I’m leaving FL on Wednesday to head back up there for 3 days of fishing. I’m so pumped...fishing will be awesome. Good luck! Stay I’m gonna have some good footage after next weekend.
Thanks for this video! I usually fish Santee on a regular, but my days aren’t very productive. Usually 1 or 2 squeakers, 1 or 2 pounds. Hoping to make Fishing more productive for when my dad comes to visit.
Santee has been on my bucket list for awhile now, I reside in Georgia near Fort Stewart Army Post. I had the pleasure to get on Santee (Lake Marion) on 30 May 2022, I launched from John C Land ramp and there was a very heavy fog that lasted until about 1030 am. Being it was my first time on that body of water and being informed of the hazards that exists there due to the stumps I was afraid to venture to far from the ramp during the heavy fog. Needless to say it wasn’t a good experience for me on that day. I did not catch a fish. However, I am planning another trip on 18 June looking for a better time on the water. I am hoping someone would share some helpful information that will help put at least one big fish in the boat on my next trip. Thanks in advance.
Your right about the hazards outside any channel markers so no shame there, I take it slow out there (hit a stump before and it’s no fun) don’t let it detour you though, fishing is too good 👌. Cypress trees are your friend, although sometimes it seems you can fish 1000 of them with no bite. Key is to find slightly deeper isolated patches. I’m a sucker to pad fields too, used to be a bunch in Jack’s creek I would punch and fish around with great success. They bombed Jack’s creek a few years ago and not sure if the vegetation has yet to rebound. Best of luck! You’ll find em just keep your line wet.
Thanks for the video...very timely. I am heading down on Monday. DAY 1: Launch at public ramp at Stumphole around noon and fish the stumphole area until dusk. DAY 2: Launch at Carolina King and fish that area all day. DAY 3: Fish in the morning somewhere before heading home. I have a 16' aluminum boat. I am a little nervous about navigating particularly from the ramp over to the stumphole. Once there, I suspect I will be on my trolling motor most of the time. before I head out I am heading to the local tackle shop to give him some business and try to get some navigation advice. The high water level will help and I just plan on taking it slow. Does that sound like a reasonable plan for cutting my teeth on Lake Marion?
Carolina king is awesome. I spent many of weekend in their Cabins. Beautiful place. YES, it’s reasonable and high waters will help. I hit a stump going off the beaten path around Carolina king and broke my engine mounts years ago. Not fun. I was only going maybe 10mph. Try to stay in the channels most you can, and when you venture out to fish an area just trim up and idle around, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. The stump I hit was in a known stump field in jacks creek, Took a short cut this one time and paid the price. Too cocky. You will waste some time going slow but I’ve learned one thing there’s a stump out there somewhere with your name on it haha, but honestly don’t let it spook you, you just have to take it easy until you get familiar with the waters in my opinion. Older I get the less reckless I become, I’m sure some other people would say SEND IT! Good luck, enjoy!
@@FillALimitFishing Thanks for the advice. I have quite a few years on you and like to think my reckless years are behind me. However, the ability to make stupid decisions still seems to hang around. I am really looking forward to this trip. I hope I can find them. Looks like three hot sunny days ahead.
What does Santee Cooper look like in May as far as vegetation (are the pads up yet)? Also is the spawn over and are frogs effective? I'm from Michigan and planning on going there in a month. Great video by the way
Never a bad time to go to Santee bud. May is good. Pads and vegetation will be up and lush where it hasn’t been sprayed to death at least. Unfortunately out of our control. Frogs will be money. I would keep that sucker in my hands a lot. Hope you catch a pile of bigs!
You have experience at moultire? Launched at Amos Lee Gourdine today in my kayak and couldn’t buy a bite. Windy conditions but nothing around cypress or anything for that matter. Had high hopes from I heard about the bass fishing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Unfortunately, I do not. All my years in that lake were spent on Marion and primarily north of 95. I always tricked in the summer months around vegetation, lily pads and hyacinths. Punchin and a soft body frog was my deal. They nuked a bunch of the vegetation I used to fish so hopefully it’s coming back by now. I imagine same techniques would work on Moultrie, try fishing slower, otherwise best of luck!
Thanks dude. Good info. Those are all just top notch baits. They are on my deck in PA in the spring too. I’m heading to Santee in mid Feb. looking for prespawn action. Any recs? I was just going to fish 1/2 chatterbait, slow roll spinner bait, maybe lipless all on points outside spawning flats. You think they go shallow in February? Should I bother flipping? Hitting knees? If you don’t have time to answer all this no worries. 👍🏻😂
If you can find some good points and trees lines outside spawning flats you’ll be in good shape. All the baits you describing should get bit, I would also try a jerk bait and swimbait on the same areas. Yes, I would go flipping for sure. I think there is always some resident fish up shallow. Hit those isolated outside cypress knees too. You gonna have to be open minded and take one bite at a time. Fishing should be good though as long as you have some consistent weather leading up to. Good luck man! I’m going in April, so jacked up for it too!
@@FillALimitFishing Thanks man. I’m pumped. Only my second time there. I went April 15 two years ago. I wasn’t prepared for how clear the water was in the shallows. Also, I think the spawn was just ending. It fished tough for me. Hoping to hit some prespawn fatties this time. I’m a better off shore fisherman than I am shallow. Hoping that’ll translate down there. Good luck to you.
This stuff is good I got but it’s going to switch up complete honestly man the best thing to do is practice cause rn the conditions are changing so much in South Carolina right now nobody can pinpoint the fish even the good locals
zahreed mcclinton yeah that’s exactly what we did. I had to fish by myself while my partner was on a mission trip. I weighed in 6.97 and placed 13th out of 98 boats
I did a lot of my damage on isolated cypress trees and pad fields in April. Fish as many as you can. I haven’t been back in 2 years, hopefully the emergent vegetation is making a comeback. That’s where I liked to fish and it worked for me.
I like bright chartreuse Colorado blade spinner baits or big bright shallow water crank baits when the water is dirty and moving. Black and blue swim jig with a rage craw can work well too. There is so much cover out there you have to keep your foot on the pedal until you put the pieces together, one bite at a time. Best of luck!
I fished almost exclusively north of the I-95 bridge. Be careful for hidden stumps outside of the main channel. Get too cocky and they will rock your world in a bad way, ask me how I know 😂
Steve Tazman Sweetman The struggle is real, been there done that. I may be stating the obvious but, Stay on the move but fish methodical. Maybe even slow down an thoroughly dissect an area if you think your moving too fast. Don’t be hard headed either, sometime Ill push a pattern when it’s just not there, ie. throwing a top water for hours when I should be pitching a worm. Best of luck.
Sorry, not really. I’ve never chased them out there and I rarely do it anyways so not much pointers in there department, they are certainly out there, drift over the right areas with fresh cut bait and hope for the best 🤷♂️👍
Great video, pretty much reinforces what I was thinking. I was stationed near there in the Navy 20 years ago and fished it religiously (Mostly Moultrie) Heading there the week of 26 April 21, and staying at Lake Marion Resorts. Looks like 10-15 mile run to stumphole - definitely worried about stumps even in deeper water outside the marked channels. I caught my PB an 11 + in 1994 there at Rocks Pond near the big island. Am definitely stoked about fishing 4 days there and hoping for at least 1 over 10. On I maps fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=Lake+Marion+%26+Moultrie+boating+app#13.11/33.4866/-80.4164 I found an underwater Island (at the above link) almost exactly mile off of Webbs creek straight out...what are your thoughts on deepwater flukin in 7-10 feet of water surrounded by 20ft in the middle o f the day? Thanks again for the video and looking forward to more...definitely sensed your passion for the sport!
Thanks! I’ve actually made plans myself to go up first week of April for 3 days. Haven’t been in over 3 years so I couldn’t be more excited to get on a flurry of big fish. The older I get the less careless I become...I used to hum around that lake with not too much thought into the stumps until I rocked one haha. Gotta be careful for sure. I think the fluke fishing your describing could be lights out, sounds like a logical place to position your boat fish. I don’t do much offshore on Marion. When I go I’m locked into hunting spawning bass in and around the vegetation and cypress trees, the shallow water targets keeps me locked in all day and it works too. There’s some juice offshore for sure though. I hope you catch another PB, that would be awesome! Appreciate you watching. I’ll be posting videos on Santee following my trip in April. Stay tuned.
Thank you! We are from Colorado and I'm bringing my boys (7 and 8) out there and we can't wait!
I’m leaving FL on Wednesday to head back up there for 3 days of fishing. I’m so pumped...fishing will be awesome. Good luck! Stay I’m gonna have some good footage after next weekend.
Hey. Thanks for the great video.
Definitely grabbing a few of those lures before heading to Santee in April.
Great video 👍🏻
Great video and context
Thanks!
Thanks for the info on Santee Cooper I love fishing that lake
Me too! It’s an awesome fishery.
Thanks for this video! I usually fish Santee on a regular, but my days aren’t very productive. Usually 1 or 2 squeakers, 1 or 2 pounds. Hoping to make Fishing more productive for when my dad comes to visit.
you bet! good luck, hope this helps
Santee has been on my bucket list for awhile now, I reside in Georgia near Fort Stewart Army Post. I had the pleasure to get on Santee (Lake Marion) on 30 May 2022, I launched from John C Land ramp and there was a very heavy fog that lasted until about 1030 am. Being it was my first time on that body of water and being informed of the hazards that exists there due to the stumps I was afraid to venture to far from the ramp during the heavy fog. Needless to say it wasn’t a good experience for me on that day. I did not catch a fish. However, I am planning another trip on 18 June looking for a better time on the water. I am hoping someone would share some helpful information that will help put at least one big fish in the boat on my next trip. Thanks in advance.
Your right about the hazards outside any channel markers so no shame there, I take it slow out there (hit a stump before and it’s no fun) don’t let it detour you though, fishing is too good 👌. Cypress trees are your friend, although sometimes it seems you can fish 1000 of them with no bite. Key is to find slightly deeper isolated patches. I’m a sucker to pad fields too, used to be a bunch in Jack’s creek I would punch and fish around with great success. They bombed Jack’s creek a few years ago and not sure if the vegetation has yet to rebound. Best of luck! You’ll find em just keep your line wet.
Thanks for the video...very timely. I am heading down on Monday. DAY 1: Launch at public ramp at Stumphole around noon and fish the stumphole area until dusk. DAY 2: Launch at Carolina King and fish that area all day. DAY 3: Fish in the morning somewhere before heading home. I have a 16' aluminum boat. I am a little nervous about navigating particularly from the ramp over to the stumphole. Once there, I suspect I will be on my trolling motor most of the time. before I head out I am heading to the local tackle shop to give him some business and try to get some navigation advice. The high water level will help and I just plan on taking it slow. Does that sound like a reasonable plan for cutting my teeth on Lake Marion?
Carolina king is awesome. I spent many of weekend in their Cabins. Beautiful place. YES, it’s reasonable and high waters will help. I hit a stump going off the beaten path around Carolina king and broke my engine mounts years ago. Not fun. I was only going maybe 10mph. Try to stay in the channels most you can, and when you venture out to fish an area just trim up and idle around, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. The stump I hit was in a known stump field in jacks creek, Took a short cut this one time and paid the price. Too cocky. You will waste some time going slow but I’ve learned one thing there’s a stump out there somewhere with your name on it haha, but honestly don’t let it spook you, you just have to take it easy until you get familiar with the waters in my opinion. Older I get the less reckless I become, I’m sure some other people would say SEND IT! Good luck, enjoy!
@@FillALimitFishing Thanks for the advice. I have quite a few years on you and like to think my reckless years are behind me. However, the ability to make stupid decisions still seems to hang around. I am really looking forward to this trip. I hope I can find them. Looks like three hot sunny days ahead.
Great video man!👌🏻
Appreciate it!
What does Santee Cooper look like in May as far as vegetation (are the pads up yet)? Also is the spawn over and are frogs effective? I'm from Michigan and planning on going there in a month. Great video by the way
Never a bad time to go to Santee bud. May is good. Pads and vegetation will be up and lush where it hasn’t been sprayed to death at least. Unfortunately out of our control. Frogs will be money. I would keep that sucker in my hands a lot. Hope you catch a pile of bigs!
@@FillALimitFishing Thanks for the advice!
You have experience at moultire? Launched at Amos Lee Gourdine today in my kayak and couldn’t buy a bite. Windy conditions but nothing around cypress or anything for that matter. Had high hopes from I heard about the bass fishing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Unfortunately, I do not. All my years in that lake were spent on Marion and primarily north of 95. I always tricked in the summer months around vegetation, lily pads and hyacinths. Punchin and a soft body frog was my deal. They nuked a bunch of the vegetation I used to fish so hopefully it’s coming back by now. I imagine same techniques would work on Moultrie, try fishing slower, otherwise best of luck!
Thanks dude. Good info. Those are all just top notch baits. They are on my deck in PA in the spring too. I’m heading to Santee in mid Feb. looking for prespawn action. Any recs? I was just going to fish 1/2 chatterbait, slow roll spinner bait, maybe lipless all on points outside spawning flats. You think they go shallow in February? Should I bother flipping? Hitting knees? If you don’t have time to answer all this no worries. 👍🏻😂
If you can find some good points and trees lines outside spawning flats you’ll be in good shape. All the baits you describing should get bit, I would also try a jerk bait and swimbait on the same areas. Yes, I would go flipping for sure. I think there is always some resident fish up shallow. Hit those isolated outside cypress knees too. You gonna have to be open minded and take one bite at a time. Fishing should be good though as long as you have some consistent weather leading up to. Good luck man! I’m going in April, so jacked up for it too!
@@FillALimitFishing Thanks man. I’m pumped. Only my second time there. I went April 15 two years ago. I wasn’t prepared for how clear the water was in the shallows. Also, I think the spawn was just ending. It fished tough for me. Hoping to hit some prespawn fatties this time. I’m a better off shore fisherman than I am shallow. Hoping that’ll translate down there. Good luck to you.
Nice vid man. Got a tournament there in October so I’m doing my research
This stuff is good I got but it’s going to switch up complete honestly man the best thing to do is practice cause rn the conditions are changing so much in South Carolina right now nobody can pinpoint the fish even the good locals
zahreed mcclinton yeah that’s exactly what we did. I had to fish by myself while my partner was on a mission trip. I weighed in 6.97 and placed 13th out of 98 boats
ADS Slash that’s good stuff man happy things worked out in your favor especially with the way the lakes are rn
zahreed mcclinton yeah man it was pretty rough the Friday we practiced
Good luck! wish I was fishing!
What is the best spots to fish for big bass in early April on santee cooper
I did a lot of my damage on isolated cypress trees and pad fields in April. Fish as many as you can. I haven’t been back in 2 years, hopefully the emergent vegetation is making a comeback. That’s where I liked to fish and it worked for me.
What are the hooks you’re using on the worms?
5/0 EWG Gamakatsu, superline on the stick baits and weighted wacky rig hooks with brush guard…VMC maybe. Don’t remember .
What do you recommend when the water is high and dirty with a lot of currant?
I like bright chartreuse Colorado blade spinner baits or big bright shallow water crank baits when the water is dirty and moving. Black and blue swim jig with a rage craw can work well too. There is so much cover out there you have to keep your foot on the pedal until you put the pieces together, one bite at a time. Best of luck!
@@FillALimitFishing thank you brother!
What areas of the lake do you suggest @ Santee ?
I fished almost exclusively north of the I-95 bridge. Be careful for hidden stumps outside of the main channel. Get too cocky and they will rock your world in a bad way, ask me how I know 😂
@@FillALimitFishing Im basically using the same baits but seem to be struggling a bit at stumphole. any suggestions? Thanks
Steve Tazman Sweetman
The struggle is real, been there done that. I may be stating the obvious but, Stay on the move but fish methodical. Maybe even slow down an thoroughly dissect an area if you think your moving too fast. Don’t be hard headed either, sometime Ill push a pattern when it’s just not there, ie. throwing a top water for hours when I should be pitching a worm. Best of luck.
Fish in Moultrie( the upper lake) a lot and the Zoom super fluke works good, all year.
Any tips for catfish?
Sorry, not really. I’ve never chased them out there and I rarely do it anyways so not much pointers in there department, they are certainly out there, drift over the right areas with fresh cut bait and hope for the best 🤷♂️👍
Hey man you know any good guides you can recommend on Santee Cooper?
I don’t sorry, but I’m sure a google search or someone from one of the many fish camps may assist.
Brett Mitchell at Black’s Fish Camp seems to do well.
Great video, pretty much reinforces what I was thinking. I was stationed near there in the Navy 20 years ago and fished it religiously (Mostly Moultrie) Heading there the week of 26 April 21, and staying at Lake Marion Resorts. Looks like 10-15 mile run to stumphole - definitely worried about stumps even in deeper water outside the marked channels. I caught my PB an 11 + in 1994 there at Rocks Pond near the big island. Am definitely stoked about fishing 4 days there and hoping for at least 1 over 10. On I maps fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=Lake+Marion+%26+Moultrie+boating+app#13.11/33.4866/-80.4164
I found an underwater Island (at the above link) almost exactly mile off of Webbs creek straight out...what are your thoughts on deepwater flukin in 7-10 feet of water surrounded by 20ft in the middle o f the day?
Thanks again for the video and looking forward to more...definitely sensed your passion for the sport!
Thanks! I’ve actually made plans myself to go up first week of April for 3 days. Haven’t been in over 3 years so I couldn’t be more excited to get on a flurry of big fish. The older I get the less careless I become...I used to hum around that lake with not too much thought into the stumps until I rocked one haha. Gotta be careful for sure. I think the fluke fishing your describing could be lights out, sounds like a logical place to position your boat fish. I don’t do much offshore on Marion. When I go I’m locked into hunting spawning bass in and around the vegetation and cypress trees, the shallow water targets keeps me locked in all day and it works too. There’s some juice offshore for sure though. I hope you catch another PB, that would be awesome! Appreciate you watching. I’ll be posting videos on Santee following my trip in April. Stay tuned.