January 5

Lake Murray water levels rose after the rains but have now started to drop again to 354.84 (full pool is 360.00). Up the rivers the water is orange muddy but it gets clearer as you go down the lake. Surface water temperatures range from the mid-50s in the lower lake to the high 40s up the river.   

Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

December 18

Lake Murray water levels are down to 354.51 (full pool is 360.00) and surface water temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s.  Clarity is pretty good.  

It’s still a tale of deep and shallow on Lake Murray, and B.A.S.S. angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

November 24

Lake Murray water levels are at 356.17 (full pool is 360.00) and morning surface water temperatures range from the low to mid-60s, hitting 67 or 68 on sunny afternoons.  The river is no very dirty and the lake is generally getting fairly clear again. 

Fresh off a first place finish in the TBF winter trail tournament Saturday out of Shull Island with his father Steve, B.A.S.S. angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

November 12

Lake Murray water levels are at 356.26 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures are around 70 degrees. Before the rains clarity was normal but a two-day monsoon is changing that.

The bass bite has been pretty good on Lake Murray, and veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports

October 21

Lake Murray water levels are at 356.26 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures are around 73-75 degrees. The water is dingy but not too bad.  

The timing is a mystery to anyone who was trying and usually failing to catch bass on Lake Murray a couple of weeks ago, but the suspended schooling bite seems to be getting good several weeks later than usual. B.A.S.S. angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

October 9

Lake Murray water levels are down to 356.05 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures are around 73-75 degrees. The creeks are pretty stained, probably from the fall turnover.  

There’s no way around the fact that the bass fishing on Lake Murray is brutally tough right now, and reportedly one national touring pro who came down here to shoot a video for his sponsors this week did not get a bite. A lot of the anglers who fished the Big Bass Tour event last weekend would say that sounds about right.  

Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda concurs

September 25

Lake Murray water levels are down to 356.06 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures have dropped into the mid-70s. Up the lake is pretty muddy and there is a lot of current.

A week ago it looked like the offshore suspended/ cane pile bass bite was about to peak, but after the recent rains and lots of moving water veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports

September 18

Lake Murray water levels are down to 356.19 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures have dropped to around 80 in the big water. Clarity dropped with yesterday’s rain. 

It’s hard to know how long this pattern will last, but right now Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

September 11

Lake Murray water levels are down to 357.05 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures have dropped into the lower 80s. Clarity is a little below normal after recent rains.

The offshore suspended/ cane pile bite is just getting started on Lake Murray, and veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports

August 26

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.69 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures have dropped slightly into the mid-80s. Clarity is pretty typical although recent rains have dirtied some areas, including creeks and up the river.

Water temperatures started to fall a little earlier than is typical this late summer, and perhaps as a result Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

July 29

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.45 (full pool is 360.00). While the main lake is clear some creeks are a little stained, and water temperatures range from the upper 80s to lower 90s. 

While there certainly are some striper being caught 70+ feet down, and they are mostly good ones, Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports