Fishing Report (Updated 9.2.2010)

Lake Murray is at 357.5.

Striped Bass: Excellent.  Lake World (803-957-6548) reports that this is the best summer for the last 6 years and fishing around the dam and towers is excellent.  The keeper ratio is also as good as it has been for a while.  Both anchoring and drifting will catch fish, and fishing 35-50 feet down over humps in 50-85 feet of water is most effective.  You can also tie off to the towers.  Trolling has also been very strong, both during the day and at night.  Road Runners, Rebel plugs and Grandma lures will all catch fish.  No surface activity is being reported yet, but it should come on in the next few weeks.  For a preview of September striped bass fishing on Lake Murray visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=4582

Bream: Very good.  Lake World (803-957-6548) reports the bream bite remains very strong.  For bluegill fish red worms and crickets around docks and fallen trees.  The shellcracker bite is not as good, but fish can be caught in 4-10 feet of water with worms fished on the bottom in the backs of coves or off points. 

Catfish: Good. Lake World reports that catfish are feeding well on the lake, especially at night.  The most effective way to catch them right now is pulling a boat up to an island in the evening and then casting off of it with nightcrawlers or cut herring.  Fish will be scattered from 4-25 feet deep. 

Largemouth Bass: Slow to fair.  Captain Doug Lown (803-924-8946) reports that fishing remains difficult, but some boats are picking up 16-18 pounds on good days.  Generally the most productive pattern is fishing topwater lures over deep points for suspended fish on sunny days when there is some wind.  Fish can also be caught early in the morning around the banks on buzzbaits, or on soft plastics worked over deep brush.  Some good sacks have also been caught flipping up the rivers, but this can be a feast or famine pattern with plenty of people coming back empty-handed.  For a complete preview of September bass fishing on Lake Murray visit: http://www.scfishingreport.com/Pages/sc_message_boards/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=127&t=4586

Crappie: Fair. Captain Brad Taylor (803-331-1354) reports that Captain Brad Taylor reports that crappie fishing has been good on the main lake below Dreher Island.    Brad has been fishing 16-20 feet deep over brush in 25-30 feet of water.  He is using the trolling motor to stay on top of the brush, and fishing four rods with live minnows straight down.  He is also casting beside the brush with Fish Stalker Lures jigs, especially black and chartreuse.  Most of the fish have been running in the 3/4 - 1 pound range, but some larger fish have also been mixed in.

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