The lake is referred to as south carolinas inland sea. Lake marion, south carolinas largest lake, has long been known for its big fish and abundant. For those that enjoy the various sunfish species, there are numerous species in various lakes. Jan 07, 2014 hey guys, i live in ky, and i have never fished the santee lakes, but i have been reading these forum and think i will give them a shot. The redear sunfish is deep and slabsided, with a small mouth, with the upper jaw not reaching past the front of the eye. Anglers know long waiting lines to launch a boat even at remote access areas signals shellcracker action is smoking hot. Shellcracker fishing tips sheelcracker fishing florida. Florida has more than 7,700 named lakes and ponds and over 10,000 miles of streams and rivers, all brimming with bream. He never keeps females that are full of roe, so many of the larger fish he caught were released. What makes blinds so attractive is the wood structure.
Bluegill, shellcrackers and crappie fishing, not only fun to catch but these little guys are second to none in the frying pan. In 1998, santee cooper had a worlds record shellcracker that weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces caught in the diversion canal. April fishing action is wide open on the santee cooper lakes. There are far more catfishstriper guides around santee cooper than bass guides, and countless anglers make annual excursions to the lakes to target crappie on lake moultries humps, fish for redbreast sunfish in sparkleberry swamp or catch giant shellcrackers from the diversion canal. Lake marion is the largest lake in south carolina, centrally located and with territory within five. Often, when blinds are redone, the old lumber or timbers are thrown beside the existing duck blind, making more or less a clattered bottom covered with wood. A handful of waters, including those listed below, have given up specimens more than twice that size. Yearround fishing destination santee cooper country.
I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my. I get to come down to santee about 3 or 4 times a year. The canal that connects the two lakes also produced a former world record shellcracker redear sunfish, and both lakes continue to produce. It has a 315mile 507 km shoreline and covers nearly 110,000 acres 450 square kilometers or 173. Grandson caught 17 of these in an afternoon fished with red worms. The lakes were the original home of naturally reproducing landlocked striped bass river fish that got trapped by impoundment but thrived in the lakes. Crappie fishing, bluegill, shellcracker and crappie fishing. Since it is a popular sport fish, it has been introduced to bodies of water all over north america. Santee shellcracker bite is already hot carolina sportsman. Catching giant shellcracker in the famous santee cooper reservoir. Dec 12, 2018 there are far more catfishstriper guides around santee cooper than bass guides, and countless anglers make annual excursions to the lakes to target crappie on lake moultries humps, fish for redbreast sunfish in sparkleberry swamp or catch giant shellcrackers from the diversion canal.
The florida crappie, speckled perch or speck as they are called throughout the south is the most sought after panfish on lake okeechobee. Lake marion is connected to lake moultrie by a canal. Apr 14, 2014 april is one of the most eagerly anticipated months on the santee cooper lakes, and with good reason. Ive caught shellcrackers in less than twelve inches of water, and, more often than not, this is the depth where they actually feed. Fishing reports bragging board fishing guides santee cooper fishing report by ray sedgwick. Santee cooper lakes, south carolina lakes marion and moultrie have been wellknown shellcracker hotspots for decades, with. From live entertainment to county festivals, santee cooper country offers events yearround for the whole family. Another area that historically produces quality shellcracker populations is oak mountain state lakes. Lake marion and its smaller sister reservoir, lake moultrie, are together known as the santee cooper lakes. Im looking for a guide or local who would be willing to take us out and put us on some big shellcrackers. A lot of anglers wait until may before chasing shellcracker, but these feisty panfish are already biting in big numbers on the santee cooper lakes. Santee cooper lake levels slowly rising columnists. Santee cooper country best places to be in santee sc. The santee cooper lake system is made up of 110,600acre lake marion and 60,400acre lake moultrie, which are.
I like to catch plenty of fish that fight hard, test my tackle and my angling skills an d taste delicious when i eat them. Find the best places to stay and fun outdoor activities like fishing, kayaking and golf in one of our communities. With warm weather and approaching moon, shellcrackers are biting very good with limits caught easily, still in shallow waters around grass beds of bullrushes being the best. These fish are bottomfeeders, meandering along the lake bed seeking and cracking open snails and other shelled creatures. The santee river was dammed in the 1940s to supply. Diverse fishery also offers excellent largemouth, catfish, crappie and bream. The 15 best things to do in santee 2020 with photos. Me and dad normally catfish 2 weeks in june and crappie fish late nov. Located in south carolina, the lake marion real estate market is the fifth largest in the state for both lake homes and lake lots. In natural waters, it is confined to the southern half of missouri, but it is widely stocked in small reservoirs and ponds. Anchoring on same bars using stink baits have been productive for smaller fish. We would anchor the boat, put a gob of red wigglers on the hook and cast out about six different outfits, put them in rod.
A lot of popular fish are biting extremely well, and a lot of them are moving to shallow water. I live in maryville, and dont want to spend the money for gas if they aint nuffin bitin. A video of springtime shellcracker fishing in lake marion swamp. The two major species well consider here are the bluegill and shellcracker. Santee lakes recreation preserve hosts over 670,000 visitors a year. Lake marion was created by the construction of the santee dam in november 1941, part of.
Now is the time to strike a trot to the lake and wet a hook for these babies. Western branch has recently produced two crackers that im aware of that were 14inches apiece and 2. Click here for a video on catching santees crappie on grass beds. Hilton fulmer fights a big santee cooper shellcracker. Popular freshwater catches throughout south carolina include crappie, bream, striped bass, large and small mouth bass, catfish and trout. Shellcracker redear sunfish spawn in april and may during the full moon phases. Other fish that abound are striped bass, white perch, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, arkansas blue catfish, shellcrackers, bream. Fishing reports canal lakes fish camp on the santee. We had read several articles stating that murray is one of the best shellcracker lakes in the state and we had never fished for them here. Although we caught only a few fish on that trip since it was too early, it did bring back memories of how much fun bream fishing can be. Black and white crappie are big and plentiful in south caroinas santee cooper lakes. Part of the famous santee cooper system and home for trophy stripers. Im sure that many are caught in deeper water, but i feel that they prefer shallow depths if sufficient cover is available. Information about the species of fish local to lake lanier.
She is passionate about the outdoors, and enjoys exploring the states many natural treasures from the lowcountry to the upstate. The fishing maps app include hd lake depth contours. Santee cooper is hot during the cold months if you can call our weather cold this is the best fishing of the year, and you will just about have the lakes to your self. The redear sunfish lepomis microlophus, also known as the shellcracker, georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch is a freshwater fish in the family centrarchidae and is native to the southeastern united states. Shellcrackers on the bed at santee one of my buds has been catching a cooler full of nice fish every day this week. In the fall and winter, you may catch them with live bait and also when they are schooling on the top. We just dont have enough time when we are down to find them and figure them out. It was a brutal day to fish with a sudden cold snap and high winds but the technique he taught us has served well. The santee cooper lakes also produce worldclass catfishing, with dozens of guides fishing primarily for big flatheads and blues and the world record channel catfish having come from the same. Its shellcracker time on the santee cooper lakes, and anglers show this panfish species a lot of love in april.
April fishing action is wide open on the santee cooper. These characteristics describe the shellcracker redear sunfish with its nicknames of. Mar 31, 2017 i went fishing for shellcracker at clarks hill the week after easter last year. The fish in santee cooper feed all winter, unless the water temperature reaches 45 degrees. Many shellcrackers bed in the middles of these lakes on humps coming off the bottom or in the sandy area around the old swimming beach. Bream is a local term throughout the southeast that includes a variety of deepbodied panfish belonging to the sunfish family. Lake marion is the largest lake in south carolina, centrally located and with territory within five counties. Chartreus wigglers and crickets are your best offering. I went fishing for shellcracker at clarks hill the week after easter last year. If you want to target the shellcrackers specifically, buy a bag of either mussels or shrimp.
However a lot of lakes in south carolina have good populations of other prized fish and well see where to catch redbreast, white perch and yellow perch as well. Action on both lake marion and lake moultrie is excellent for a wide variety of species. Shellcrackers take nightcrawlers more readily than bluegill, and that will work. The closure controls pressure on the small lakes and creates a highquality fishing experience once the lakes open in the spring. The 10 best restaurants in santee updated april 2020. Catching bluegill and shellcracker on kentuckhy lake. Since it is a popular sport fish, it has been introduced to bodies of water all over. Santee cooper lake in south carolina probably has a bluegill population just as good, if not better, as any other southern state. Fishing reports canal lakes fish camp on the santee cooper. The striper is the south carolina state fish, and the santee cooper lakes were the first place in the world that stripers were landlocked. Mike doster of harrys heart of the lakes on lake marion, whose ramps are fully functional and capable of launching 31foot. Was out there this weekend bass fishing, and things didnt look quite just right yet for the shellcrackers.
April is one of the most eagerly anticipated months on the santee cooper lakes, and with good reason. Two pounds is exceptionally large for most sunfish, but some lakes produce shellcrackers that size with astounding regularity. I plan on going this weekend for them with a fisheries bioligist who knows where they are at, and will you give you an update of what we find. Jul 05, 2012 three lakes that seem to be super hot right now are western branch in virginia, and barkley lakekentucky lake down at lbl. Use the giant herring that are migrating into the lakes from the ocean. Fishing the bluegill spawn on lake marion, santee cooper, sc. Its shellcracker fishing time on the santee cooper lakes. We catch 4pound shellcrackers every fall, and 2 to 3pound shellcrackers are fairly common, lamprecht reports. May 30, 2012 for those that enjoy the various sunfish species, there are numerous species in various lakes.
Thinking of heading to cottonport marina area on friday the 4 may. Captain joe dennis catcing big santee shellcrackers. Shellcracker lakes that seem to be hot right now bluegill. A former staffer with the miami herald, marie moved to sc in 1992. Fishing for bluegill and shellcracker in the peak of the spawn is one of them. Santee cooper lake levels slowly rising tommy braswell. Beds were a little tricky to find but once i zerod in, caught some decent fish. Canal lakes fish camp santee cooper lakes hwy 45 on the diversion canal 9 canal landing road, cross, sc 29436 open 5.
Dirt road traveler by audionautix from youtube audio library. Freshwater fishing in south carolina has produced some record fish. Hot shellcracker bite is on at santee carolina sportsman. Freshwater fishing south carolina parks official site.
Maybe a trip over to santee cooper will be what it takes. These brawny bream returns the favor by filling up empty space in large coolers. The dead river, a short canal connecting lakes eustis and harris, was as crowded last weekend as i4 during rush hour. Shellcracker fishing tips and information on shellcracker fishing in florida on some of the top lakes in the country. The lake marion market averages 220 lake homes for sale and 220 lake lot and parcels listings. Theres another two or three weeks of prime spawning time too so grab a friend and head on out. If water temperatures remain low through march in central florida waters, then expect shellcrackers to concentrate for spawning between the second and fourth weeks of april.
The best crappie lakes in south carolina usa today. Fed mainly by the santee river, lake marions smaller tributaries include a number of springs, including eutaw springs. May 06, 2019 catching giant shellcracker in the famous santee cooper reservoir. Sonnys blood bait and murrells stink bait are your best baits. The first have of the video was done by my 11 yr old son who is learning how to run the camera. Shellcracker in particular like areas where wood is or pieces of wood are present. Shellcrackers at santee cooper night hawk publications.
Florida lake tarpon and lake guntersville shellcrackers. Santeecooper lakes, south carolina lakes marion and moultrie have been wellknown shellcracker hotspots for decades, with 2 to 4pound specimens. When you purchase our lake maps app, you get all the great marine chart app features like fishing spots, along with lake marion lake depth map. Lake marion produced this great stringer of shellcrackers for william scott and fishing buddy hilton fulmer. Theres another two or three weeks of prime spawning time too. Nov 30, 2017 the lakes were the original home of naturally reproducing landlocked striped bass river fish that got trapped by impoundment but thrived in the lakes. The diversion canal, which connects lake marion and lake moultrie, seems to concentrate shellcrackers in the fall months. A scenic beauty, centrally located, with easy highway access.
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