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Lake Marion (Santee Cooper)
Half of the Santee Cooper lakes; produced South Carolina's record largemouth bass (16.2 lb).
Depth & Structure
South Carolina's largest reservoir, 110,000 acres — wide and shallow, average depth around 9-10 feet, vast flats, creek channels, stump fields, cypress-lined banks and marsh; deeper channels and diversion canal hold fish in winter/summer, cats use 15-30 feet and up to 40 feet
Best Lures
Frogs and buzzbaits over shallow grass early, big worms and crankbaits offshore, spinnerbaits in deeper grass, soft plastics on brush piles 10-15 feet
Best Baits
Cut bait on a Santee rig for catfish — cut herring, shad, bluegill and white perch, plus chicken/shrimp in summer; live and cut herring anchored on flats/channel edges for stripers
Gear to Bring
Medium-heavy baitcasting/spinning for bass in timber/grass, heavy catfish rods with 30-50 lb line for drifting/anchoring Santee rigs, light spinning for crappie/bream
Local Tips
['Catfish are year-round and best in summer — drift under 30 feet, mornings over deeper hills for biggest fish, midday 10-15 feet for numbers; anchor 3-10 feet on mussel beds with cut herring', 'Shallow skinny-water catfish pattern is proven late…
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Related Water
Fish photos: largemouth bass — Wikimedia Commons · striped bass — Wikimedia Commons · blue catfish — Wikimedia Commons · crappie — Wikimedia Commons
Fishing regulations, seasons and limits change — always check the current rules for this water before you fish. Spot pins are approximate area markers, not launch or access coordinates.