Usually don’t fish the lake, but I have a client that wants to go. A couple of the recent reports talk about shiners around the upper lake area. I appreciate any tips for a trip this Saturday. I have to run up to Newberry in the morning and was going to put in at Riverwinds if that is a decent spot for this time of year.
I have livewell and an array of artificials and prefer artificials if they can be productive this time of year. Just looking for tips on depth, area, proximity to land or coves, etc. Thanks - I always appreciate the help people get on cf.
I am happy to help with some spots/tips for inshore in Charleston as well.
If you’re going to fish the rivers, based on our lack of production Saturday, small 2-3 inch shiners might be a good bet. We had big beautiful herring, but I had plenty of angst when we put in at Barstow and the water temp. read 44 degrees. As a result, I went keeperless for the first time since last March. Several crappie fishermen told us they caught good stripers on their minnow-tipped jigs. They just were not interested in bigger bait. We did catch a couple dinks and perch, mostly mooching spoons while pulling the spread… It would take some convincing to get me back in the rivers before the water warms significantly. With normal sized bait, I would focus on open water and points in mid-lake creeks.
In some ways, I’m eating crow for what I last posted. However, I did qualify it by saying herring is too big when the water reaches the low 40’s. That’s what we faced Saturday morning in Little River with the wrong sized bait.
I fished in the Barstow area on Sunday & managed one short at 18" and one 6 1/2 lb’er at 25". Both on herring, pretty nice ones I might add. Then the battery for my GPS/sonar & bait tank took a crap, so I called it a day about 1:00.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
I have fished the rivers a lot lately and have done well. But I will tell you that I struggled last Saturday. You can put in at Big Man’s Marina on 391. They sell shiners which will be easy for you to keep alive. And fish from forks of river to Clouds Creek. Then when you get tired of fishing, go back to Big Man’s and get a big ole greasy cheeseburger!! (its worth the trip just for the cheeseburger)
A co-worker fished Crystal Lake Monday and said there was a lot of schooling and birds. He’s primarily a greenfish fisherman, but said the Stripers kept him busy that day.
He caught 32, several 8-9lbers and had a picture of one real nice fish that went maybe 12-15. He was fishing Alabama rigs.
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
I put in at Barstow Saturday morning as well. I fished Saturday pulling herring with planer boards and managed to catch 2 keepers near Big Mans and 2 keepers above Barstow. I headed back home after lunch but from what I understand the afternoon bite was much better than the morning bite.
I was out with Reel Kaos last Saturday and it was real slow in Clouds. We finally moved down past Big Mans and landed one and lost a decent one. Put in at 7 and got out around 3.
I fished the mouth of Johns creek with a friend Sunday afternoon. Only fished about 1 1/2 hours due to TM messing up. Might have done well if we could have held the boat on the fish. Managed 8 perch, a nice catfish and 6 short stripers. Of course, all on spoons. Two of the stripers were barely short. We were marking some nice suspended fish that might have been larger stripers that we couldn’t get to bite. The ones we caught were between 31’ and 34’ deep. Water temp was 48 degrees! That’s the coldest water I’ve seen in that area. Had to keep bouncing the spoons in front of the fish for a while to get bit. Never saw any quick action.
Last Thursday we pulled Herring from #4 past big mans and up little river NOTHING!!! Went to Crystal lake pulling and caught 1 @ 20.5". Went to Lunch @ Frayed Knot and chased birds right outside the restaurant pulling bobbers and down rods while sight casting. Had good action on bobbers and down rods over the good markings around birds. Charter captain near us was throwing buck tails trailed with an ice fly and had really good action. Chasing birds was where the action was. Managed 4 with 1 keeper @ 23".
Usually don’t fish the lake, but I have a client that wants to go. A couple of the recent reports talk about shiners around the upper lake area. I appreciate any tips for a trip this Saturday. I have to run up to Newberry in the morning and was going to put in at Riverwinds if that is a decent spot for this time of year.
I have livewell and an array of artificials and prefer artificials if they can be productive this time of year. Just looking for tips on depth, area, proximity to land or coves, etc. Thanks - I always appreciate the help people get on cf.
I am happy to help with some spots/tips for inshore in Charleston as well.
With the understanding that everyone does things a little bit different and results may vary - here’s my basic mindset …
Depending on where you go check your water temps …
If your temps are at 50 +/- 2 then you can try fishing shallow water (>10’) … That places you along the banks and in the backs of coves … Make sure you locate bait before you start wasting time … Once you find the bait then you can start pulling Herring and/or Shad … Look for long points and flats bordering deeper water
These temps are more common around the mid lake area from The Elbow down through Bear/Hollow Creek …
If your temps are >47 then you’re going to want to find deeper water (at least 25 - 35) … When the temps get too cold it pushes everything back down in to deeper water which is more insulated from rapid temp changes … Shad is going to be the preferred bait in these areas as Herring tends to not do so well under 45 degrees …
These temps are more common in the rivers right now from The Elbow on up … Although you will find these temps in the backs of the bigger mid-lake creeks as well - if that’s the ca
Rick,
I don’t have a picture of the rig, but take a 3-way hd swiwel, tie a 6-8" leader to a bucktail of your choice, then tie on 18-24" leader tipped with a light feather or fur tipped spoon and finally, attach it to your line with the 3rd ring. Each component gets it’s own ring on the swivel. The very thin, lightweight spoons are generically called ice flies. I think there are some branded that way, but not the ones I normally use. Through the years, I’ve caught more on the spoon than the bucktail, but multiple hook-ups sometimes occur. If we bump into each other on the lake I’ll show you the setup and exactly what I use.
Usually don’t fish the lake, but I have a client that wants to go. A couple of the recent reports talk about shiners around the upper lake area. I appreciate any tips for a trip this Saturday. I have to run up to Newberry in the morning and was going to put in at Riverwinds if that is a decent spot for this time of year.
I have livewell and an array of artificials and prefer artificials if they can be productive this time of year. Just looking for tips on depth, area, proximity to land or coves, etc. Thanks - I always appreciate the help people get on cf.
I am happy to help with some spots/tips for inshore in Charleston as well.
With the understanding that everyone does things a little bit different and results may vary - here’s my basic mindset …
Depending on where you go check your water temps …
If your temps are at 50 +/- 2 then you can try fishing shallow water (>10’) … That places you along the banks and in the backs of coves … Make sure you locate bait before you start wasting time … Once you find the bait then you can start pulling Herring and/or Shad … Look for long points and flats bordering deeper water
These temps are more common around the mid lake area from The Elbow down through Bear/Hollow Creek …
If your temps are >47 then you’re going to want to find deeper water (at least 25 - 35) … When the temps get too cold it pushes everything back down in to deeper water which is more insulated from rapid temp changes … Shad is going to be the preferred bait in these areas as Herring tends to not do so well under 45 degrees …
There are ALWAYS fish in hollow! It used to be one of the most highly overlooked creeks from oct-may. Now it seems there’s always a couple boats in there.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
My parents live in the back of hallow creek right @ South Shore marina. If I were to stop by JC’s would you suggest getting herring and pulling boards in less than 30’ all around the points with long flats and the islands in the middle right now? If you think action and fish are there I don’t really care the size I may try it Saturday morning.
…
2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s
I really cannot speak to the current lake conditions given the rain we’ve had the last two days … Ordinarily I would be able to give some educated guesses (I am no expert on Striper fishing - there are far more knowledgeable anglers out there than I am that would be able to provide much better insight), but a 1,000 year rain event has saturated the ground so much that NOTHING soaks into the ground and therefore it ALL runs off into the lake …
I’m not sure what that is doing to the water temps so right now I’d say where and how to fish is an ‘on the water’ decision based upon the water temps, water clarity, and wind conditions …
All that said, if it were ME and IF I were fishing in Hollow, then I would be using Herring (where you get it is of no concern to me - rather substantial back story there … one that I choose not to get into at this time … ) and I would be fishing along the banks of the western shore of Hollow (upper left of the red circle) … The water depth would be dependent on what I was marking and where the bait is …
Again, I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination … You line up 10 anglers and ALL ten of them are gonna advise that you do it differently … Take what each one of them tells you and apply it the best you can to your own situation …
I’ll be out there on Sunday … I prefer a westerly wind to the easterly
) and I would be fishing along the banks of the western shore of Hollow (upper left of the red circle) … The water depth would be dependent on what I was marking and where the bait is …