South Carolina fishing reports
301 reports for South Carolina — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Red drum take center stage as Carolinas fall pattern builds
Water temperatures around Charleston are still running warm, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8665530 reading 77.5°F and station 8661070 reading 76.8°F this afternoon. Redfish are the headline up and down the Carolina coast. Per Fisherman's Post, Nathan of East Coast Sports reports surf and pier anglers around Topsail and Sneads Ferry finding a run of slot-sized red drum, with some over-slot fish mixed in. Farther up the coast, Donald of Custom Marine Fabrication tells Fisherman's Post that red drum are the main focus on the Pamlico and Neuse River, with fish spread throughout the river and plenty of bait in the system. That is a strong signal for Charleston Harbor anglers, since the same fall redfish push typically reaches South Carolina's creeks and harbor edges as the season deepens.
Fall bass bite steadies as Upstate SC waters cool
Water is cooling into the classic fall window. Gauge readings across the Upstate show 64 to 68°F, with USGS gauge 02156500 at 68°F on 4,760 cfs and gauge 02163001 at 67°F on a modest 339 cfs. Tactical Bassin's October video series points to an overlooked shallow approach: jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around subtle cover, even without electronics. Wired 2 Fish notes the jig still earns its place alongside newer baits. Largemouth Bass are the likeliest target on this footing.
Redfish and fall mullet run set the pace for Charleston
Water is holding in the mid-70s around Charleston Harbor, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8665530 reading 76.5°F and station 8661070 at 75.7°F this morning. That is still warm for mid-October, and it keeps the fall inshore bite in full swing. Redfish are the headline. Fisherman's Post reports a run of slot-sized red drum for surf and pier anglers around Topsail/Sneads Ferry, with some over-slot fish mixed in. Up the coast on the Pamlico/Neuse, a shop contact says red drum are the main focus, with fish spread through the river and a lot of bait around. Coastal Angler Magazine reader photos add more redfish from other Gulf and Atlantic waters this month, which fits a broad-scale fall pattern rather than a single hot spot. Saltwater Sportsman notes the fall mullet run is under way along the Atlantic coast, with mullet pouring out of rivers, bays and estuaries from September well into November. That baitfish movement is the engine behind the redfish action.
Cooler water sets up a fall bass and crappie shift in the Upstate
Four USGS gauges feeding the Santee and Lake Murray watershed show water between 65°F and 69°F this morning. Gauge 02156500 reads 69°F with 5,690 cfs, gauge 02163001 reads 67°F at 534 cfs, and gauge 021623975 reads 65°F at just 18.1 cfs. That is a clear step down from summer heat, and it matches the seasonal change described by Wired 2 Fish, which notes that after the first cool front crappie go from finicky to aggressive almost overnight. Tactical Bassin points to shallow water this month as an overlooked October pattern, with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater all in play near hard structure such as dock pilings, laydowns and rocks.
Santee and Lake Murray fall bite builds as water cools
Upstate gauges are reading in the upper 60s this week. USGS gauge 02156500 shows 69°F water at 6,410 cfs, gauge 02163001 reads 68°F at 984 cfs, and the small-stream gauge 021623975 is at 65°F and 18.8 cfs. That cooling trend is the story. Per Tactical Bassin, October bass fishing rewards shallow, old-school presentations such as jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater, and their fall jig guide points to hard cover like dock pilings, laydown trees and rocks as where fish sit. Wired 2 Fish reports that crappie turn aggressive almost overnight once the first cool front arrives, a pattern that plays out every year across the country.
Santee and Lake Murray bass bite shifts with the first fall cool-down
Water in the Upstate gauges is reading 63 to 68°F this morning, with the Broad River gauge (02156500) at 68°F and 13,100 cfs, a strong flow for mid-October. Per Tactical Bassin, October bass fishing rewards shallow, old-school approaches like jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater, and Largemouth Bass tend to follow baitfish toward structure as water cools. B.A.S.S. News notes that fall transitions move fish out of deep summer haunts, and that rainy, nasty days can improve the bite.
Santee and Murray crappie and bass turn on with cooler water
Gauge readings across the Upstate and Piedmont feeders show water temps of 66 to 68°F, right where fall feeding starts to pick up. USGS gauge 02156500 is running 27,500 cfs at 68°F, a heavy push of water, while gauge 02163001 carries 1,570 cfs at 68°F and gauge 021623975 shows a gentle 23 cfs at 66°F. Per Wired 2 Fish, crappie go from finicky to aggressive almost overnight once the first cool front arrives. Tactical Bassin adds that shallow jig, soft jerkbait and topwater presentations work well on October bass.
Fall bass and crappie get aggressive as water cools
Gauge 02163001 is reading 2,100 cfs at 67°F, and gauge 02156500 shows 68°F with a heavy 30,100 cfs running through it. Smaller water is cooler, with gauge 021623975 at 64°F and just 25.3 cfs. That spread is the story this week: cooling water is pushing fish out of their summer routines. Per Wired 2 Fish, crappie turn from finicky to aggressive almost overnight once the first cool front arrives. B.A.S.S. News also notes fish leaving deep summer haunts as the fall transition takes hold, which fits what these temperatures suggest for Santee and Lake Murray.
Fall cooling sets up the Santee and Lake Murray bite
Water temperatures across the upstate gauges are sitting at 64 to 67°F, with USGS gauge 02156500 reading 29,600 cfs and 67°F, a heavy release. Gauge 02163001 shows 2,310 cfs at 67°F, while gauge 021623975 runs a gentle 28.2 cfs at 64°F. Those are comfortable fall numbers for Largemouth Bass, which Tactical Bassin (blog) says can be targeted shallow this month with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around hard structure like dock pilings, laydowns and rocks.
Fall shallow bite builds for Santee and Murray bass
River gauges feeding the Santee and Lake Murray system read 66 to 68°F this morning, a comfortable fall range that keeps bass feeding and moving. Per Tactical Bassin this week, the shallow bite is the overlooked October play, with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater worked around hard cover like dock pilings, laydown trees and rocks. Largemouth Bass are the story right now. The biggest gauge, 02156500, is pushing 27,000 cfs, which points to heavy current and likely stained water near inflows, while the smaller gauges sit at 1,540, 670 and 33.6 cfs, so flow varies a lot from one tributary to the next.
Fall cooldown sets up Upstate SC trout and smallmouth
Water temperatures across the Upstate gauges sit in the mid-to-upper 60s and low 70s this morning. USGS gauge 021623975 reads 66°F on 74.3 cfs, gauge 02163001 reads 68°F on 1,830 cfs, and gauge 02156500 reads 71°F on 12,900 cfs. That spread is the story: the small, higher-elevation stream is the coolest and the big river is still warm. Per B.A.S.S. News, fall transition is under way elsewhere, with a recent soaking rain cooling water by 6 to 10 degrees and fish starting to leave deep summer haunts. The same pattern is plausible here as nights cool.
Fall transition gets under way as water cools across the Upstate
The seasonal shift is the story this week. Four USGS gauges feeding the region report water temperatures between 64°F and 70°F on the morning of October 11, with gauge 02156500 at 70°F and 2,400 cfs, gauge 02163001 at 67°F and 1,470 cfs, and gauge 021623975 at 64°F and 127 cfs. That spread says the cooler upstream water is already well along. Per B.A.S.S. News, the fall transition is under way elsewhere in the South, with cooling water pulling fish out of deep summer haunts and toward the shallows. Tactical Bassin's fall coverage points to jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around hard structure such as dock pilings, laydown trees and rocks.