South Carolina Fishing Reports

MLF News reports Jack Story won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Murray by targeting herring-eating bass on points with a Zoom Fluke, supplementing his bag with fry guarders and late bed fish, a clear signal that the post-spawn-to-summer transition is underway on the reservoir. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings are available for this report window, so water temperature and flow figures cannot be confirmed; check local sources before heading out. The new moon on June 15 puts anglers in a low-light feeding window at dawn and dusk that typically sharpens topwater and reaction bites. Wired 2 Fish highlighted a 113.7-pound flathead catfish caught by Joe Driggers on the nearby Great Pee Dee River in Florence County, a strong indicator that big catfish are active across South Carolina's freshwater systems as summer water temperatures arrive. The Santee Cooper lakes and Lake Murray both carry landlocked striped bass and catfish alongside the bass action.

23h ago

Spanish mackerel are moving into nearshore Carolinas waters in strong numbers this June, with bluefish providing solid action along the beachfront, per Fisherman's Post Carolinas saltwater June reporting from the North Carolina coast. While those dispatches originate from Morehead City north to Swansboro, the same northward-tracking migratory push is typically moving through South Carolina waters by mid-June, making Charleston Harbor's nearshore zone worth targeting now. Inshore, Fisherman's Post also notes red drum scattered in deeper holes around structure, consistent with the summer-spread pattern typical of Charleston Harbor at this time of year. A first push of smaller sheepshead onto hard bottom has been reported in the Cape Fear River area, mirroring the staging behavior expected around Charleston's jetty rocks and bridge pilings this month. No direct buoy or gauge data was available for the harbor this cycle. With a New Moon today, tidal exchanges will strengthen over the coming days, setting up productive feeding windows at dawn and dusk.

1d ago

A recent MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American at Lake Murray ended with Jack Story targeting herring-feeding bass on points with a Zoom Fluke. Per MLF News, Story also picked up fry guarders still holding on secondary structure, confirming the summer offshore transition is fully underway on this premier Midlands bass lake. New Moon this weekend concentrates dawn and dusk feeding windows, with bass and stripers likely pushing bait tight to points and channel ledges. Away from Murray, South Carolina's freshwater season has already produced a historic highlight: Wired 2 Fish and Field & Stream both documented a 113.7-pound flathead catfish pulled from a 40-foot back-eddy on the Pee Dee River, smashing the state record by nearly 30 pounds and signaling that summer catfish action is peaking on SC's river systems. No real-time gauge or buoy data is available for this window; verify current lake levels with local launch ramps before heading out.

1d ago

Fisherman's Post (Carolinas saltwater) is reporting Spanish mackerel 'moving in good numbers into nearshore areas and along the beachfront' up the Carolinas coast, a signal that mirrors the June push arriving in Charleston Harbor. The bluefish bite is also rated 'really good' from Swansboro to Carolina Beach. Inshore, red drum have scattered off the flats and are holding in deeper holes around structure, while a fresh push of smaller sheepshead has begun staging on hard bottom — classic early-summer behavior expected through Charleston's tidal rivers and piling-heavy waterways. No NOAA buoy readings were available this update, leaving water temperature unconfirmed; mid-June historically puts Charleston Harbor in the upper 70s to low 80s°F. With a New Moon today, spring tides are driving strong current through the harbor's channels — a productive window for targeting bait-flushing rips and tidal current seams with jigs or live shrimp.

1d ago

Field & Stream's report of a new South Carolina state flathead catfish record — a 110-plus-pound fish taken on a Santee rig from a 40-foot-deep back eddy on the Pee Dee River — signals that SC's trophy cat fisheries are running strong this season, and that same energy is worth tracking at Santee Cooper and Lake Murray. No real-time buoy or gauge readings are available for these waters today, so anglers should verify conditions locally before launching. Mid-June with the new moon overhead is classic timing for an aggressive night catfish bite and early-morning striper surface action. Wired 2 Fish notes summer bass have settled into a two-phase pattern: topwater window at first light, then a hard move to offshore structure once the sun climbs. Tactical Bassin points to swing-head jigs and crankbaits as the summer transition baits of choice. Santee's landlocked stripers should be on schooling shad at dawn and dusk.

1d ago

Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater's June dispatches confirm Spanish mackerel are moving into Carolina nearshore waters in good numbers, with Morgan of The Reel Outdoors reporting fish pushing the beachfront from the upper Carolina coast — a migration that typically tracks south to Charleston Harbor through mid-June. Bluefish remain active along the surf zone as well. Inshore, red drum are present but scattered, per Fisherman's Post; fish are holding in deeper holes around hard structure rather than roaming the flats. The first push of smaller sheepshead has arrived on structure along the Carolina coast, with Lewis at Island Tackle and Hardware noting fish staging up on hard structure in the Cape Fear system. No buoy data is available for Charleston Harbor this week, leaving water temperature unreported. With a New Moon this weekend, tidal exchanges will run stronger than average — the prime window for structure anglers working current through docks, pilings, and oyster bars for both sheepshead and red drum.

2d ago

Field & Stream reported a new South Carolina state flathead catfish record this week: a 110-plus-pound fish landed on the Pee Dee River using a Santee rig, the bottom-fishing setup named for this very system. That landmark catch underscores how productive SC's freshwater catfish bite can be heading into summer. On Lake Murray and the Santee Cooper chain, mid-June marks the full transition into a deepwater pattern. Striped bass, the flagship species of both impoundments, are pushed off the shallows by warming surface temps, staging on main-lake humps and points where cooler, oxygenated water persists. Largemouth bass follow the same split-shift script: topwater action in the early-morning hours near woody cover, then a move to offshore ledges and deep structure as the sun climbs. USGS gauge 02160390 logged 133 cfs on June 14, with no temperature reading available; conditions appear stable heading into the weekend.

2d ago

Regional reports from Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater confirm the early-summer coastal pattern is underway along the Carolina coast. Lewis of Island Tackle and Hardware at Carolina Beach flagged the first push of smaller sheepshead staging on hard structure — a species that moves onto Charleston Harbor's pilings, jetties, and oyster bars on a similar early-June schedule. Morgan of The Reel Outdoors (Swansboro/Emerald Isle) reports spanish mackerel arriving in good numbers along nearshore beachfronts, with a strong bluefish bite accompanying them. Red drum remain scattered, holding in deeper holes rather than shallowing up. No NOAA buoy data was available for this cycle, so exact water temperatures are unconfirmed — verify locally before heading out. The new moon this week drives strong spring tidal currents through the harbor; plan structure and channel-edge sessions around moving water, and arrive at target spots before tide peaks for best results.

2d ago

A South Carolina record flathead catfish, topping 110 pounds, was landed on the Pee Dee River this week on a Santee rig, per Field & Stream, signaling that the state's big-cat bite is in full stride heading into summer. While that record fell on the Pee Dee, the conditions driving it (warm June water, deep back eddies, and log-jam ambush structure) translate directly to Santee Cooper and Lake Murray fishing this time of year. The USGS gauge (02160390) logged 134 cfs Sunday morning, reflecting stable, seasonally low summer flow with minimal runoff influence. Tonight's new moon removes ambient light and tightens low-light feeding windows, making the first two hours after dark and the pre-dawn period the most productive bets for catfish and bass. On the bass side, Wired 2 Fish and Tactical Bassin (blog) are flagging crankbaits and swing-head jigs as the essential mid-June presentations as fish push to offshore structure and deeper creek channels.

2d ago

Fisherman's Post Carolinas saltwater reports from nearby North Carolina waters show spanish mackerel arriving in good numbers along nearshore beachfronts and inlet structure, a push that typically extends to Charleston Harbor's jetties and nearshore ledges by mid-June. Bluefish are running alongside the mackerel at those same report sites, keeping nearshore action fast-paced. On structure, a Carolina Beach report from Fisherman's Post notes the first push of smaller sheepshead moving onto hard-bottom features in river systems; expect the same pattern on Charleston's jetties and bridge pilings as fish work up from deeper water. Red drum are described as scattered but present in deeper holes. No NOAA buoy readings were available for this report cycle, so water temperatures are unconfirmed; check local conditions before launching. With today's new moon, stronger tidal exchanges over the next several days should concentrate feeding fish on creek edges and channel bends during peak incoming and outgoing flows.

2d ago

Field & Stream reports that a South Carolina man shattered the state flathead catfish record, hauling a 110-plus-pound fish from a 40-foot deep back eddy on a Santee rig. That technique was born on these very lakes, and its role in a trophy catch signals big catfish are actively feeding across SC river systems as summer peaks. The Saluda River into Lake Murray is running at 140 cfs per USGS gauge 02160390, pointing to low, stable summer inflow with no pressure on the main lake. Water temperature readings were unavailable at the gauge. With the new moon phase underway, overnight and early-morning catfish sessions should see heightened feeding through mid-week. Summer bass are pushing offshore, with Wired 2 Fish and Tactical Bassin (blog) recommending deep crankbaits and swing-head jigs for largemouth parked on ledges and offshore structure.

2d ago

Fisherman's Post — Carolinas saltwater's June 2026 round-up shows spanish mackerel pushing into nearshore areas and along the beachfront in good numbers across the Carolinas coast, with the bluefish bite running strong alongside them. Inshore, red drum are scattered but present, tucking into deeper holes around hard structure. The same publication's Carolina Beach report notes smaller sheepshead staging on hard structure, a pattern that traditionally extends south to Charleston Harbor's jetties and bridge pilings. Salt marsh edges and oyster-bar points remain the reliable mid-June setup for reds on moving water. No buoy readings are available for Charleston Harbor this cycle, so local water temperature is unconfirmed; however, this weekend's new moon creates stronger tidal amplitude through harbor passes, a proven window to find inshore predators stacked on current seams. Plan around the first two hours of the outgoing for best inshore results.

3d ago