any one around the Santee area

[santee crappie chaser]

Hi folks,
I am new to your site. Seems every year in the spring I start out bass fishing and end up crappie fishing. I have decided to give up on the bass all together and fish for what I like the best. Hands down its crappie. I was wondering how many of you guys are around Santee? I hope to get into crappie fishing a lot more and I do plan on being on the crappie tournament trail starting the next season. I would rather do this than fish bass tourneys and the crappie fisherman are definately more friendly from what I have seen around santee.

I like your alls site here guys, Hope to see you all out on the water if you see a blue and silver ranger 391 up in the hatchery on moultrie the next month or so don't be a stranger. I catch big crappie up there but no numbers, does any one know where to go and get some numbers around santee? Dads coming to town in mid feb and I would love to put him on some numbers and not so much as worried about the giant slabs, they are around the hatchery but you don't get many.

[screwdriver]

santee crappie chaser, do you ever get into those shellcrackers around the hatchery.

[santee crappie chaser]

santee crappie chaser, do you ever get into those shellcrackers around the hatchery.

In my many years of fishing the hatchery I have never tried to catch a bluegill in there. Its all ways been crappie or bass for me. I did get into a brem bed on the lower end of marion way back behind one of those islands. Now years and years ago, as you drive into the hatchery ramp you could look over to the left in that little pool by the road and the big shell crackers would be in there. Also the little landing coming out of Pinnapolis had a lot of shell crackers in and around it. Of course this was back when grass was plentiful and fishing was great. I know some of the brem guys fish way back up in the hatchery and pull some up out the weeds. I mean in 6 inches of water. Its the dangdest thing I ever seen. I have seen them pull their boat up into a weed patch and dock it, then fish through the weeds in what appears to be just a few inches of water. They catch fish though.

[crapp hunter]

In my many years of fishing the hatchery I have never tried to catch a bluegill in there. Its all ways been crappie or bass for me. I did get into a brem bed on the lower end of marion way back behind one of those islands. Now years and years ago, as you drive into the hatchery ramp you could look over to the left in that little pool by the road and the big shell crackers would be in there. Also the little landing coming out of Pinnapolis had a lot of shell crackers in and around it. Of course this was back when grass was plentiful and fishing was great. I know some of the brem guys fish way back up in the hatchery and pull some up out the weeds. I mean in 6 inches of water. Its the dangdest thing I ever seen. I have seen them pull their boat up into a weed patch and dock it, then fish through the weeds in what appears to be just a few inches of water. They catch fish though.

wanted to ask you about the hatchery? where is it at from I-95.my father-in-law and myself go down to santee every couple of months for some crappie fishing, we usually stay at blacks camp.. do you know any good holes around blacks camp??

[santee crappie chaser]

wanted to ask you about the hatchery? where is it at from I-95.my father-in-law and myself go down to santee every couple of months for some crappie fishing, we usually stay at blacks camp.. do you know any good holes around blacks camp??

actually the diversion canal between the lakes has crappie in it. Along the sides theres some brush piles here and there and if the water is not being drawn heavy you can catch plenty of pan fish along the banks in the diversion canal. Theres some trees down on the backside of the main channels as well. Theres a few brushpiles along the inside of the diversion and that can be a fun fish if the water isn't being moved real fast through there. Just drift it and fish quick. Those fish will always bite there if they see food. Foods always rushing by them so they are use to it and bite quick. I aways throw my bait right at the bank as close as I can get it in most spots. I have caught crappie, catfish and bass throwing a minnow within a foot of the bank or around a limb. Now Headed towards marion out of the diversion you can look at the map and see the little channels in between islands. Theres a lot of fish come out of the channels drifting with minnows.

The hatchery is straight down route 6 headed towards moncks corner. Its easier if you look at a lake map or map it on yahoo than for me to try to tell you exactly where it is. Theres a ramp and parking lot there. The crappie are only there during the next few months then they will gone out of the shallow shallow water. The lake is low right now. I do not get any numbers but the size and quality of the fish are very very good.

be careful if you run the boat from blacks to the hatchery, the water is very shallow right now.

[rango]

welcome aboard chaser. great to see some santee fishers start posting. we got some guys that goes down pretty regular and you probably gonna be busy answering their questions, since thats your hole.. Its a long trip for most of us going to a lake you cant keep up with whats going on so you can get on some fish once you get there. feel free to jump in anytime and tell us something....

[rounman]

I used to fish santee when all around the banks were button bushes,and in the spring you could slay the big crappie out of them,then the grass took over ,and you could catch the crappie out of the grass.Then the grass got so thick you could,nt fish it.I wonder since they have got control of the grass and hydriller,if a guy could catch crappie like this now.Chaser Have you ever fished the cowpasture,or black bottom or saw dust slew,or the eagles nest on the upper lake?

[TheHawg]

Rounman, that's what I used to do too. We called it jigger poling. Put 12 to 18 inches of line on a 12 foot cane pole with a tube jig and dab it around the bushes and cypress trees. I used to catch quite a few doing this in the horsepasture area and around Blacks Camp on Moultrie and Jack's Creek and around Rock's Pond on Marion. Then the grass got so bad you couldn't get anywhere. That's when I sold my boat. Now that the grass is under control, I'm ready to fish again.

A lot of guys loved that grass though. They say the fishing is poor now that the grass is gone. I don't care. I hated that grass.

TheHawg

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

I would sure like to hear more from you local guys about these two lakes and what patterns and colors you are using effectively there. I have fished both of the lakes a few times in the past. But that was quite awhile ago. We did manage to get a few monsters, but never any real good numbers of larger fish. Which of the 2 lakes do you like best around 3/19/05? What areas or type of structure seem to concentrate the bigger fish more often? What are your favorite colors to use there?

My partner is trying to talk me into coming down for CUSA's tourny there on that date, but I have been more leaning towards Lake of the Pines in TX for the CAST association. All advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

<,"}/>{ Rippa

[rounman]

Hi ripper,The slow trollers still win the money fishing places like Wybo creek,potatoe creek and Utaw creek.I used to drift the dead forest in the old swamp areas and catch the biggest old white crappie .I might just give it a try this year.If the water temperture is right,the crypress and grass if there is any grass can be deadly.I can,t give much advice on Moultry,i never fished it that much.