October 7

Lake Greenwood water levels are up to 439.28 (full pool is 440.0) and recent rains are starting to muddy the upper end. The lower lake has been so clear it will take a lot for the dirty water to affect its clarity. Morning surface water temperatures are about 76 or 77 degrees.

As on many area lakes, veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports

October 6

Lake Russell water levels are well above full pool to 474.49 (full pool is 475.00) and rising fast after recent rains. They have had 5 inches of rain already and are expected to get 3-4 more inches, and so water clarity is dropping fast. In the backs of the creeks to about halfway out it’s already getting pretty bad. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s. 

Monsoon conditions are unlikely to put the bass on the bottom, and so Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports

October 1

Lake Keowee is at 98.7% of full pool and water clarity is normal. Water temperatures are in the lower 80s over most of the lake and high 70s at the base of the Jocassee Dam. 

While Lake Keowee bass are still primarily in a summer pattern, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports

September 30

Lake Jocassee is around 95.4% of full pool and clarity is extremely high. Morning surface water temperatures are around 77 degrees. 

Water temperatures have not cooled off enough for the trout to move shallower, and Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports

September 30

Inshore surface water temperatures around Edisto Island are down to 79 degrees in the morning and clarity is still high. There is tons of bait around and shrimping is very good. 

Without a significant reduction in water temperatures fish are in a bit of a holding pattern, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports

September 30

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 81 degrees around Hilton Head, and with all the recent rains the Broad and Chechessee Rivers are both very stained until you get to the sounds.  There is still tons of bait around.

The most exciting development around Hilton Head this week is with the bull red drum, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports

September 30

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.98 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is still clear. However, in the backs of creeks there are signs that the water is starting to turn over and you can already see brown water and bubbles on the surface. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 70s.   

Even though it would be customary to expect the bite to fall off a bit when the lake starts to turn over,Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports

September 30

Lake Wylie is at 96.7% of full pool and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 80 degrees.  

It’s been a tough few months of bass fishing on Lake Wylie, and anyone expecting that to change with this past weekend’s two-day BFL on Lake Wylie

September 30

Lake Wateree is at 96.4% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 78 degrees. Clarity is above normal. 

It’s unclear why, but tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports

September 30

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 659.01 (full pool is 660.00) and the water is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 79 degrees.

With water temperatures having only dropped a few more degrees Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

September 29

Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River are about 77 degrees. 

It’s a really good time to fish in the Little River area, and from inshore to the inlet to the beaches to nearshore it’s getting to be a strong fall bite. Perhaps the most exciting bite is in the Little River Inlet,

September 29

Lake Greenwood water levels are at 439.10 (full pool is 440.0) and the water is relatively clear. Surface water temperatures range from 78 in the morning to about 82 in the afternoon.

Even though morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the 70s, veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Saluda reports

September 29

Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s around Murrells Inlet.

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

There is a still a wide-open mullet run

September 29

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.25 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 77-78 degrees. 

The striped bass fishing on Clarks Hill is slow but steady, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports

September 29

Inshore surface water temperatures are down to about 78 degrees around Charleston and the creeks are full of bait. 

The inshore bite has gotten really, really good around Charleston, and Captain Rob Bennett (843-367-3777) reports

September 29

Santee Cooper water levels are at 74.92 in Lake Marion (full pool is 76.8) and 74.89 in Lake Moultrie (full pool is 75.5). Surface water temperatures range from about 78-81 degrees.       

The catfish action is still a little slow on Santee, but Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) reports

September 29

Lake Monticello surface water temperatures are around 80-82 degrees and the lake is still clear. Water levels fluctuate daily.

There’s not much change in the bass pattern on Lake Monticello, and tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

September 29

Morning surface water temperatures are about 81-82 degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.

Back on the water in Beaufort, Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports

September 29

Lake Murray water levels are at 357.51 (full pool is 360.00) and the water is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s to very low 80s. 

The patterns that were expected to produce in the BFL two-day this weekend on Lake Murray did, but tournament bass angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports

September 22

Lake Keowee is up to 99.1% of full pool and water clarity is normal. Water temperatures are in the lower 80s over most of the lake and high 70s at the base of the Jocassee Dam. 

Back on the water after the bass, N&C Marine/Skeeter Team member Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports

September 17

Inshore surface water temperatures around Edisto Island are down to 83 degrees in the morning and clarity is high. There is tons of bait around and shrimping is very good. 

Even with water temperatures still in the 80s the hot fall action is starting, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports

September 17

Morning surface water temperatures are only down to about 84 degrees around Hilton Head. There are tons of shrimp around. 

There’s other stuff biting around Hilton Head right now, but by far the most exciting action is for tarpon. Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports

September 17

Inshore surface water temperatures around Little River have dropped in the upper 70s. 

The North Carolina flounder season ended this week, and Captain Patrick “Smiley” Kelly (843-361-7445) reports