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The newest Lake Greenwood fishing report can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-lake-greenwood-sc-fall-2018-fishing-report/
October 19
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.06 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures are in the mid to upper 70s. The lower end has cleared after the storm.
Bass fishing on Lake Greenwood is by no means strong right now, but veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter reports that some fish have been caught flipping docks in shallow water in the river area with big Ole Monster or Mag 2 worms. As water temperatures drop more fish will come to the banks, and soon a buzzbait should work well all day.
September 21
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.08 (full pool is 440.0).
It’s typical for the Lake Greenwood offshore bass bite to deteriorate this late in the season due to a variety of factors, including a long summer of fishing pressure and reduced water quality. Add in the effects of recent rains and SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda says that it’s a no-brainer to start shallow in the creeks and up the rivers and fish the dirtiest water you can find. Stan has had success lately fishing square-billed crankbaits, buzzbaits, and flipping cover, keying on any wood or shallow docks he can find. However, you want to fish areas with some deep water nearby and not very shallow, flat creeks.
August 24
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.96 (full pool is 440.0).
It’s no surprise that Lake Greenwood bass fishing remains tough, and SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that at most it’s taking about 14 pounds to win tournaments. The best pattern is still fishing deep around brush in 18-20 feet of water in the main lake or at the mouths of creeks. Big worms and jigs remain the best baits.
You can catch a few fish shallow, and the best shallow pattern is throwing a frog around the grass.
August 8
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.00 (full pool is 440.0).
Predictably for August, SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that bass fishing has gotten tougher over the last few weeks. There is still a deep bite around brush in 18-20 feet of water in the main lake or at the mouths of creeks. Big worms and jigs remain the best baits.
There have also been some decent reports of anglers catching fish in shallow grassy areas on frogs. But overall fishing remains pretty tough, and 12-14 pounds is usually a winning bag in night tournaments.
July 10
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.93 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures remain in the mid- to upper-80s.
The dog days of summer are here, but SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the offshorebassbite remains pretty good around brush in 18-20 feet of water in the main lake or at the mouths of creeks. With the deep fish getting beat on pretty hard big worms and jigs are working better than crankbaits.
There has not been a lot of action shallow, but based on limited reports it may be possible to find a frog bite up the river. Other than that the shallow bite on the main part of the lake has pretty much gone away in the heat.
June 20
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.97 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper-80s.
As expected the summer offshore bass bite has come around on Lake Greenwood, and SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the best fishing is coming fishing around brush in 15-18 feet of water with deep diving crankbaits like the 6XD, DD-22, or DT-16 or big, Texas rigged worms like Zoom Ole Monsters. While Stan is targeting the middle of the lake deep fish can be found from one end to the other.
First thing in the morning you can still catch some fish on topwater lures around sea walls or on the banks with a buzzbait, but its’s a small window.
May 24
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.97 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures are in the upper 80s.
Bass fishing is still tough on Lake Greenwood, but instead of a post-spawn funk the culprit now seems to be that fish are transitioning from shallow to deep.
SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that in the most recent tournament it took about 19 pounds to win, with those fish reportedly caught out of the eel grass around the State Park, but weights dropped way down into the low teens below that. There are still a few fish shallow around sea walls and the like, and they can be caught on Pop-Rs and floating worms. There are also starting to be a few fish in deep brush in 15-18 feet, which can be caught on crankbaits and big worms, but they still aren’t out there in very good numbers yet. The better fish may be in the 10-12 foot range around rock and points, but they are challenging to locate.
May 10
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.02 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures range from 73-75 degrees. The lower lake is pretty clear and up the lake is only mildly stained.
Another lake without herring, and another tough post-spawn bass bite. SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the largemouth bass spawn is pretty much over on Lake Greenwood, and the fishing has gotten tough.
Recently it’s been hard to get bites at all, and there has been no strong pattern. Stan has caught some fish throwing a Pop-R around seawalls, but most them have been on the smaller side. In the eel grass across from Greenwood State Park you can fish a swimbait and a jig, and they have caught some decent fish that way. A few fish have been picked up on shallow points.
The bites have been few and far between out deep, but Stan has picked up his best fish out there on deep brush with an Ole Monster worm Texas-rigged. These include the 7-pounder pictured below and a 3-pounder. The offshore bite is just beginning to get started.
April 27
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.02 (full pool is 440.0) and water temperatures are in the mid-60s. With the recent rain the water is pretty dirty on the upper end, and since they are pulling a lot of water the lower end will get stained soon.
It’s late April, and SC BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the largemouth bass spawn is pretty much done on Lake Greenwood. However, with temperatures still pretty cool it will be a while before fish start to head deep.
One good pattern is running the sea walls with a black Pop-R, and there are also a lot of fish holding in the eel grass in 3-8 feet (although fishing pressure is intense around it). Depending on the mood of the fish topwaters, including buzzbaits and frogs, and jigs will work.
There should also be a shad spawn starting about now, and fish will be running the points chasing bait. This takes place more out towards deep water.
You can also catch fish flipping docks with a shakey head.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson(864-992-2352) reports that drifting cut herring and shrimp in 5-15 on the flats will catch channels. For flatheads it is starting to be the time where you can anchor on points at night with live bream.
April 11
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.91 (full pool is 440.0).
The Carolinas Bass Challenge had its third South Carolina tournament on Greenwood this past Saturday, and weights were good but not great. The winning team of Bobby Stanfill and Shane Abbott had an impressive 23.82 pound bag, and there was one other really nice bag over 20 pounds caught by Barry Holloman and Joey Bramlett. However, about half the 100-boat field weighed less than 10 pounds – and 14 was good for a check. Respectable but not staggering weights indicated sub-optimal conditions.
Even though it’s mid-April state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that intermittent cool weather means that the Greenwood bass just haven’t really started bedding yet, and the two times they really tried it got cold again. They just aren’t as shallow as they usually would be at this time. Last weekend they could catch a bunch of small fish up shallow around the banks on Senkos, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits – but the better females just hadn’t pulled up. Some of the better bags were caught fishing for pre-spawn fish staging in 4-8 feet around eel grass across from the state park on the main lake. Jigs and swimbaits worked well.
With a new moon approaching around the weekend, and a wave of warm temperatures, the bigger fish should be coming up now. This weekend anglers should look for fish shallow and bedding, and it’s not far from topwater time. Floating worms and Bang-O-Lures should get really good soon.
March 30
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.27 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are around 59 on the main lake and up to the low 60s in the shallow backs. The lake is clearing.
It’s been an up-and-down spring on Lake Greenwood, and even though we have had a couple of warm days state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that on the water the better basshave not pulled up again in great numbers yet. You can catch a bunch of little ones beating the banks in the very backs of little creek pockets on jerkbaits, but the best ones aren’t there so far.
Stan saw one fish on a bed Thursday, and while it’s possible that a bunch of fish will bed this weekend on the full moon he’s not sure that it’s been warm enough quite long enough for them to feel comfortable. For now the bigger, pre-spawn fish are holding a little deeper in 4-6 feet of water. They can be caught just outside spawning areas in the main lake or the main part of creeks where they are getting ready to spawn.
By the Carolinas Bass Challenge tournament on Greenwood next weekend Stan expects a full blown spawning tournament.
March 15
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 437.14 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures have fall into the mid-50s. Up the lake is muddy after the recent rains, while the water is just dirty/ dingy from the mid-lake down.
A couple of weeks ago state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reported that bass were bedding on Lake Greenwood, but after a cold March Stan says that things are now back to normal for this time of year. Fish have not gone far from where they were a few weeks ago, but they have pulled out deeper around rocky secondary points, rocky banks and slightly deeper brush. They are still near the spawning coves but not right in them. 3-6 feet and deeper is a good depth range to fish.
For right now Shad Raps and spinnerbaits are working pretty well. A few fish are also being caught flipping docks with jigs, shakey heads and Texas rigs.
March 2
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 437.00 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are generally in the lower 60s. The lake is clearing but the upper end and creeks are still dirty.
It’s been pretty unreal for the end of February on Lake Greenwood, and state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that bass are already actively bedding. As on Murray they aren’t up everywhere, but if you spend time shallow looking you will first them. In addition to bed fishing, and all the shallow water pre-spawn patterns such as shallow-running crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, etc. that were already in play last week, you can now add topwater fishing to the list. The best floating worm bite may still be a little off, but buzzbaits and Bang-O-Lures are both already producing.
February 23
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.99 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are 59 and higher on Lake Greenwood. The upper end is very muddy, while the middle to lower lake around the State Park is not bad.
State BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda hasn’t been out on Lake Greenwood bassfishing this week, but his friend Marty Robinson has been killing them and passed on this report to him. No area is off limits right now, and the fish are in or near any area where they are going to spawn. It’s a full-blown, wide open pre-spawn bite. And the spawn is going to take place very early this year – one reputable source Stan spoke to reported catching a fish in warm, muddy water that had a bleeding tail from fanning a bed.
The best pattern has been running the banks with shallow-running crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and chatterbaits, as well as fishing Rattle Traps around the backs of pockets. A good number of fish are also around docks. In short, it’s a shallow water bass fisherman’s dream period right now.
No new catfish report from Captain Chris Simpson.
February 16
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 437.13 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are reaching 56 or higher on warm days. Visibility is still pretty good despite the rains.
Lake Greenwood bassare truly starting to get into a spring pattern, and state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that fish are hitting the banks and getting very shallow. Fish can be caught in main lake pockets as well as from the middle of the creeks to the very backs, and they are already getting near the types of places where they will spawn. It’s worth looking in spawning pockets for cruising fish. Spinnerbaits, Rattle Traps and Shad Raps are all working.
No new catfish report from Captain Chris Simpson.
February 9
Lake Greenwood water levels have risen fast to 436.60 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are as warm as the low 50s. Much of the lake is stained to muddy with recent rains.
With the water dirty and rising a lot of Lake Greenwood basshave moved up, and state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that throwing a Shad Rap around rocky points and an Alabama rig around boat ramps is catching fish. There are a good number of fish in 8 feet of water or less, and for the A-rig in particular finding some dingy water is ideal. There are probably some fish still out deep, but it’s apparent that most of the shad have started to move into the creeks and with temperatures warming up quickly they are certainly headed that way.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson reports that cold, muddy water has got the fish holding tight to the river and creek channels on Lake Greenwood. Drifting cut bait in 20-30 feet is the best bet.
February 1
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 434.87 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are around 46-48 degrees. The upper end of the lake is getting muddy after recent rains.
Bassremain in a very similar pattern on Lake Greenwood, and state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that jerkbaits, Alabama rigs, and jigging spoons are still the best baits, mainly in deeper areas. Without any major change in the weather fish are still in a deep winter pattern.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson reports that the bite is pretty slow and the baitfish and fish are very close to the main river channel. Drifting in and out and of the main channel with cut bait until you locate the depth where fish are holding on a particular day is the best bet.
January 18
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.60 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are in the upper 40s.
Bassare truly in a winter pattern on Lake Greenwood, and state BASS team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that jerkbaits and Alabama rigs are working well over deep brush in 15-18 feet and on ledges. It’s also worth running steeper banks and throwing these baits. The other main pattern is fishing a jigging spoons around creek and river channels, chiefly in about 25 feet of water.
No new catfish report from Captain Chris Simpson.
December 19
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.03 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are around 50 degrees. Clarity is normal.
It remains a mix of deep and shallower on Lake Greenwood, and State BASS Team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that they are chiefly catching the bass two ways.
First is sitting the boat in 10-15 feet of water and casting towards the bank. On this shallower pattern they are catching some fish on Alabama rigs, crankbaits and jerkbaits along the bank as well as off docks.
Second, they are catching fish on jigging spoons in the mouth of creeks and the main lake near or on the break of creek and river channels. Most of the fish are coming within a few feet of 20 feet on the top edge of the ledge where it breaks off into the channel.
Captain Chris Simpson reports no change in the catfish bite.
December 14
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 436.26 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures are in the mid-50s.
State BASS Team boater Stan Gunter of Saluda reports that the water is getting colder on Lake Greenwood, and as a result bass are getting into a winter pattern. While there are good fish to be caught deep on a jigging spoon and the like, there are also some nice ones in 6 feet or less. In creek ditches a suspended jerkbait is working well, and squared-billed crankbaits are also producing. When it is cold on Greenwood there are still a lot of good fish to be found feeding shallow on shad in the creeks.
In catfish news, Captain Chris Simpson says that reports indicate that baitfish are starting to gather up pretty thick in or near the main river channel and some of the big feeder creek channels. Catfish are right there with them. On the upper half of the lake they are in 15-25 feet, and on the lower half 25-35 feet. Drift the areas with the best concentrations of bait with cut herring, perch or shad.
December 1
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 437.06 (full pool is 440.0), and water temperatures down the lake are in the low 60s but several degrees cooler in the upper 50s in the river.
Tournament bass angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria caught 17 pounds for 3rd place in a recent tournament on Greenwood, and he reports that the bite was pretty good and he caught about 20-30 fish over the course of the day. From what he saw all of the fish were oriented to a channel, and up the lake that meant fishing the river channel and down the lake creek channels. Points that ran into the channel also held fish. He caught fish on a jerkbait early, a spoon, and his best fish on an Alabama rig. Reports indicated that a lot of the better sacks came on a spoon. The key depth range seemed to be 30-35 feet.
In catfish news, Captain Chris Simpson says that reports indicate that the pattern is still similar on Lake Greenwood but the bite is only “fair.” Fish are super scattered, and drifting between the flats and channels and covering lots of water is key.