Hey all! My family and I have recently moved into the Hamlets. My 5 yr old son loves fishing and I’m trying to get my wife and 3 yr old daughter into it as well. We have fished a few of the ponds around the golf course. We live on the 18th hole and there is a decent sized pond just across it but havent had much luck, besides a big gator following us around. Not sure if it has anything to do with the heat and excess rain or that I’ve just lost my freshwater touch, but I’ve been skunking out nonstop! I was thinking fo purchasing a jon boat to try out Crowfield Lake, but havent seen any places to put in. Does anyone know of a landing in the Hamlets with access to the lake or anywhere to put in a jon boat? Thanks in advance!
There is a landing along Crowfield Blvd.
Excuses? I’ve heard them all!
As Smokey said, along Crowfield Blvd at the end of Centennial road (in GoogleEarth - 33.016725 N, -80.067137 W). You probably already know, that no motors are allowed. There are a couple piers/docks to fish from around the lake as well.
John
15’ Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro
I know of the landing along Crowfield, but have always seen a closed gate it the end of the ramp at the waters access. I haven’t seen any parking for a truck and trailer along Crowfield either. I was thinking of just getting a boat cart and unloading at the Hamlet’s park area and wheeling it down to the water myself. It’s only about a 100ft walk to the water. Ive never done this, but wouldn’t think it would be too hard…any thoughts?
Hey BoatDrinks I have fished Lake Crowfield in the past in a small john boat and you’ve got the right idea, no formal landing so just drag it to the edge somewhere and somehow and push it in. I have launched right next to the locked formal boat landing before because I could back my truck up to about thirty feet from the water. The lighter your boat the better. I have one of those mostly plastic Coleman Crawdad boats and I can take it out of the truck by myself with a trolling motor and battery in it (+ fishing gear) Now to the lake. I have not had much luck with the Bass but know people that have. I mainly fished for Crappie and bream and there are plenty of those. I fish later in the fall when it cools off and can honestly tell you the lake is loaded with crappie, absolutely slayed them on ultra light rods with 4 lb test line casting artificial grubs to the bank, and I mean big numbers. But here’s the thing, they were all small crappie, I mean just under keeper size, just under big enough to keep and eat. Im no scientist but I get the feeling that they are starving for food and not growing well, I think the population is too thick. Because it is basically a neighborhood lake not many people keep fish out of it, release to fight another day that sort of thing. that may be fine for Bass but Crappie are ferocious multipliers and Voracious eaters. I think thinning out the population would do the overall ecosystem good.
Ooops, didnt mean to get preachie there, my suggestion is yes, get a small boat you can launch from shore and take your 5 year old crappie fishing, but wait until after the first cool spell. Any freshwater fishing is tough now because of the heat, especially ponds.
Lake Crowfield will produce and it’s private so it does not get alot of fishing pressure.
And before somebody asks, 1/8 oz leadhead with a 2 inch white curly tail grub.
You hit the nail on the head.
I’ve fished Crowfield for years. I slip a johnboat out of my truck up by the bridge area closest to the Hamlets on Crowfield Blvd.
I’ve caught some really nice bass out of there years ago, and used to catch some huge bream years ago, but like wrong tide pointed out, it’s almost like it’s overpopulated now. I’ve only caught a few bass the last couple of years, but the lake is absolutely loaded with small bream, crappie, and white perch…particularly white perch.
Throw a white or smoke/metalflake 2" curlytail grub on a 1/16 oz jighead, or one of those ultralight Strike King crankbaits, and you’ll catch fish. I’ve never used crickets or worms out there, but you’d probably wear your boy out if you did.
My oldest boy used to catch some big catfish in there before he moved away. He caught some 20+ lb’ers several years ago. I bet if you cut up some of the perch or bream and fished them on the bottom you’d be surprised.
Wrongtide and Pitcher…you guys are awesome and gave some sound advice. I really appreciate that! I’ve been using rooster tails and texas rigged worms with no luck. I’ll def try out the smaller 2" curly tails. Will also keep everyone posted on results. but might have to wait another month or two for it to cool down some more…plus im still researching jon boats/jon carts. Thanks again everyone!
The lake is basically a big, featureless bowl. The water drops off fairly quickly right off the bank in the majority of the lake.
I tried throwing roostertails out there before, but I think the problem with them is that they’re so light (in the ultralight size) that it’s hard to keep them deep enough when you’re reeling them in due to the blade lift. I have to keep reminding myself with the 1/16 oz jig to stop reeling and let it fall to keep it deep enough.
I’ve had better luck throwing a carolina rigged worm or lizard than a texas rig out there for bass.
Don’t forget to get a permit. They will check and its only 5.00. I think there are a lot of chemicals that get washed into the lake from yards. There is a pond at the end of my street he could fish around.(Elm Dr) I see a lot of small bream caught in there. GOOD LUCK and watch for gators
A spoiled rotten BOYKIN SPANIEL lives with me
Good discussion of Crowfield Lake. It is one of the most fertile lakes in the area, perhaps because of some of the old phosphate mines in the drainage. Just downstream is a drinking water intake for Charleston (Goose Creek Reservoir) so the chemical issue is monitored closely and I am unaware of any concerns. The lake is dominated by gizzard shad, which attracts all those cormorants each winter. A couple of winters ago there was a massive disease related shad dieoff. DNR investigated and made the disease call…I guess it wasn’t all that hard a call since there was only one species of fish involved and every seagull in the area was chowing down and was still healthy.
So, while I have not fished it much, it is interesting to hear that successful folks are using lures that imitate the dominant forage…One would think that with that fertility and the presence of gizzard shad, there should be some 10 lb fish or larger to be caught. Good luck.
I don’t know where you got that info. The paper mill has operated the pumping station at goose creek lake for years, and Charleston pulls water from the edisto and bushy park. You may be correct but you would have to show me. as for the chemicals that are put on lawns don’t all go into the ground,a lot runs off and into the lake and small lakes in here.
A spoiled rotten BOYKIN SPANIEL lives with me
That’s a real good article,thanks. It’s out-dated but still a good read. I think someone is confusing Goose Creek Reservoir with Crowfield lake.
A spoiled rotten BOYKIN SPANIEL lives with me
I think that they were referring to the fact that it drains into the GCR.
I have not fished it years, but used to do quite well on the bass in there.
Got a friend of mine that works for one the state water quality agencies. He told me that Crowfield lake is nothing more than a manmade basin to catch water runoff from the Plantation. With that comes pesticides, etc from lawns and oil and other chemicals from the roadway. Makes sense. I do alot of running on the trails and all the creeks and things seem to grade down toward the lake. Good luck on fishing, but, I’d be careful what I eat out of it.
“When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.”
-U.S. Marine Corps
I wanted to give everyone a quick update…
The weather has finally cooled down and I figured I’d have a litte more luck. I haven’t tried Crowfield Lake but instead I’ve been focusing on a few of the ponds in the Hamlets. Ive been finally having a lot of luck. I’ve gone out 3 times in the last 2 weeks and caught 3 bass first day, 3 bass second day and 5 bass on Thursday. Most bass have been about a pound and a half, but I did get one decent 3 pounder. On Thursday there were a lot of golfers out and at one point I had caught 3 bass back to back. It was almost as if I had an audience watching from their golf carts as they parked on the trailway behind me.
BoatDrinks; Your secret spot, is out now! Those golf carts have GPS’s on them and your numbers will be for sale on the Swap Forum! You just can’t trust golfers! If they hit a good shot, they tell everyone about it 