March 13

Water temperatures have moved into the upper 50s in Murrells Inlet.

Baisch Boys Bait and Tackle (843-651-1915) has regular and jumbo mud minnows, live finger mullet, live fiddler crabs, fresh shrimp, salt clam, and a full range of frozen baits. 

Fishing is starting to really turn on at the south end of the South Carolina Grand Strand, and Captain J Baisch (843-902-0356) reports

March 13

Clarks Hill water levels are well about full pool at 332.88 (full pool is 330.00), and water temperatures have risen into the upper 50s. Even though the lake remains very high it has cleared some, although there is still a ton of debris including stumps and logs floating around. 

Finally conditions have forced his hand, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports

March 12

Lake Hartwell water levels are still above full pool at 661.41 (full pool is 660.00), and water temperatures have risen into the mid-50s.  All of the major creeks are still dirty but clarity is improving with no recent heavy rains.     

Finally there is improvement for hybrid and striped bass, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

March 12

Santee Cooper water levels are at 76.57 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.15 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Water temperatures range from the upper 50s to low 60s, and the whole lake is still muddy.

It’s March on Santee, and Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports

March 12

Lake Wateree is at 97.2% of full pool, and the water is still essentially orange muddy even though it has cleared a little. Water temperatures in the shallows have risen into the high 50s. There is so much debris in some yards from flooding that it looks like a hurricane came through.  

Even though it is still muddy fishing has definitely improved on Lake Wateree, and tournament bass angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports

March 12

Lake Wylie is down to 97.1% of full pool, and water temperatures are in the low to mid-50s. With little new rain the upper end of the lake is clearing, while the lower end is still stained. 

It’s not unusual for the fishing on Wylie to stall a little in early March before it starts to get good, but tournament bass angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports

March 12

Inshore surface water temperatures in Charleston are in the upper 50s, and between freshwater inflow and strong tides inshore clarity is highly variable. In some areas at times the water is very clean, and in other areas visibility is very low.

The redfish bite has picked up a little, and the guides at Redfin Charters (843-277-5255) report

March 10

Lake Keowee is at 98.8% of full pool. The difference in water temperatures on the lake is at the biggest margin of the year.  On the south end, water temperatures are still in the low to mid 50s while mid-lake temperatures are now in the low 60s.  The north end of the lake is in between these two ranges. 

As a result of temperature variance, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports

ebruary 28

Lake Monticello water temperatures are in the mid-50s, and for Lake Monticello the water is very dirty. Lake levels normally fluctuate daily.

Especially with the most recent cold snap bass on Lake Monticello are still a little deep, but B.A.S.S. angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

February 28

Santee Cooper water levels are at 76.36 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 75.01 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). The whole system is muddy, and water temperatures have dropped into the low 50s. 

When bass are able to move away from extremely dirty water that is often what they will do, but when there is no clean water to be found they have no choice but to get used to it. And figuring out how to adapt to the mud is exactly what Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports

February 28

Lake Wateree is all the way down to 97.3% of full pool, but the water is still orange muddy even though you can now put a boat in. Water temperatures are in the low 50s. 

The last couple of CATT tournaments have had to be canceled due to water conditions, but tournament bass angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports

February 28

Lake Wylie is down to 98.5% of full pool, and water temperatures range from about 51-54 degrees.  Although the lake is still muddy the northern end is just starting to settle out.

Water conditions are beginning to improve on Lake Wylie, but tournament bass angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports

February 27

Inshore surface water temperatures around Edisto Island are around 55 degrees, and there is a ton of brown water.   

The influx of tannic freshwater has not hurt the fishing much yet, but Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports

February 27

Inshore surface water temperatures are around 55 degrees, and clarity is overall pretty good. 

Fishing is still a little funny for redfish, and Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) notes

February 27

Inshore surface water temperatures around Hilton Head range from about 56-59, and on days when there has been no recent wind or rain clarity is very good. 

Weather conditions have been inconsistent for inshore fishing, but Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports

February 27

Water temperatures are up to about 55 degrees in Murrells Inlet, and clarity depends on weather conditions. Rain yesterday made for dirty water, but after a day of dry, calm weather it gets very clear again. 

Baisch Boys Bait and Tackle (843-651-1915) has regular and jumbo mud minnows, live finger mullet, live fiddler crabs, fresh shrimp, salt clam, and a full range of frozen baits. 

It is still that time of year when inshore species do not have to eat every single day on the Grand Strand, and Captain J Baisch (843-902-0356) reports

February 27

Lake Jocassee is at 98.4% of full pool and water temperatures are still about 53 degrees. 

Trout fishing remains pretty good on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports

February 27

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 438.61 (full pool is 440.0) and surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s.  The lake is still muddy from one end to the other, and even the water coming out of the dam is red muddy. 

Lake Greenwood is still as muddy as veteran tournament bass angler Stan Gunter of Saluda has ever seen it,

February 27

Clarks Hill water levels are well about full pool at 332.63 (full pool is 330.00), which is actually down almost a foot and a half in the last week. There is no clear water anywhere on the lake – it is just a matter of how stained it is. The middle of the channel is muddy and full of debris, logs, broken away docks, staircases, and even lawn chairs. In many cases the backs of creeks are actually cleaner. Water temperatures range from the low to mid-50s.    

Even though water conditions are – to put it mildly – unusual, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports

February 27

Lake Hartwell water levels are still a couple of feet above full pool at 662.21 (full pool is 660.00), and water temperatures are around 52-54 degrees.  All of the major creeks are muddy with trash and logs floating, but the main lake towards the dam is not as dirty. Some boat landings are closed and you still need rubber boats to walk on many stationary docks. 

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 27

Inshore surface water temperatures on the north end of the Grand Strand are around 50 degrees, and the water is not particularly clear. 

The redfish bite has gotten really good on the north end of the Grand Strand, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports