April 8
Morning surface water temperatures are about 64 inshore around Beaufort and water clarity is starting to drop off.
Difficult weather conditions have limited fishing this week, but Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports
April 8
Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 67 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and clarity is still about a 7 out of 10. There has been even more wind this week.
Even though the weather hasn’t been especially pleasant it’s pretty consistent conditions this week in Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports
April 8
Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s inshore around Little River and with big winds and rains again this week the water has been pretty stirred up.
It’s been impossible to get away from wind and rain at the top of the South Carolina Grand Strand, but Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports
April 8
Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s in Murrells Inlet and the water is still very clear. Baisch Boys Bait and Tackle (843-651-1915) has regular and jumbo mud minnows, live mullet, fiddler crabs (some days – call to check), crappie shiners, fresh head-on shrimp, and a full range of frozen baits including frozen sand fleas.
April 8
Morning surface water temperatures are about 64 degrees inshore around Charleston.
Weather has again slowed down the fishing around Charleston, and this week Captain Rob Bennett (843-367-3777) reports
April 8
Lake Jocassee is at 94.4% of full pool and the main lake is clear while the backs are dirty after recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures are now running about 58 degrees on the main lake while they have hit 60 in the backs.
The trout fishing has been very good again this week on Jocassee, and Guides Sam and Casey Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) report
April 8
Lake Russell water levels are up to 475.36 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is still pretty clear while the creeks are muddy in the backs after almost two and a half inches of rain Tuesday. Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees on the main lake and 62 in the creeks.
The crappie fishing has turned back on again, and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports
April 8
Lake Wylie is at 98.0% of full pool and there is a mud line coming down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.
While water conditions might interfere with the patterns, tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports
April 8
Lake Wateree is at 99.0% of full pool and the lake is very muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.
It’s a been a very strange spawning period on Lake Wateree, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that the crappie are
April 8
Lake Hartwell water levels are at 660.66 (full pool is 660.00) and the backs of creeks are muddy with recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures have risen into the lower 60s.
There has been some significant improvement in the hybrid and striped bass fishing this week on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports
April 8
Clarks Hill water levels have shot up to 334.11 (full pool is 330.00) and with the lake so full there is a ton of debris, mud and all that goes with high water. Morning surface water temperatures are still only about 60 degrees on the lower end.
This week in the Tommy Shaw Memorial tournament our regular correspondent tournament bass angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia had a little over 18 pounds fishing with his father, good for third place and a nice check.
April 8
Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.55 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and around 74.68 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 60s and – while the mud is coming – it’s still only dingy in the lakes.
The bass have been surprisingly quiet this week on Santee Cooper, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports
April 8
Lake Greenwood water levels have shot up to 438.96 (full pool is 440.0) and the lake has gotten very muddy. Water temperatures are around 62 degrees.
The water was getting muddy last week but it’s really muddy this week, and Guide Daniel Skipper (864-430-0488) reports
April 8
Lake Monticello morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-60s. The lake is again more stained than normal after recent torrential rains. Lake levels fluctuate daily.
We are about a week out from the last new moon, and about a week out from the next full moon. Combined with some strange weather conditions this week
April 8
Lake Murray water levels are about 358.5 (full pool is 360.00) and the lake is about as muddy as it gets. While sections of the lake are still a “spring green” parts of the lake that rarely get color are muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are generally in the lower 60s.
There are some really unique conditions for striped bass fishing on Lake Murray right now, and Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports
April 8
Lake Keowee is at 98.4% of full pool and the backs of major creeks are stained to muddy due to recent heavy rains. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-60s over most of the lake.
It continues to be an outstanding time to fish Lake Keowee, and N&C Marine / Falcon team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports
April 1
Lake Jocassee is at 94.1% of full pool and the main lake is clear while the backs are pretty dingy (for Jocassee) between recent winds and rain. Morning surface water temperatures are now running about 54-55 degrees on the main lake while up the rivers temperatures are around 58.
The trout fishing seems to be hitting a sweet spot this week on Joccassee, and Guides Sam and Casey Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) report
April 1
Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.41 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is pretty clear while the creeks are dirty in the backs. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 degrees on the main lake and 61 in the creeks.
The consensus among Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is that the crappie fishing
April 1
Lake Wylie is at 97.8% of full pool and the lake is less muddy this week but still has dirty areas. Morning surface water temperatures are around 60 degrees.
There are mixed reports on whether the bass fishing got tougher on Lake Wylie this week, and tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports
April 1
Lake Wateree is at 97.4% of full pool and the lake has some color but is not muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 50s.
It’s a trend on many South Carolina lakes this week, and veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt report
April 1
Lake Hartwell water levels are at 661.16 (full pool is 660.00) and the creeks are still dirty. Morning surface water temperatures up the rivers have dropped back into the upper 50s.
The fronts this week had an unusually significant effect on the fishing, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports
April 1
Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.88 (full pool is 330.00) and up the rivers the water is very dirty. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 57-58 degrees on the lower end.
While on some lakes people get most excited about the bass spawn, it would be hard to argue that on Clarks Hill the herring spawn isn’t the main draw. Tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports
April 1
Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.21 (full pool is 440.0) and at least ¾ of the lake has gotten very muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 60s.
Muddy water conditions have thrown a wrench into normal spring bass patterns, and tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports
April 1
Lake Murray water levels are up to 358.25 (full pool is 360.00) and the rivers have some color. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 50s.
Water temperatures on Lake Murray backed off a little this week, and as a result Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports