcrackers were individual fish caught holding tight to cover, not on the beds.

The depth pattern varied, with some of the fish caught in skinny water near the shoreline, but just as many were caught deeper around the front of the docks. Catching fish around the deep side of the docks is more of a June pattern, he said, but on this trip, bream and shellcrackers were literally almost everywhere.

In addition to the two panfish species, occasional white perch, black bass and small catfish loaded on the worm rigs, keeping the action interesting. Wendell said it was an amazing trip and many fishermen may not believe it, but it happened.

If you’re looking to get your ultra-light string stretched this week, Lake Greenwood appears to be a good option. If you go, bring a lot of worms and/or crickets.

Terry Madewell

 

April 30

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 438.76 (full pool is 440.0) and lake is still clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 66-67 degrees.

To our knowledge the source of the fish kill on the lower end of Greenwood hasn’t been pinned down yet, and in fact the last press release that we saw from DNR they had ruled out many of the typical sources of fish kills.  It apparently remains a mystery.  

He hasn’t been on the water this week, but looking forward to May black bass fishing tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that with mild temperatures to start the month the shad spawn should create some fishing opportunities around points and docks early for several weeks. You can use anything from a Pop-R to a swimbait to a spinnerbait, as long as the bait imitates shad. We are also getting into the period where there will also be fish caught around sea walls on topwater lures, regardless of whether the shad spawn is going on. Other bass will start to get out on deeper brush where they will take big worms and crankbaits. 

In this post-spawn period the crappie fishing is picking up on Lake Greenwood, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that they are catching fish on brush in 10-20 feet of water. That pattern should hold through the end of May, and all month fish should be on brush at this depth in both the creeks and on the main lake. Usually in early June fish will leave the creeks and head deeper to main lake brush, although that could happen earlier if it gets very hot, there continues to be very little rain, and/or water levels drop significantly. 

April 23

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.61 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees. 

To our knowledge the exact source of the fish kill on the lower end of Greenwood hasn’t been pinned down yet, but tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that his understanding is that the suspects are some combination of stagnant water, depleted oxygen, and an algae bloom. At the same time, Guides Wendell and Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) were on Greenwood this week scouting for a trip next week (they did very well with the shellcracker, white perch, and crappie) and the fish they cleaned had orange meat – so they aren’t sure they will be back next week since the clients want fish to keep. While they found a lot of brush that was loaded with crappie and some big schools of perch, which generally would eat, they also marked one huge school of fish very, very close to the bottom which would not touch minnows. Later they wondered if they were in fact dead or dying since they behaved so differently from other fish they saw. 

We will just have to follow the news to see what they discover, but Wendell does expect the shellcracker spawn will be excellent next week because it was already good – and that perch and crappie should continue to feed very well wherever they are schooled up.

And despite the kill Stan reports that black bass are still feeding well, with some decent mostly post-spawn weights coming in recent tournaments. He advises fishing up the lake where there are no reports of kills, and then concentrating on topwater lures around the banks – and then docks. Senkos and shaky head worms are good around docks, especially with so many fry guarders about.  

April 16

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.10 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees and despite very little rain parts of the lake have some color. 

The black bass spawn is winding down on Lake Greenwood, as can be seen in tournament weights, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that he is now pretty much focused on fishing topwater lures around the banks for post-spawn fish. Especially compared to a lot of other South Carolina lakes water levels are fairly high, and so that keeps fish holding near the banks. On the water he has not seen a shad spawn yet, but it should be developing any day and that will concentrate bass early. 

While there may still be some very late crappie spawning on Greenwood, Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that almost half of the fish have moved to brush and the other half have headed to open water. The fish that are in open water are not schooled up and generally very difficult to target, and so the most catchable fish are the ones on brush – where soon all the crappie will be. The best brush right now is in about 10-20 feet of water in the creeks. 

April 3

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 438.03 (full pool is 440.0).  Morning surface water temperatures are 65 degrees.    

The black bass fishing at Lake Greenwood is about to bust wide open, according to tournament angler Stan Gunter. Stan said the bass are on the verge of spawning, and he believes the big push will occur within the next week based on his and his son’s fishing this week. He said a few bass have already spawned, and they’re moving into the spawning pockets and shallow-water areas now. By late in the week and the weekend, that’s where bass anglers will want to be fishing. The best baits right now vary with individual fishermen; it’s the time when bass migrate to the shallows in pre-spawn and during spawn, when they're in an aggressive bite mode. Spinnerbaits are outstanding right now, with the double willow blade his top choice. Also, the floating worm will begin to produce working shallow, shoreline cover. The buzzbait, Frog, and topwater Bang O’ Lure are all effective now and should be even better choices by the weekend.

Stan said to work along shallow shorelines near bedding pockets and coves, and anglers should find bass willing to bite on several types of lures. Pick your weapon and get to Lake Greenwood.  While he’s not saying allthe crappie have finished spawning and headed deeper, Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service(864-980-3672) reports that by now most of the fish have started to set up on brush.  They can be found in both the main lake and the creeks, and 10-20 feet is the key depth range.  Both minnows and jigs will catch aggressive fish.

March 25

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 437.19 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are 58-59 degrees.    

As on many South Carolina lakes it hasn’t been the best spring for crappie fishing, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that the repeated cycle of fast rising and then falling water temperatures made for tougher fishing.  Regardless, we are now on the tail end of the spawn, and in fact many fish have already moved onto the post-spawn pattern of ganging up on brush. It’s mostly stragglers that can still be caught on the banks, although you can also catch some pre- and post-spawn fish long-line trolling.

But the black bass don’t move as fast as the crappie, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the various cold snaps have set the fish back far enough that the majority of fish have not yet spawned. Others have not even fully pulled up shallow. Still, the best pattern at this point is fishing in the creeks or main lake coves around secondary points and even inside spawning pockets with spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, and crankbaits. If that doesn’t work then slow way down with soft plastics. Finally, Stan notes that a decent number of fish are holding on docks right now. 

March 18

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 436.82 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures have likely dropped back into the mid- to upper 50s.   

With almost nobody on the water the last few days it’s unclear what effect the cold front has had on the crappie fishing, but Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that at least by this weekend he doesn’t think too much will have changed. So many fish seem to have already spawned that he believes we are already on the downhill side of that, but he expects there will still be tons of fish hanging around in 10-15 feet in the creeks that can be caught long-line trolling. And while they may not be up there today, he believes that by this weekend anglers should also be able to catch fish casting jigs and minnows around the banks. 

More information to follow once we have current updates.

March 12

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.52 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are now in the low-60s. 

The black bass on Lake Greenwood are on the edge of spawning, and while tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda won’t deny that a few fish are already on beds he thinks the vast majority are still pre-spawn. However, by next week he expects a massive wave of fish to be spawning and from what he is seeing they are mostly all already close to or even inside their eventual spawning pockets.

It's a really fun time to fish, and basically any shallow water technique will work. Just going along the bank with a floating worm, Senko, or even a topwater lure you will catch fish. 

Meanwhile the crappie fishing on Greenwood has actually gotten tougher, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that basically fish are scattered out all the way from deep to shallow water. While many are spawning they have not all gone to the banks, and now you can find fish from 2-30 feet, from the creeks to the main lake, and they are moving a lot. Basically you can fish how you want to, from casting at schools with LiveScope, to long-line trolling, to fishing jigs and minnows around the banks, but fish are doing so many different things that it’s not always easy to find numbers. 

March 4

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 436.56 (full pool is 440.0) and the upper end and the backs of some creeks are dingy/ dirty while the rest of the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are getting into the mid-50s. 

The black bass fishing is finally getting good on Lake Greenwood for springtime anglers who like to fish around the banks, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that fish are moving back in the creeks as well as into main lake pockets. Fish are not spawning yet but they are moving up and getting into pre-spawn mode. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless crankbaits are good around rock and shallow brush, while shaky heads and jigs will catch fish around docks. 

While Stan hasn’t been crappie fishing on Greenwood one of his sons has, and he reports that a good number of fish have moved into the backs of creeks. He is finding big schools in as little as 10 feet of water and casting jigs to them. 

Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) is seeing the same thing, and he notes that by this point fish can be found literally from 5 (or less) feet of water out to 50 feet. There are still schools of fish deep on the main lake, but there are also tons of fish that have moved into all parts of the creeks. Some male fish are almost certainly around shallow cover on the banks, and Captain Roland expects that some fish will spawn this weekend. He actually believes that there is also a small number of fish that has already spawned, and while it seems hard to believe last week he was catching a group of fish that were fat and full of eggs in one area but are now flat as boards. Considering the spikes in water temperatures in some areas that’s not impossible.

Overall it’s a time when you can fish about however you want to, from looking at schools on LiveScope and casting jigs to tight-line trolling to long-line trolling in the backs to casting at shallow cover with minnows and jigs. 

February 25

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.04 (full pool is 440.0) and the lake is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 50s.   

While there haven’t been a ton of big fish caught in recent tournaments, tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that catching numbers of black bass is getting easier on Greenwood.  His most reliable pattern has been fishing an Alabama around docks, and in a tournament Saturday Stan’s son caught spots and largemouth this way. They were fishing the main lake, but with lake levels low pretty much all the docks had five feet of water or less. They found the best action in the mid-lake area.

A secondary pattern is fishing rock, and a crankbait, Alabama rig, and jig are all doing well around rocky points. 

Temperatures have not risen enough to move the crappie, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that fish are still pretty high in the water column, mostly 5-15 feet down, in 20-40 feet of water. They are still mostly main-lake oriented, although some fish are at the mouths of creeks. While Captain Roland is mostly casting jigs, long-line trolling is effective with fish up high. 

February 18

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 435.65 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are about 46 degrees. 

Either because of small increases in water temperatures or the calendar, tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports the black bass fishing on Lake Greenwood is improving. But Stan expects that the first fish are still a long way off from spawning, and so for now they are still highly focused on bait. They are also looking for the warmest possible water, and so if you can find rocky areas where there is bait around there should be fish. While more fish are probably still out on the main lake Stan advises checking the creeks in 10 feet or less, particularly on warm days, and it’s definitely worth fishing docks that are close to deep water.  But rock remains the best structure. 

Alabama rigs and crankbaits are his two preferred lures right now. 

Back in South Carolina, Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that the biggest change with the crappie is that as temperatures start to warm fish are beginning to hold higher in the water column where the water temperature is frequently a few degrees more than on the bottom.  Most crappie are now 5-15 feet down, and the overall depth doesn’t matter that much although most are in 20-40 feet of water. They are still mostly main-lake oriented, although some fish are at the mouths of creeks. While Captain Roland is mostly casting jigs, long-line trolling is effective with fish up in the water column. 

February 12

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 435.03 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-40s. 

There has been more fishing activity on Lake Murray recently, but tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda has also been keeping up with the black bass on Greenwood and reports that even with only a few degrees of warming patterns are changing. The jigging spoon bite seems to be slowing down, although you can still catch lots of fish throwing an Alabama rig around docks, rock, and even just covering blank banks. People are also still LiveScoping with a jighead minnow, but with the warming trend fishing a crankbait around main lake or main creek rock has been rapidly improving.

It will probably take temperatures moving up a few more degrees for fish to really start to slide back into the creeks. 

While he’s now in Florida chasing specks, as of this Sunday Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that Lake Greenwood crappie really hadn’t moved much. They were still in 20-35 feet of water chasing bait, anywhere from 10 feet below the surface down to the bottom. The middle to upper lake was the most productive, with most fish still from the main channel to the mouth of the creeks. If you are using LiveScope you can cast jigs to the fish, but otherwise traditional trolling or tight-lining techniques will also work. 

February 4

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 434.72 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 40s. 

While tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda hasn’t been able to get after the black bass on Greenwood since the snow, he reports that channel and creek swings will continue to be the best places to look for fish as well as deeper rock. Alabama rigs and jigging spoons should continue to be good in these areas, and then of course some people will be in open water looking at LiveScope and throwing a minnow-type swimbait on a jighead. 

Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) also hasn’t been since the weekend, but he did get to fish immediately beforehand and already found a much tougher bite. 

Fish were still in 20-35 feet of water chasing bait, but instead of holding 10-20 feet down they were close to the bottom. The middle to upper lake was the most productive, with most fish still from the main channel to the mouth of the creeks. If you are using LiveScope you can cast jigs to the fish, but otherwise traditional trolling or tight-lining techniques will also work. 

January 28

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 434.59 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 30s to low 40s. 

One major cold front with ice moved the black bass deeper, but tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that a second major cold front and possibly accompanying snow this weekend will just cement that trend. Now channel and creek swings are the best places to look for fish, and while rocky points are still good you want to concentrate on rock in 10-15 feet of water. Far less fish will be around shallower rock.  And deeper docks are almost certainly better than shallow ones. At this time of year Alabama rigs always play well on Greenwood and this year is no exception, and jigging spoons are also working well. For rocky point crankbaits and jigs are also good. 

Of course, for guys fishing “the abyss” with LiveScope a minnow-type swimbait on a jighead is productive. 

While Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) hasn’t been fishing since the last report and won’t go again until Friday, it’s a near-certainty that the fishing hasn’t gotten better. When temperatures drop like this things rarely if ever improve. With the weather ahead he also expects a shad kill.

Still, patterns are unlikely to have changed and the fish should still mostly be in 20-35 feet of water chasing bait, generally holding 10-20 feet down depending on the depth of the water. The middle to upper lake has been the most productive, with most fish still from the main channel to the mouth of the creeks. If you are using LiveScope you can cast jigs to the fish, but otherwise traditional trolling or tight-lining techniques will also work. 

January 21

Lake Greenwood water levels are down to 434.51 (full pool is 440.0). Morning surface water temperatures are around 50 degrees. 

The cold front could change everything, but tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that there are more black bass patterns in the mix this week. In addition to a good jigging spoon bite (which the cold snap and an ensuing shad kill could improve), there have also been some heavy bags of fish caught “dirt shallow” in the backs of creeks with a Rattle Trap. Dropping temperatures are unlikely to help that bite. Then predictably there have been some of the best bags caught LiveScoping in open water. 

But none of that is Stan’s preferred pattern right now, and he still thinks the best way to catch a big bag is throwing an Alabama rig around deeper docks.

The crappie aren’t doing very much different from a week or two ago, with one big exception, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that the fish are still mostly off brush in 20-35 feet of water chasing bait, generally holding 10-20 feet down depending on the depth of the water. The middle to upper lake has been the most productive, with most fish still from the main channel to the mouth of the creeks. If you are using LiveScope you can cast jigs to the fish, but otherwise traditional trolling or tight-lining techniques will also work. 

Unfortunately, the big change is that they just aren’t biting very well – which is about right with temperatures in the mid-40s. And with the weather coming in Captain Roland obviously expects the lockjaw to only get worse. 

January 8

Lake Greenwood water levels are down to 434.93 (full pool is 440.0) and the lake is clear for Greenwood. Morning surface water temperatures are around 51 degrees. 

There’s a different black bass pattern this week on Lake Greenwood, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that a jigging spoon has been the best thing going on the lake. Even the “perch jerkers” are getting in on the action, and getting 5-pound largemouth mixed in with white perch has been a non-unusual phenomenon. You can either jig around bait schools or brush, but either way about 18 feet has been the ideal depth. The creeks have had fish but the main lake has been more productive. 

The secondary pattern remains fishing an Alabama rig either deep or around docks. 

By now the crappie have made a big move, and Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that the fish are almost entirely off brush at this point. They are generally in 20-35 feet of water chasing bait, generally holding 10-20 feet down depending on the depth of the water. The middle to upper lake has been the most productive, with most fish still from the main channel to the mouth of the creeks. If you are using LiveScope you can cast jigs to the fish, but otherwise traditional trolling or tight-lining techniques will also work.