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

July 17

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.50 (full pool is 360.00). Clarity is normal and water temperatures are in the 80s. 

Lake Murray striped bass are doing what they usually do in the heat of summer, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

June 26

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.78 (full pool is 360.00). Clarity has normalized and morning surface water temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s. 

Lake Murray striped bass are getting into a pretty typical summer pattern, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

June 9

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.54 (full pool is 360.00). The water is still a little stained and morning surface temperatures range from the upper 70s to low 80s. 

While his boat is not messing with them too much because of the mix of sizes, Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

June 2

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.49 (full pool is 360.00). The water is stained with recent rains and surface temperatures are in the upper 70s to low 80s. 

It’s been an impressive few days for striped bass fishing on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

May 20

Lake Murray water levels are at 358.04 (full pool is 360.00). Before the heavy rains began water temperatures had reached the upper 70s in many places, but they have fallen at least five degrees. Clarity was very good at the beginning of the weak, but creeks are becoming stained with a mud line coming. 

Weird spring weather continues, and veteran tournament bass angler Captain Doug Lown reports

May 12

Lake Murray water levels are at 358.03 (full pool is 360.00) and visibility is stained mid-lake and clearing down the lake. Morning surface temperatures remains in the upper 60s.

Water temperatures have continued to hold steady or even drop, and as a result Lake Murray bass fishing patterns have not changed very much. The fish have, however, been a little finicky.  Veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown reports

April 29

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.62 (full pool is 360.00) and visibility continues to improve. Up the lake there is about 2 feet of visibility, increasing as you get closer to the dam. Overall the lake is starting to look more green and less brown. Morning surface temperatures are generally in the upper 60s.

Relatively cool weather basically has Lake Murray bass in a holding pattern, and veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown reports

April 15

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.43 (full pool is 360.00) and most of the lake is stained but not muddy. Up the lake there is about 1 ½ feet of visibility, increasing as you get closer to the dam. Even though the Sunday/ Monday rains muddied the water it was clearing before that, and so visibility is barely worse than a week ago. Morning surface temperatures have dipped overnight and are in the mid- to upper 60s.

The herring spawn continues to progress on Lake Murray, and veteran tournament bass angler Captain Doug Lown reports

April 8

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.31 (full pool is 360.00) and most of the lake is stained but not muddy. Up the lake there is about 1.5 – 2 feet of visibility, increasing as you get closer to the dam. Morning surface temperatures are generally in the upper 60s.

It’s finally happening on Lake Murray, and veteran tournament bass angler Captain Doug Lown reports

March 31

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.16 (full pool is 360.00) and most of the lake is stained but not muddy. Morning surface temperatures are in the mid-60s.    

Access to Lake Murray continues to be limited, but veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown reports

March 25

Lake Murray water levels are at 358.04 (full pool is 360.00) and the lake is clearing but still stained in areas. Morning surface temperatures range from the upper 50s to lower 60s, with the big water and the south side of the lake warming more slowly.  

Even while significant bass tournament activity is on hold, veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown reports

February 27

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.64 (full pool is 360.00), and surface water temperatures range are around 52 degrees at the dam.  From the rivers down to Dreher Island there is red mud with trash and logs floating, and visibility is only about 6 inches at the mouth of Bear Creek.  There is some clearer water closer to the dam as well as back in some creeks. 

There is really no consistent pattern for Lake Murray bass right now, and veteran angler Captain Doug Lown reports

February 18

Lake Murray water levels have stabilized at about 357.12 (full pool is 360.00), and surface water temperatures range from about 53 on the lower lake to the upper-40s up the lake. The lake ranges from muddy to stained. 

Despite the muddy conditions this weekend a good number of striped bass were caught up the river on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354)

January 29

Lake Murray water levels are up to 356.45 (full pool is 360.00), and surface water temperatures range from the lower 50s on the lower lake to the mid to upper-40s up the lake. Up the lake is muddy but the water clears as you come down. 

It’s not where you expect striped bass to be in the winter on Lake Murray, but Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports

January 15

Lake Murray water levels are at 355.34 (full pool is 360.00), and surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s. There is lots of mud and current moving down the lake.

These are confusing times for bass and even more for bass fishermen on Lake Murray, and veteran tournament angler Captain Doug Lown reports

December 24

Lake Murray water levels are up to 356.22 (full pool is 360.00), and surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-50s.  As of yesterday the lake was muddy from the river down to Buffalo Creek and it is only getting more stained. 

Striped bass fishing on Lake Murray has been tough, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports