October 2

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and water clarity is still very high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s over most of the lake. 

Water temperatures remain stubbornly high on Lake Keowee, and accordingly N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the fall transition period is only slowly underway with an early bite on points and in the back of creeks with a small crankbait or spinnerbait.  A topwater bite in the same areas can be found the first couple of hours of the morning. 

Some schools of spotted bass can be targeted in creek channels and drop offs in the 30-40 foot range.  On the main lake, look for schools of fish off long points with a topwater or drop shot. 

Expect to see more topwater action when the temperatures fall into the 70s.

September 24

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and water clarity is still very high on the main body of the lake. Morning surface water temperatures remain in the low to mid-80s over most of the lake. 

Water temperatures have held steady this past week, and as a result N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the fishing patterns have also remained fairly stable. 

An early bite on points with a small crankbait, topwater, or spinnerbait is working for the first hour or so of daylight.  Some schooling activity is happening in the backs of major creeks early in the morning and some sporadic schooling on the main lake is also underway throughout the day.  This pattern should increase when the water cools a few more degrees.  Long points with drop-offs on the end are good places to look for these fish with a topwater and then a drop shot when they are on the bottom. 

Expect the fishing to get even better in the next few weeks when the water temperature finally falls below 80.

Our apologies for the sporadic fishing reports in recent weeks. We will do everything we can to get back on track with weekly updates, but one of our children is getting through a significant health challenge which has occupied a great deal of our time and kept us out of work.  

September 18

Lake Keowee is at 98.1% of full pool and water clarity is still very high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s over most of the lake. 

At most water temperatures are falling very slowly on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that with stable weather the past week the bass are continuing their fall migration patterns.  An early bite on points with a small crankbait, buzzbait, or topwater will catch a few fish.  As the sun rises, look in or near the backs of long creeks for fish chasing schools of shad.  While a lot of these fish will be on the small side, they are fun to catch with a topwater bait. 

Bigger fish are still out on the main lake on long points and anywhere schools of bait are found – this can be over deep water on Keowee so keep an eye out for schooling fish. 

A shallow bite around docks or any structure will produce using a shaky head or similar soft plastic.  

September 10

Lake Keowee is at 97.1% of full pool and water clarity is very high, especially on the main lake. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to the low 80s over most of the lake. 

As water temperatures continue to slowly fall on the lake, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish continue to make their transition to fall.  An early bite on points or back in creeks is productive with a small crankbait or buzzbait.  Some good early morning topwater action with a walking bait can also be found back in the major creek arms in early and mid-morning. 

Some schooling activity is being found on the main lake and expect this to increase in frequency over the coming weeks.  A walking bait or swimbait can be used to target these fish and the location is dependent on schools of baitfish being present.  On Keowee, this can mean topwater action over deep water if bait is congregated there. 

Overall fishing is good and should only improve as the water continues to cool.

September 4

Lake Keowee is at 97.2% of full pool and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to the low to mid-80s over most of the lake. 

Back on the water after an extended hiatus, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that things have changed a bit in the last few weeks.  As a result of dropping water temperatures, a variety of techniques are working in the cooler conditions. 

Some big largemouth have been caught around bream beds and laydowns shallow.  An early bite on points with a lipless crankbait, topwater, or buzzbait is a good option for starting.  Fish are also holding off long points and chasing bait, with some surface activity beginning to occur throughout the day.  A swimbait or topwater can be used on these fish.  When these same fish are down in the water column a drop shot or shaky head can be used. 

Overall, fishing has improved and this trend will likely continue into the fall.

August 21

Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and the lake has cleared significantly. Morning surface water temperatures are back in the mid-80s. 

There are a number of different ways to catch black bass right now on Lake Keowee, and Guide Lane Clark (864-254-8614) reports that probably his number one current pattern is fishing bream beds. The mid-lake area around the hot hole and skimmer wall is a lot flatter and so it is usually easier to find bream beds there, and he would target the bass hanging around them with a buzzbait or Pop-R. Another strong pattern is to go behind the Jocassee dam and fish the moving water. Fish the walls with a shaky head or drop shot, and in the morning throw a topwater or buzzbait.

Of course perhaps the largest group of fish will be offshore, and while these fish are harder to target and not as likely to be feeding as, for example, a fish sitting off a bream bed, they can be caught a number of different ways.  Fishing with a drop shot or throwing a minnow-type soft plastic bait on a jighead will work, but Lane is more likely to target them with a topwater or fluke for fish feeding up.

August 9

Lake Keowee is at 97.8% of full pool and the main lake remains clear while the backs of major creeks are stained/ dirty from all the recent rain.  Morning surface water temperatures have dropped a few degrees with mid- to upper 80s now found over most of the lake. 

After unusually cool weather and an influx of freshwater runoff from heavy rainfall, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that some anglers report catching more black bass shallow this week.  Still, overall fish remain in a summer pattern and at first light fishing on points with a small crankbait or buzzbait remains a good starting technique.  After the sun gets up, soft plastics such as a drop shot in 35-50 feet of water around humps and drop-offs will produce. 

For shallow water anglers, target bream beds or wolf packs of spotted bass roaming the shoreline with a popper or wacky rig.  Very little topwater action has been noted the past week. 

Nighttime anglers are targeting rock and green lights in tournaments.

July 31

Lake Keowee is at 98.2% of full pool and water clarity remains high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s to low 90s over most of the lake.

With water temperatures at or near their summer highs, it’s no surprise that N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that black bass fishing has gotten tougher after the high temperatures over the past couple of weeks.

A weak early morning bite on points with a small crankbait or topwater will produce a few fish before the sun gets up.  For shallow water anglers, there are some bass cruising the shorelines at times or around bream beds.  A more consistent bite is present with a drop shot rig in 25-45 feet of water or a shaky head in 15-25 feet around any structure or brush.  Some topwater action can still be found at the Jocassee dam but this has also slowed down.

There are some large schools of spotted bass suspended and/or roaming over very deep water where baitfish are present. These can be targeted with a jigging spoon or drop shot. 

July 25

Lake Keowee is at 97.2% of full pool and water clarity remains high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s to low 90s over most of the lake.

Unsurprisingly, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that with these temperatures catching black bass has gotten tougher over the past week. With the intense heat forecasted over the next week expect the water temperatures to reach their summertime peak soon. 

An early bite on points before the sun gets up will produce some bass on small crankbaits or swimbaits.  Some topwater action can still be found north of the highway 11 bridge to the Jocassee dam in the mornings. 

After the sun gets up, shallow-water anglers can use a frog or popper to target bass around bream beds.  Otherwise, a drop shot or soft plastic in the 35-50' range around humps and drop-offs is a good strategy.  Some spotted bass have been caught this past week suspended over deep water (75 plus feet) with a jigging spoon but these fish are hard to find as the locations are random in nature. 

Overall, fishing has slowed with the high water temperatures and not much is expected to change until we get some relief from the hot weather.

July 18

Lake Keowee is at 96.8% of full pool and water clarity remains high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s over most of the lake.

With water temperatures near their summer peak, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the pattern for catching black bass is stable with fish in a summertime pattern. 

An early bite on points with a topwater or small crankbait will produce some fish at daybreak.  After the sun gets up, there are two basic patterns – fishing shallow around bream beds and wolf packs, or deep with a drop shot or soft plastic.  For the deep bite, targeting 25-50 or so feet off points and drop-offs and any structure is the best bet.  For shallow fish, use a Pop-R or your favorite bait for fishing bream beds. 

For those who like night fishing this is a good option to avoid the heavy boat traffic.  

July 10

Lake Keowee is at 98.3% of full pool and water clarity remains very high on the main body of the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s over most of the lake.

With hot weather and lots of holiday traffic on Keowee this past week, it’s unsurprising that N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) isn’t reporting a dramatic uptick in the black bass fishing.  Fish remain in a summertime pattern with a shallow bite early on points with a small swimbait or crankbait; however, this bite is not nearly as strong as it was a couple of weeks ago.  After the sun gets up, a dropshot in 25-55 feet of water along drop-offs and long points and any brush is a good bet. 

For shallow water anglers, the bream bed bite is an option along with targeting fish cruising the bank. 

And for something different fishing below the Jocassee dam can be a good pattern, although that bite is much better when water is moving and with no schedule published it’s mostly unpredictable. 

Overall, fishing has gotten tougher with the high water temperatures although some big fish have been caught shallow and at the Jocassee dam. 

July 3

Lake Keowee is at 97.7% of full pool and water clarity remains very high. Morning surface water temperatures are now in the upper 80s over most of the lake.

Unsurprisingly between the heat and holiday boat traffic, N&C Marine team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports the black bass fishing has gotten tougher in the past week.  Every day boat traffic is heavy by noon, and so fishing early and at night remain the best options. 

Fish remain in a summertime pattern with an early shallow bite on points with a small crankbait or topwater.  After the sun gets up, a drop shot in 30-50 feet along points and drop-offs and any structure is the best bet given the warm water.  Some fish are also suspended over very deep water and can be caught with a spoon, but these fish are difficult to find and are in random spots.