July Report Santee Cooper

[Bud Kennedy]

Fishing Reports

Santee Cooper System provided by SCDNR – July

Bass: Captain Brett Mitchell (803-379-7029) reports that the July heat doesn't help the bite, but if water conditions stabilize there could actually be a marginal improvement in fishing this month. The pattern remains fishing with topwater lures early and then fishing with soft plastics around trees later in the day. If it gets very hot or water levels drop bass could move out to the first drops near wood or trees.

Crappie: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that this month fish should continue to be caught on mid-depth brush with minnows, but as it gets very hot, they could move a little deeper.

Bream: Captain Steve English (843-729-4044) reports that around the new and full moons waves of bluegill and shellcracker should come shallow to spawn where they can be caught on crickets and worms.

Catfish: Captain Jim Glenn (843-825-4239) and Captain Stevie English (843-709-8138) report that in July fishing in the shallows with cut bait at night should be the primary pattern

[Mike Cork]

I sure wished I lived closer to Santee, loved the lake but really fell in love with the river the couple times I was there. In the heat of the summer I would imagine the punch bite in the river is amazing...