August 25
Lake Murray water levels are up to 358.03 (full pool is 360.00) and the main lake is still relatively clear (with a summer green tint). Morning surface temperatures are around 83 degrees.
This Saturday, August 28 tournament bass angler Stan Gunter of Saluda is hosting the Fishing for a Cause benefit tournament for A Place for Us Ministry International out of Dreher Island.
August 19
Lake Murray water levels are at 357.83 (full pool is 360.00) and the main lake is clear (with a summer green tint) while the Little River has gotten muddy. Morning surface temperatures are about 82 degrees.
The striped bass fishing remains so consistent on Lake Murray that guides from other lakes are coming over, but Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
August 5
Lake Murray water levels are down to 357.88 (full pool is 360.00) and morning surface water temperatures on the big water are back up to about 84 degrees.
It remains a very good striped bass bite on Lake Murray, but as is typical at this time of year Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
July 29
Lake Murray water levels are still high at 358.08 (full pool is 360.00) and the Little Saluda is dingy while the Big Saluda is clear. The main lake is clear except for a green summer algae tint. Morning surface water temperatures on the big water are back up to about 84 degrees.
The striped bass fishing is still about the same on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
July 21
Lake Murray water levels have jumped up about 6 inches to 357.97 (full pool is 360.00) and the rivers are getting muddy while the main lake still looks pretty good. Morning surface water temperatures on the big water have dropped to about 82 degrees.
It may be late July but it’s still a really good bass bite on Lake Murray, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria (fresh off his third straight top-3 Tuesday night tournament result with his father Steve) reports
July 8
Lake Murray water levels are at 357.65 (full pool is 360.00) and the water has normal summertime color. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s depending on section of the lake.
It wouldn’t make sense to lead off with anything else but striped bass in a week and on a day when Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) rates
June 24
Lake Murray water levels are down to 357.61 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is somewhat stained after recent rains with a green algae tint. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 70s after the rain and with cooler days and nights.
Lake Murray bass fishing is a little tough but it’s unclear which way it’s heading, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports
June 18
Lake Murray water levels are down to 357.89 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is generally relatively clear with a green algae tint. Morning surface water temperatures range from the upper 70s to the lower 80s.
Lake Murray striped bass are getting into a pretty normal summer pattern, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
June 9
Lake Murray water levels are at 358.12 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is generally relatively clear with a green algae tint. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 70s.
It’s not what you would expect at this time of year, but tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports
May 27
Lake Murray water levels are at 358.08 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Surface water temperatures in the morning are around 80 degrees.
Right now the striped bass on Lake Murray are keying on spawning threadfin shad, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
May 19
Lake Murray water levels are at 358.06 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is clearing again after last week’s rains. Surface water temperatures in the morning are around 72-73 degrees.
There are already some early signs of striped bass moving deeper on Lake Murray, and this week Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) has
May 6
Lake Murray water levels are at 358.10 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures are in the lower 70s. Even after recent rains clarity is still good.
It’s been an exceptional week for striped bass on Lake Murray, and Monday Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
April 27
Lake Murray water levels are up to 358.15 (full pool is 360.00) and water temperatures are in the upper 60s.
The striped bass bite has not been quite what one expects in late April recently, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
April 16
Lake Murray water levels are up to 358.04 (full pool is 360.00). The lake is fairly clear but starting to get a green tint due to algae growth. Water temperatures have dropped but are in the mid to upper 60s.
It’s many people’s favorite time of the year to fish on Lake Murray, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
April 2
Lake Murray water levels have dropped several inches in the last 24 hours to 357.99 (full pool is 360.00). The lower lake is clear while the mid-lake has a healthy stain. Water temperatures have dropped abruptly in the last 24 hours and they were 57 at Dreher Island this morning. At the dam they have held about 58 all day.
At blast-off this morning in the benefit bass tournament for the Little Mountain Fire Department veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports
March 25
Lake Murray water levels are at 357.86 (full pool is 360.00). Up the lake the water has a little color to it but the lower end is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the process of shooting up from the upper 50s to 60s.
It’s a time of year and a week where things are changing really fast, and out on the water right now veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports
March 19
Lake Murray water levels are up to 358.04 (full pool is 360.00). The water is stained and there is lots of debris floating after recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 53 at the dam to 60 in creeks on the north side.
Things have changed quickly on Lake Murray, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports
March 9
Lake Murray water levels are up to 357.74 (full pool is 360.00). The water is stained but not muddy, with good color for spring fishing. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 52 to 55 degrees but are rising fast.
This weekend two of our regular bass correspondents placed well in tournaments on Lake Murray, and on Saturday Guide Brad Fowler and his tournament partner Brock Taylor finished
High temperatures have gone from the 50s to the 80s and back to the 50s again in a matter of days, and another large rain event appears to be on the horizon, but no weather has stopped the big bass from biting so far this spring. Last Saturday's Fishers of Men tournament on Santee was won by Marshall French and Tripp Poplin with a monster 31.5 pound bag including an 8.73 big fish (credit to reader Jim Anderson with the closest guess of 32 pounds worth $30.)
March 4
Lake Murray water levels are at 357.55 (full pool is 360.00). The Little Saluda is muddy, the Big Saluda is clear, and the water has fairly normal clarity as you move down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 51-55 degrees.
It’s the time of year when you can catch bass from deep to shallow, and veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports
February 24
Lake Murray water levels are up to 357.37 (full pool is 360.00) and, while the water is muddy up the lake and there is some color in the mid-lake, as water temperatures rise it is settling fast. Water temperatures range from about 50-52 degrees.
There have been some big bass sacks headlining recent tournaments on Lake Murray, and
Tournament results will be posted here as they become available. ALSO - if you know of a future fishing tournament taking place in South Carolina that should be included on our tournament calendar, please emailjay@usfishingreport.com and we will add it.
February 20
Tournament results will be posted here as they become available. ALSO - if you know of a future fishing tournament taking place in South Carolina that should be included on our tournament calendar, please emailjay@usfishingreport.com and we will add it.
February 20
February 18
Lake Murray water levels are up to 356.94 (full pool is 360.00) and the upper end of the lake and the backs of many creeks have gotten very muddy, with the mud line expected to reach down towards Dreher Island by the weekend. Water temperatures have dipped into the 40s.
Saturday veteran tournament bass angler Chris Epting of Chapin fished