For early morning excitement, it’s hard to beat the topwater bass bite at Lake Keowee this time of year. The good news is that Rocky Wells, who closely monitors fishing success on the Upstate reservoir out of Gap Hill Landing (864-868-2823), expects the excitement to continue into the third week of July.
“We’re having kind of a late summer, so this early morning bite should go on for another two or three weeks,” Wells said.
But come early.
“You’ll start catching fish around 6 a.m., but by 8:30 a.m. it’s over with,” Wells said.
Cloudy, overcast days are best, and Wells advises working the main-lake points with topwater lures or shallow-running crankbaits. He says many anglers are throwing “high-dollar” topwater baits such as Sammys or Team Daiwa Pencil Minnows, but assures that brand and color are secondary.
“Chrome and Tennessee Shad are popular colors, but these fish are just looking for splash and movement,” Wells said. “I don’t think color makes a whole lot of difference to them.”
Most fishermen at Keowee opt for a 6 1/2-foot medium-action rod and a spinning or baitcasting reel spooled with 8- or 10-pound test.
The bass catch is either spotted bass or largemouth, with spots comprising about 70 percent of the bag. Anglers can hit double figures in just a couple of hours on a good morning, with the majority of the fish running from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds, although Wells weighed in a 4.65-pound spotted bass just last Tuesday.
“If you get hold of a 3-pound spot or better, you’d better hold on,” Wells said. “And you’d better have your drag set.”
Wells also has weighed in two largemouth in excess of 10 pounds this year, which is the first time he can remember doing that.
“The lake’s full of bait — blueback herring and threadfin shad — so they’re eating good,” Wells said.
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