3/8/07

High water changes fishing patterns
By Terry Madewell

Just as fishing action was really beginning to turn on, we get a ton of rain and everything changes. Again.

The largemouth bass action was getting great. Crappie were biting really well and the big catfish were being caught. In addition a few anglers even caught some big bream and shellcracker.

But now, with the rain and all the water coming out of the Wateree and Congaree rivers, it will be difficult to predict where will happen with the fishing.

I suspect the water will get high and perhaps the bass will be caught back in the shallows around the heavy cover.

An influx of water sometimes turns the catfish on, but where they will be will be the big question. That will require you to hunt and peck around to find them.

The rest of the species will require the same. So basically, get your mind set on hunting fish and maybe you’ll continue to have some good success. We can talk a bit about what was happening. But with water levels still changing as the heavy influx of water continues to pour into the upper end of Lake Marion, the where and how to be successful will be a day-to-day challenge with the changing conditions.

Just go fishing. It’s March and fishy things should be happening on lakes Marion and Moultrie.

The crappie had really begun to make a strong move and some heavy roe laden females had been caught just prior to the rain. The fish were beginning to scatter into some of the large creeks. Good catches were being made in the mouths of many of the creeks but fish were beginning to pile into the creeks into staging areas in 6-12 feet of water. Most had been caught on minnows, but look for small jigs to begin producing well as the water temperature warms back up. Bright colored jigs such as chartreuse might work well in dingy water.

The largemouth bass fishing will like still be good. Spinner baits and worms worked around the cover in the back of creeks and coves should produce a few good fish right now. The bright colored spinner baits – chartreuse and yellow – have been producing some large bass and should continue to do so.

Big catfish are caught all year on lakes Marion and Moultrie, but never more consistently and in such shallow water as they will be over the next couple of months. The influx of water might actually improve the bite, but you’ll have to search around to find them.

Fishing for a variety of species of fish along the coast is still good. Redfish are being taken in the flats on gold spoons and live mud minnows. Speckled trout are being taken on one-quarter ounce green jigs as well as on mud minnows. The offshore fishing for bottom fish has perked up with black sea bass, grouper and some snapper being taken out of the Charleston area.