Freshwater Fishing
Catfish: The lakes are best known for their blue cats, with regular catches in the 30–60 lb range and occasional monsters tipping 100+. Flatheads and channel cats add variety, but it’s the blues that draw anglers from across the country. Drifting cut bait across the flats is the go-to method, and many guides have perfected it into an art. Largemouth Bass: The cypress trees and stump fields are bass magnets. Santee Cooper has produced countless double-digit largemouths, with spring being prime time. Spinnerbaits, soft plastics, and topwaters all shine when bass are shallow. Crappie: In the spring, the crappie bite turns red-hot. Docks, brush piles, and submerged timber produce slabs that’ll keep you busy from dawn till dusk. Bream and Shellcracker: Every May, when the moon is full, shellcrackers bed in shallow water, and the action is almost unbelievable. Anglers load up on bluegill and redear sunfish, some pushing two pounds apiece. Striped Bass: Santee Cooper is one of the rare places where stripers reproduce naturally. Though management has had its ups and downs, they’re still a favorite target in deeper water. Over the years I fished all over American. From the Florida Keys to Alaska, but that weekend on Santee Cooper was a trip that beats all the others. Because it was with my Grandfather.
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