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Reports / South Carolina / Santee Cooper Lakes
South Carolina · Santee Cooper Lakesfreshwater· April 3, 2026

Catfish Capital Living Up to Its Name

Blue and channel catfish feeding heavily in the Santee Cooper system. Trophy blues to 40+ lbs being caught on cut bait.

Current Conditions

Water temp
66°F
Moon
Waning Gibbous
Weather
Warm, occasional clouds, 78°F

New to these readings? What do water temp, cfs, tide, and moon phase actually mean for fishing?

What's Biting

Hot

Blue Catfish

Cut gizzard shad on circle hooks

Hot

Channel Catfish

Stinkbait on treble hooks

Active

Largemouth Bass

Spinnerbaits

What's Next

Peak catfish season at Santee Cooper. Fish the deeper channels near the dam for trophy blues. Anchor over humps and ledges where current concentrates bait.

Context

The South Carolina state record blue catfish (109.4 lbs) came from Santee Cooper.

This report is synthesized by Hooked Fisherman from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Source names are cited inline where they appear. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.