—
The latest Lake Keowee fishing report, updated May 30, can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-lake-keowee-sc-summer-fishing-report/
May 18
Lake Keowee is at 95.7% of full pool. Morning surface temperatures have risen to around 74 degrees on the lower and upper ends of the lake, and into the upper-70s mid-lake. Clarity is normal.
Lake Keowee bass appear to be coming out of a post-spawn lull, and veteran Lake Keowee fisherman Charles Townson of the Keowee Anglers reports that the bite seems to be improving as fish are quickly moving into a typical summertime pattern. The early morning bite has gotten much stronger, although fish are not often being found in large schools yet. Early in the morning some good fish are being caught around points, flats and humps with topwater lures, shallow-running crankbaits and spinnerbaits (if windy). As soon as the sun hits the water this bite generally dies. However, as the sun gets up the same fish can be caught with a little deeper running crankbait such as a Rapala DT-6. The key is finding areas holding shad where fish are actively feeding.
After the morning bite, fish can be caught deeper on drop shots or shakey heads with finesse soft plastics. Some fish are also chasing bait on the surface, so always have a bait ready to throw at these fish.
May 9
Lake Keowee is at 96.2% of full pool. Morning surface temperatures are around 70 degrees on the lower and upper ends of the lake, and around the mid-70s in the middle section.
Bassfishing continues to be pretty tough on Lake Keowee, and veteran Lake Keowee fisherman Charles Townson of the Keowee Anglers reports that fish are still pretty much in a post-spawn doldrum. There were two big tournaments this weekend and weights were low; a five-fish limit over ten pounds has been a good sack for the past couple of weeks.
Perhaps the biggest change in the bite is that the topwater action has dropped off after water temperatures declined with the recent cold front. With warmer temperatures coming this week Charles expects to soon see more fish again chasing bait up shallow on points and humps in the morning hours.
Some fish are still being caught early on spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, and square-billed crankbaits fished off points. After that finesse tactics such as shakey head worms or the Ned Rig have been catching fish. Some fish are also being caught on drop shot rigs fished off deep points.
April 23
Lake Keowee is at 97.2% of full pool. Morning surface temperatures are around 70 on the lower and upper ends of the lake, and around 74 mid-lake.
A few weeks ago bassfishing was really good on Lake Keowee, but veteran Lake Keowee fisherman Charles Towson of the Keowee Anglers reports that now that the vast majority of the fish are post-spawn the bite has gotten fairly tough. The fish that are being caught generally look the part in terms of girth and appearing stressed.
Some limited topwater action can be found on points early, and crankbaits are also catching some fish during the same period as well as spinnerbaits on windy days. Fish can also be caught on various soft plastics presented on a shakey head or Carolina rig, but these fish have generally been smaller during this post-spawn period.
Most of the loons have now left the lake on their annual migration, a sure sign that the early summer pattern has begun.
April 5
Lake Keowee is at 96.6% of full pool. Morning surface temperatures are between 66 and 67 on the lower end of the lake and around 70 mid-lake. Recent heavy thunderstorms have resulted in some stained water in the backs of creeks but the main lake remains relatively clear.
It’s a great time to catch basson Lake Keowee, and veteran Lake Keowee fishermen Charles Towson of the Keowee Anglers reports that fish are becoming more active chasing shad in the morning on points, rocks and rip-rap areas. Each morning fish have been feeding topwater the last couple of days. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are also working well for fish chasing shad, and in addition to spots largemouth are in the same pattern.
After the sun gets up move out a little deeper in the same areas and fish will take deeper running crankbaits as well as shakey head worms.
Even though most of the fish in this pattern (and in general) are post-spawn, there is another group of fish that is still spawning – and likely at least one wave of fish that are still pre-spawn. The water warmed up so quickly this year that some of the bass that were out deep still seem to be moving up.
March 28
Lake Keowee is at 95.9% of full pool. Surface temperatures are in the mid-60s and above, with clarity still very good.
Veteran Lake Keowee bass fishermen Charles Towson of the Keowee Anglers reports that he went away for a few days, and when he left temperatures were in the mid- to high-50s on the lower end and the lower 60s in the middle area of the lake. When he got back the surface temperatures had rocketed up to the mid-60s on the lower end, and the upper 60s up the lake. Early this morning he saw 65 out on the water! It has all happened very fast.
By now much of the spawn is already over on Lake Keowee, and cruising around the lake you will see a lot of empty largemouth beds. (Spotted bass usually spawn a little deeper and are harder to see on the bed.) Certainly some fish are still spawning or have yet to spawn, but most seem to have done their business by now.
As fish transition into a post-spawn pattern they will move out off of points or off the ends of docks. Bass can be caught on shakey head worms in 12-25 feet of water, and they can also be caught on spinnerbaits and crankbaits off points. Fish will generally be found in 10-20 or 25 feet of water, and as is typically the case on Keowee the catch will be heavily weighted towards spotted bass.
With air temperatures in the 80s predicted for today and tomorrow Charles wonders whether the water will continue to warm quickly, in which case fish could start to get into an early summer pattern sooner than normal. He is not seeing schooling action off points yet but there are already some single fish on top, and before long groups of bass should start to chase shad across points and shoals.
March 8
Lake Keowee is at 97.0% of full pool. Surface temperatures range from the upper 50s to the mid-60s depending on area of the lake. Clarity is very good.
It’s an in-between time for Lake Keowee bass according to Guide Brad Fowler, who reports that some of the fish are starting to move up – and some are not. Of course, in the very warm “hot hole” area there are fish that are spawning, but outside the area of the lake most directly influenced by the warm-water discharge fish are mixed between late winter and pre-spawn patterns. Partly owing to the frosty mornings a few days ago, and partly to the time of year, there is still a big group of fish out in deep winter haunts that hasn’t moved.
There is also another group of fish that is staging on points, secondary points, and creek channel swings. Keowee fishes differently from a lot of other South Carolina lakes and so these fish are generally in the 10-30 foot range. They will eat Blade Runners but this is basically a soft plastic bite, and Carolina rigs with lizards, drop shot rigs, and shakey head worms with finesse or Trick worms will all work.
