Freshwater Fishing Trends
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West Columbia, SC 29172
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Piedmont Area
Lake Russell
Bass: Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that bass should finally move deeper in July, and if temperatures do what they are expected to do the fishing should improve as schools tighten up. Fishing with deep running crankbaits or plastics worms around deep structure up to 40 or more feet down is often the best pattern, and live bait will also work.
Striped bass: Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in July the striper should be catchable on both ends of the lake, with free-lining working in the upper lake and down-lines working in the lower lake. At the end of the June the fishing had really picked up and they were even catching some fish around timber mid-lake.
Crappie: Guide Wendell Wilson reports that fish should move into deeper brush in July, and the fish could start to shift out of the creeks and into the main lake. They will be caught on jigs and minnows. June was very strong for crappie but by the end of the month they were already feeding mostly in short windows early and late.
Catfish: Guide Jerry Kotal reports that catfish should go deeper in July assuming water temperatures continue to warm. Fish should be caught in 15-25 feet of water on cut herring. Other fish are deeper but with so much underwater timber they are hard to target.
Most detailed Lake Russell Updates
Lake Thurmond
Bass: Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia, report that in July they expect a buzzbait or Whopper Plopper to often be the best way to catch quality fish, while numbers of bass can be caught deeper over humps and around brush on worms or jigs. There can also be schooling activity shallow or deep at times.
Striper and hybrids: Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that at the end of June the bait was still fairly shallow, but in July fish should be found 40 plus feet down suspended over deep water. They will be caught on down-lined herring. More striper should start to show up again this month – in June the catch was heavy on hybrids.
Crappie: Little River Guide Service reports that after a slow pre-spawn and spawn the crappie fishing picked up late this spring, and it has stayed good into the summer. In July fish should be found around brush that sits 25 or more feet down. Anchoring and then fishing vertically with minnows is usually the best pattern.
Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the best fishing in July will again be in the early morning or late evening. Anchoring on humps and points and fishing with cut bait at a variety of depths is the best bet. As the spawn mostly passes the fishing will improve after a slow-down in late June.
Most detailed Lake Thurmond Updates
Lake Wylie
Bass: Tournament angler Reid McGinn of Fort Mill reports that during July one group of fish will be shallow feeding around bedding bream, and another group of fish will be offshore in well-known community holes. Shallow fish can be caught on topwaters or soft plastics, and deeper fish can be caught on crankbaits and worms.
Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that during the day drifting mid-depths with cut bluegill is the best option, while at night anchoring with cut bait and fan-casting to a variety of depths is the best pattern. The bite should pick up once the catfish spawn wraps up and fish think more about feeding again.
Crappie and white perch:Captain Chris Nichols (704-860-7951) reports that again this month the two species will often be mixed together, commonly at the mouths of the creeks or on main lake flats. The white perch will be in massive schools that often blanket the whole water column, while crappie spread out more and will often suspend just above the thermocline. Minnow rigs are the best way to target both species but you can also troll crankbaits or jigs for crappie.
Most detailed Lake Wylie Updates
Midlands Area
Lake Greenwood
Bass: Veteran tournament angler Stan Gunter of Greenwood reports that in July there should be a topwater bite first thing in shallow water, but during the heat of the day fish should be caught deep in 15-20 feet of water on worms around points and brush. There should also still be a ton of spotted bass around docks.
Crappie: Captain Roland Addy (864-980-3672) reports that at the end of June fish were still scattered between the main lake and the creeks on relatively shallow brush. However, this month they expect the fish to mostly migrate to deep main lake brush where they will continue to take jigs. Most of the fish will be suspended in the water column, but factors like sun and cloud cover, water clarity, and cool weather can move them up and down the water column or even keep them shallower.
Catfish: Captain Chris Simpson reports that channel catfish can be caught drifting cut bait or anchoring with dip baits. Flathead catfish can be caught on live bait at night.
Most detailed Lake Greenwood Updates
Lake Monticello
Bass: BYA Fishing’s Eric Enlow of Union reports that in July most of the fish will be in deeper water off points and humps, and soft plastics, flutter spoons or big crankbaits will be the best way to catch them. As the month goes on they may get more finicky and finesse tactics may become important. There can still be a topwater bite in the shallows early or at night. The fishing is usually better when there is current.
Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that in July numbers of fish will be caught free-line drifting over deep water, while bigger fish can be caught anchoring cut bait on humps. This is a better month for catching lots of fish than big ones.
Most detailed Lake Monticello Updates
Lake Murray
Bass: Tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria reports that in July there can be a good shallow buzzbait bite early, and when bream are spawning they will also attract bass to shallow water – particularly in the morning. You often have to fish deep brush during the day and at night, and it’s an unusual year when there is a good, suspended bite in the heat of summer. However, the rivers do offer another option where shallow cover can be fishable even during the day.
Striped bass: Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that in July most fish should be in deeper water in the lower pool and at least in sight of the dam, and by the end of June they were already moving that way. This month fish will be caught on down-lined live herring as deep as 60 or more feet.
Crappie: Captain Brad Taylor and tournament angler Tommy Slice of Chapin report that fish will continue to hold around brush in July, but in different parts of the lake you will need to fish different depths. In the upper lake you can fish shallower, while in the lower lake deeper brush closer to the main body of water will hold the most and biggest fish. Jigs can work throughout the day in the rivers, but in the lower lake minnows are often more successful – especially outside of very early or late.
Catfish: Captain William Attaway (803-924-0857) reports that both because of feeding patterns and boat traffic the night bite will be much better during July. Dip baits and a variety of cut bait will catch fish in shallow water, and long points and humps are both good places to look.
Most detailed Lake Murray Updates
Lake Wateree
Bass: Tournament angler Dearal Rodgers of Camden reports that because of low water levels deep patterns are fishing better this year, and in July he expects that to continue to be the case. Shaky heads, jigs, big crankbaits and Carolina rigs will all catch fish around offshore depth changes, but in the summer heat you may have to throw everything at them before seeing what the bass will eat. You can also target deeper docks with worms or jigs, and early in the morning there may continue to be a topwater bite off main lake points. With low water levels the main lake is the place to be this summer.
Crappie: Veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt reports that in July fish will be on brush in the main river channel, and his preferred method will be casting Fish Stalker Lures. Minnows will also work. Fish will also be found around deeper bridges but otherwise avoid the creeks.
Catfish: Captain Rodger Taylor (803-517-7828) reports that, while he won’t be targeting Lake Wateree catfish until conditions normalize, in July drifting in the mid-lake area with cut bait is usually the best way to catch numbers of catfish. This is usually not a good month for big fish.
Most detailed Lake Wateree Updates
Santee Cooper
Bass: Captain Kyle Austin (843-209-3726) reports that early there can be a topwater bite around lily pads and shallow vegetation, but during the day the best action will be around eel grass and hydrilla beds or offshore brush and ledges. Big worms, jerkbaits and crankbaits can all work, and at least at the end of June the fishing was still strong
Crappie: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that this month fish should continue to be caught on mid-depth brush with minnows, but as it gets very hot they could move a little deeper. It’s been a down year for crappie and it would be unusual for July to offer big improvement.
Bream: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that around the new and full moons waves of bluegill and some shellcracker should come shallow to spawn where they can be caught on crickets and worms. In between the fish are supposed to hold around the first break, but this year they have often been hard to locate. Smaller bream are easy to find on brush piles.
Catfish: Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) and Captain Bobby Winters (843-751-3080) report that to start July the best fishing is usually drifting or anchoring in relatively shallow water in less than 20 feet, but at some point the bigger fish will probably go deeper. White perch and bream are usually good summer baits
Most detailed Santee Cooper System Updates
Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee
Bass: Veteran angler Chip Cranford of Boiling Springs reports that during July all three species of Jocassee bass are likely to feed better early, late and at night in low light conditions, and topwater lures such as Spooks or buzz frogs can work well – particularly for largemouth. Fishing deeper structure with soft plastics is fairly dependable for catching spotted bass and sometimes smallmouth. By the end of June fish seemed to have moved out of the rivers but that can always change.
Trout: Guide Sam Jones (864-280-9056) reports that towards the end of June the fishing finally picked up on Jocassee, and so they are much more optimistic for the summer than a few weeks ago. In July fish should continue to move deeper as the water warms, and they should be found as deep as 80-100 plus feet this month. Spoons should work for most of the month but if the bite gets tougher you can try minnows. There can also be a good night bite at the dam with live bait or worms.
Most detailed Lake Jocassee Updates
Lake Keowee
Bass: Guide Charles Townson (864-324-2065) reports that during July fish will remain in a summer pattern where they can be caught early and late off points on topwaters, while during the day fishing deeper with soft plastics is the best option. Look out for possible schooling activity this month.
Most detailed Lake Keowee Updates
Lake Hartwell
Bass: Guide Brad Fowler reports that typically in July fish will be caught on drop shots and shaky heads around deep brush piles, and fish can also be “called up” to the surface offshore with topwater lures. Sometimes there is a good shallow bite in July, but with dropping water levels that looks less likely this year unless conditions change.
Striper and hybrids: Captain Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that at the end of the June there were still smaller fish in the mouths of coves and in gullies off the main channel, but more fish were already holding in the river channel itself in 50-80 feet of water. Sometimes they will get on the bottom in holes between the standing timber, but more often than not they actually suspend in the trees. However, you have to look at both every morning because last year they were more oriented to holes in the timber. Herring on down-rods are the main pattern.
Crappie: Guide Rodney Donald (864-356-0143) reports that he expected the fishing to really slow down in June, but the action was still good. Just as surprisingly the fish never really moved, holding over 20-foot brush all month. Still, they should finally go deeper this month, although weather and water conditions can combine to surprise anglers.
Catfish: Captain Bill Plumley reports that during July channel catfish will bite well in less than 20 feet of water on a variety of baits including cut herring, dip baits, and nightcrawlers. Flatheads can be caught at night on live bait.
Most detailed Lake Hartwell updates
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