July 8

Lake Keowee is at 98.5% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures are now in the mid-80s over most of the lake, with the exception of the Jocassee dam where water temperatures are still in the upper 70s.

In the past week N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that summertime bass fishing continued to get a bit tougher on the lake, with the morning bite on points and flats slowing down.  This is still your best bet early, but fish have moved deeper with the warmest water of the summer approaching in the next few weeks. 

Activity at Jocassee dam can be good if Duke Energy is moving water between the two lakes, but this is a hit-or-miss proposition.  Targeting deeper fish on points 20 plus feet with a shakey head, or even deeper fish on steep drops (40 plus feet) with a dropshot, is the best daytime approach now.  This is a good time for night fishing with the warmer water and heavy boat traffic.

July 1

Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures are now in the low to mid-80s over most of the lake, with the exception of the Jocassee dam where the coolest water can be found in the upper 70s.

In the past week N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that bass have moved into more of a summertime pattern, and by now sections of the lake can be quite different.  More schooling activity is found on the north end of the lake, particularly when water is being moved by Duke Energy.  On the southern end of the lake more fish are now suspending over deep water as the sun gets up in the sky after the early morning bite.  Thus a topwater bait is more productive on the northern end, whereas a drop shot or shakey head seems to be working better on the southern end. 

This nice double was caught yesterday on drop shot rigs fished on Charles’ boat.

June 24

Lake Keowee is at 97.4% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures have held steady or even dropped into the low 80s over most of the lake, with the coolest water at the base of the Jocassee dam.

Without a rise in air and water temperatures, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that not a lot has changed on the Keowee in the past week. An early morning bite on points with crankbaits or topwaters continues to be a good pattern.  The topwater bite can last until mid-morning in areas holding bait. 

After that, look for deeper fish with a shakey head or dropshot on points or steep drop-offs out to 40 plus feet of water.  A bream bed bite is likely on this full moon.

Night tournaments on the lake are now underway and a 12-pound bag is a very good limit currently.

June 15

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures have risen into the low to mid 80s over most of the lake, with the coolest water at the base of the Jocassee dam.

Fishing has gotten tougher on Keowee in the past week, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports this especially true after the sun gets up and boat traffic increases on the lake by late morning. 

An early shallow bite with small crankbaits or topwaters on points is usually a good starting point.  After that, keep an eye open for any fish chasing bait on the surface.  As the sun gets up, target fish out to 40 feet with a drop shot or shakey head.  If water is moving between Jocassee and Keowee, the northern end of the lake is more productive during that phase.

June 11

Lake Keowee is at 98.9% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures have slowly climbed into the low 80s this past week over most of the lake, with mid-80s around the power plant.

As water temperatures nudged up this week the bass on Lake Keowee continued to transition into summer patterns, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the early morning bite remains good with crankbaits and topwaters on shallow points first thing.  Continued topwater action can be found where bait is present throughout most of the morning hours. 

Fish are slowly moving out to deeper water and a drop shot out to 40 feet is now working around points and drop-offs.  A shakey head or Carolina rig is another option for deeper water fish.

June 5

Lake Keowee is at 98.8% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures remain in the upper 70s to low 80s over most of the lake.

With water temperatures still about the same there has not been a great deal of change in the bass fishing on Lake Keowee this week, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that an early morning bite on points and flats with crankbaits and topwaters remains a solid pattern.  Move quickly from point to point in the mornings until feeding fish are located. 

After the sun gets up, look for schooling fish – particularly on the northern end of the lake.  Any walking bait is a good choice for fish on top.  A shakey head out to 20 feet is a good choice for deeper fish.  Expect more fish to move deeper as the water warms into the mid 80s.

May 29

Lake Keowee is at 98.9% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures continue to rise on Lake Keowee with low 80s now present over most of the lake; the coolest temperatures can be found near the Jocassee dam. 

While a few Lake Keowee bass are still on beds, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the great majority of fish are now post-spawn and fishing has become more difficult in the past week.  An early morning bite on flats, points, and shoals is present with topwaters and small crankbaits.  After the sun gets up, look for any areas holding bait and schooling fish – this pattern seems to be more prevalent on the northern end of the lake.  A shakey head, Texas rig, or Carolina rig in 12-25 feet of water is another choice. 

It will take a few more weeks for the spotted bass to fully transition to a stronger summer pattern.

May 23

Lake Keowee is at 98.4% of full pool and clarity is normal. Water temperatures have risen rapidly over the past week with mid to upper 70s present in most areas and low 70s near the Jocassee dam. 

By now most of the bass on Lake Keowee are in the post-spawn stage, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that means they are often finicky.  However, an early morning bite is present with small crankbaits and topwaters on points and humps.  While the topwater bite is usually best first thing, continue to keep an eye out for any surface activity where fish are actively feeding throughout the day. 

After the sun gets up, shaky heads and dropshots out to 40 feet are good choices.  As the water continues to warm the same morning pattern can be effective at dusk also.  Mid-day is very tough due to heavy boat traffic, especially on the weekends.

May 13

Lake Keowee is at 98.7% of full pool.  Clarity is normal. 

While bass in all stages of the spawn can still be found on Lake Keowee, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that the majority are now post-spawn.  As is typical, post-spawn fish can be difficult to catch for a couple of weeks and this is the case on the lake now in most areas.  However, fish are still on the bed on the northern end of the lake where the water is cooler.  In the mid-lake and southern ends, fish are slowly beginning to move out deeper as the water warms. 

Fish can be caught early on points and flats where bait is present with a crankbait, spinnerbait, or topwater.  The topwater bite is improving over much of the lake and will get stronger in the coming weeks.  More fish will move out to the main lake on long points and humps over the next couple of weeks as well. 

Overall, fishing is still good on Keowee as the bass transition into an early summer pattern.

April 30

Lake Keowee is at 98.6% of full pool. Water temperatures continue to rise quickly on the lake with low 70s present in most sections.  The coolest water is near the Jocassee dam where the temperature is in the low 60s.  Clarity is normal. 

The bass fishing remains good on Lake Keowee this week, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish are still in all stages of the spawn.  In the past week, however, more post-spawn fish are being caught. 

Bass can be caught on soft plastics out to around 20 feet on shorelines and around docks – any dark color is working well.  An early bite on points can also be found with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwaters.  Soft swimbaits are also working out to 20 feet or so in many areas. 

Some schooling activity around the lake has been seen and a good walking bait should be kept handy.  As the water begins to move into the mid and upper 70s many fish will begin to migrate to deeper water on the main lake.

April 22

Lake Keowee is at 98.3% of full pool. Morning surface temperatures are in the low to mid 60s over most of the lake, with upper 60s around the power plant and upper 50s at the base of the Jocassee dam. Clarity is normal. 

There’s not a lot of change with the bass fishing on Lake Keowee this week, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish remain in all different phases of the spawn on the lake.  However, more post-spawn fish have been showing up in the last few days. 

An early bite on points and shallow flats continues to improve as the water warms.  Fish are also chasing bait all day in some areas of the lake so keep a topwater handy at all times.  Shakey heads and Ned rigs are good soft bait choices out to 25 feet of water on points and around docks. 

Fish will continue to transition to an early summer pattern over the next few weeks but some fish are still moving up to spawn.

April 16

Lake Keowee is at 98.0% of full pool. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-60s over most of the lake with the coolest water around 60 degrees at the base of the Jocassee dam. Clarity is normal. 

It’s still a very good time to be on the water bass fishing on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish continue to be in all phases of the spawn throughout the lake.  A variety of baits are working on Keowee with soft plastics around the banks out to 20 feet being a good choice.  An early crankbait or spinnerbait bite on points can also be found. 

There is also some schooling activity occurring where fish are chasing bait up on some points and humps – any walking type of topwater is a good choice if this activity becomes visible.

April 10

Lake Keowee is at 97.6% of full pool. Morning surface water temperatures have continued to rise this week with low 60s now present over most of the lake.   Around the power plan, the water is a few degrees warmer, and at the base of the Jocassee dam it is a few degrees lower.   

It’s a good time to be on the water bass fishing on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish are in all three stages of the spawn (pre-spawing, actively spawning, and post-spawn) around the lake.  Another big wave of fish will move up on the next moon.  As a result, fishing is good and a variety of techniques can be used.  The best depth is from 6-16 feet of water, and generally you can use your favorite spring-time bait.  Jigs, Carolina rigs, shakey heads, and other soft plastics are all working. 

April 1

Lake Keowee is at 98.2% of full pool. Morning surface water temperatures are now in the low to mid-60s across the lake.  

It’s the full blown bass spawning season on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that a good number of fish are on the bed throughout the lake. Additional bass will continue to move up over the next few weeks as the spawn plays out over a couple of months on Keowee.  Bed fishing techniques can be used for visible beds, although many spotted bass will spawn in deeper water and can be targeted with a shakey head, Texas or Carolina rig.

An early morning bite on points with a square-billed crankbait or spinnerbait is present and will get stronger.  Also look in the back of coves for fish chasing bait in the morning – a fluke is a good choice for these fish. 

Soft plastics around docks and rocky shorelines are another good pattern presently.

March 25

Lake Keowee is at 98.1% of full pool. Water temperatures have now moved into the lower 60s over most of the lake, and around the power plant they are in the mid-60s. Clarity is normal.

Spring fishing is on at Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that some fish are on the bed mid-lake and a gradual movement to the bank has begun over the rest of the lake.  Fish can be caught on jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics.  A good depth is 8-20 feet throughout the lake.  Points, rocky areas, and docks are good locations to fish in the coming week.

March 16

Lake Keowee is at 97.8% of full pool. Water temperatures are just below 60 in the lower and upper parts of the lake, while around the power plant and Mile Creek areas they are in the low to mid-60s. Clarity is normal.

Different parts of Lake Keowee continue to be at different stages of the bass spawn due to water temperature differentials, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that in the mid-lake section there are some fish on the beds.  Overall, many more fish are starting to move toward the banks and spawning areas. 

Secondary points in creeks and long coves are holding fish in 12-20 feet of water.  Some fish are in the creek channels toward the back of spawning areas in the same depth. 

Depending on weather conditions and wind, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and soft plastics are all working.  Areas holding bait are the most productive.  Deeper docks have also been holding some good fish, particularly on sunny afternoons.  Overall, fishing is good and should get even better over the next few weeks.

March 5

Lake Keowee is at 97.5% of full pool. Water temperatures in the lower and upper parts of the lake are now in the mid- to high 50s, and in the mid-lake temperatures have reached the lower 60s. Clarity is normal.

As a results of temperature differentials across the lake, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that bass fishing is quite varied around Keowee.  In the mid-lake area, there are some fish on the bed and many fish cruising shallow looking to move onto beds in the next week or two.  Soft plastics such as a wacky rig are a good choice for these fish.  The water is very clear and the fish will spook easily. 

In the upper and lower thirds of the lake, some fish are still out deeper and are just starting to move to the bank.  A drop shot, shakey head, or small swimbait has been more effective in these areas.  A lot of fish are just starting to move up and fishing should get really good in the next couple of weeks unless the weather regresses.  

February 25

Lake Keowee is at 99.1% of full pool. Water temperatures are on the rise with low to mid-50s in the lower end of the lake up to 60s mid-lake. Clarity on the main lake, particularly the northern end, is very high with 10 plus feet of visibility.

With water temperatures moving up bass are also starting to move, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that fish are beginning to come out of the deep water.  Fewer fish are now being marked out deep, and an overall warming trend will continue to have fish migrating to the bank.    

The spawn on Keowee will take place over many weeks due to the large differences in water temperature throughout the lake, and there are already some reports of a few fish on the bed in the mid-lake area!  The backs of long creeks holding bait also have fish in the area. 

Some fish are also starting to be caught around docks and points with finesse worms such as a shakey head.  Fish in 30-45 feet can be targeted with a drop shot or a small swimbait if suspended. 

February 12

Lake Keowee is at 97.2% of full pool. Water temperatures have remained steady this past week, and they are in the mid-50s on the lower and upper ends of the lake and around 60 near the power plant. The lake is probably at its low temperature for the winter as the hours of sunlight each day will increase. 

One only has to look at the recent BFL tournament results to know that bass fishing is tough on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) points out that a five fish limit of 8 pounds or better was good enough to finish in the money! There has been heavy fishing pressure on the lake and the fish, when found, are very finicky and spook easily. 

The best bets are drop shots in 30 plus feet of water, small swimbaits, and jerkbaits.  On sunny days, deeper docks will hold some fish by the afternoon hours.  Fishing should start to improve quickly once a couple of warm fronts come through in the next few weeks.

February 2

Lake Keowee is at 98.9% of full pool. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s over most of the lake, with the coolest water in the backs of the creeks. Water clarity is normal except in the back of major creeks where it is dingy due to recent rains. 

The winter bass fishing patterns remain intact on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that means there is some good deep fishing using drop shots or small spoons out to 70 plus feet.  Suspended fish over deep water can be targeted with a swimbait, jerkbait, or a soft plastic such as a Senko.  Any deep water holding large amounts of baitfish tends to have spotted bass in the area.

Some fish are being caught off deeper docks on sunny afternoons with a shakey head or Carolina rig.  Also, humps or banks that fall quickly into deep water are good areas to fish.

January 21

Lake Keowee is at 98.0% of full pool. Water temperatures are now in the low 50s over most of the lake, but they range from the high 40s in the back of creeks to around 60 mid-lake by the power plant. Clarity is normal. 

The bass fishing has gotten tougher over the past week on Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that cool temperatures and very windy conditions have also been difficult at times. 

The recent high school tournament on the lake saw only a small percentage of boats catch a limit, with many boats catching no fish at all.  We should bottom out on the water temperature on the lake in the next few weeks.  

Finding areas holding bait over deep water and targeting fish with a drop shot or spoon can still be productive.  These fish can be very finicky, however, so changing baits and colors should be considered if they won't bite.

There are several other winter patterns worth consideration.  

Throwing a spinnerbait or jerkbait on wind-blown points is catching some fish.  An underspin or jig fished slowly on the bottom in ditches is another winter pattern worth trying on Keowee right now.  However, the bite with soft plastics such as a shakey head around docks and points is slow. 

Some sporadic schooling is happening on the lake in the back of creeks and pockets where bait is present – but there is no real pattern or area to focus on, however.

Check out the new Lake Keowee Catch ’Em Kits with lures hand-picked for each season by Charles and Joe Anders.

January 13

It’s not every weekend that someone catches a 4-pound spotted bass on Lake Keowee, let alone a 5-pounder, let alone a fish that pushes 6! But that’s exactly what AHQ correspondent Joe Anders of Easley and his tournament partner Greg Glouse did last Saturday, January 10 with a 5.71 pound spot! It was part of a monster 18.71 pound bag, good for the win, but on this impressive weekend there were two other bags over 17 pounds weighed! For complete results see www.cattteamtrail.com.

There are plenty of hungry spotted bass that can be caught out in very deep water right now, and Joe says they weighed one fish that came very deep. However, the bulk of their weight including the monster fish came skipping docks and throwing an Alabama rig in relatively shallow water. First thing they found some fish that came up schooling in one of the 10-20 foot holes that they like to fish in the mid-lake area, and the big one was one of these. While jerkbaits used to be productive in these areas now the fish like the big one seem more inclined to take an A-rig.

Check out the new Lake Keowee Catch ’Em Kits with lures hand-picked for each season by Charles Townson and Joe Anders.

January 7

Lake Keowee is at 98.0% of full pool. Water temperatures are around 55 at the south and north ends of the lake, while the mid-lake is about 60.  A lot of rain has fallen this past week and major creeks are stained in the back.  Clarity on the main lake is only slightly stained. 

Despite some weather, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that bass fishing remains good overall on the lake. Fish can be caught on drop shots and small spoons in depths from 40 to 60 plus feet.  Any area holding baitfish is likely to be holding spotted bass.  If fish are suspended, a jerkbait, small swimbait or spybait can be effective. 

Fish can also be targeted with shakey heads, jigs, or underspins in the creek channels in depths out to 30 feet.  Keep an eye out for diving gulls/birds feeding on schools of baitfish.

Check out the new Lake Keowee Catch ’Em Kits with lures hand-picked for each season by Charles and Joe Anders.