South Carolina Fishing Guides

Freshwater Fishing In South Carolina

South Carolina is deep in the heart of Dixie, with a warm climate and a long growing season. For freshwater anglers, that means lots of big bass. The largemouth is the most sought after freshwater fish in the state, and the largest one ever recorded weighed in at 16 pounds, 2 ounces. Actually, two bass this exact size were caught, so the lunker wasn’t just a fluke.

Other popular bass species in South Carolina include the smallmouth bass, the redeye bass, and the spotted bass. The smallies here get hefty, too. The state record fish weighed in at 9 pounds, 7 ounces.

Anglers from all over come to South Carolina in hopes of landing a monster striper. The record fish weighed 59.5 pounds and came from Lake Hartwell. Other notable striper fishing grounds in the state are Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, Lake Wylie, and Lake Strom Thurmond.

Crappie fishermen won’t be disappointed with South Carolina’s offerings, either. Here, they’re often referred to as “speckled perch.” The state record black crappie weighed 5 pounds and was pulled in from Lake Moultrie. The state record white crappie almost equaled the world record fish. South Carolina’s fish weighed in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce, and the world record fish was 5 pounds, 3 ounces. Crappie can be found in practically all of the state’s freshwater.

Fishing Guides In South Carolina

Fishermen who enjoy catching big catfish will be in heaven in South Carolina. The world record channel cat, at 58 pounds, was caught in the state, although the record keepers can’t quite agree on exactly where it was landed. Some reports say Santee-Cooper Reservoir, while others report Lake Marion or Lake Moultrie. Other catfish species in the state include the flathead, the white, and the blue.

Trout fishing aficionados aren’t left out. The state provides good fishing for rainbows, browns, and brookies. Trout fishing is good in Lake Jocassee, along with numerous streams and rivers in the state’s mountains. Trout streams and rivers in South Carolina include the Whitewater River, the Chattooga River, the Saluda River, the Eastatoee River, the Chauga River, Abner Creek, Rocky Bottom Creek, and Reedy Cove Creek. By the way, you might remember the Chattooga River from the movie Deliverance. Many of the trout streams are in rugged, isolated locales. If you’re not familiar with these areas, hire one of the expert trout fishing guides who know the woods and streams well.

Popular Fishing Lakes In South Carolina

Lake Marion – Lake Marion spans 110,000 acres in the central section of the state. The fishing is great here for stripers, bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Trust me – it’s easy to get lost on this lake. Hire a Lake Marion fishing guide.

Hartwell Lake – South Carolina shares this 56,000-acre lake with Georgia. The lake provides great fishing for bass, stripers, crappie, and catfish. Fishing guides are available.

Lake Moultrie – In southeastern South Carolina is 60,000-acre Lake Moultrie. Many anglers come here for stripers, but the lake also provides excellent bass fishing.

Lake Murray – Located near Columbia, this 50,000-acre lake is a great place to land stripers, bass, crappie, and catfish.