Drifting will provide ample fishing opportunities.
Santee Cooper catfishing is somewhat slowed by water temperatures in the low 90s, but, “We are seeing some quality fish,” said Alan Spence of Manning, owner of Spence’s Guide Service.
On a scale of one to 10, he rated the fishing at a five or a six.
Spence, who has guided on both Santee Cooper lakes for 12 years, said he uses very similar methods to those described in a drift-fishing article (“The Original Drifters,” page 35) in the August issue of South Carolina Sportsman magazine.
“Even in the shallows, I’ll drift. You can cover a lot of water that way,” he explained. “I don’t normally anchor unless it’s nighttime or during the winter.”
Spence said Lake Marion usually has high winds at night, so drifting isn’t usually an option.
Right now, he thinks the fishing is equally good during the day and the night.
“It’s about the same. It’s about whether you want to put up with the heat or with the high winds,” he said. “The best time to go is whenever you can go. Just don’t give up hope, because you never know when they’ll start biting.”
During the day, Spence recommended drifting over areas about 20 feet deep with a lot of trees and logs, trying to maintain a speed of about ½ mph. He likes to use a bottom-bouncing weight behind a 24- to 30-inch leader, with a 2- to 3-inch cork threaded about 6 inches in front of a chunk of cut bait on an 8/0 double-action hook.
A double-action hook combines qualities of circle hooks, J-hooks and kahle hooks. Like a circle hook, it’s difficult for the fish to swallow, but anglers can either set the hook themselves or let the fish bury it.
Spence buys his hooks from Team Catfish (http://www.teamcatfish.com/). A pack of twelve 8/0 hooks goes for $11.95. Spence said he pays the premium price because it allows him to set the hook when a fish picks up the bait and swims toward the boat (or when an eager client just can’t wait for a circle hook to bury itself).
No particular time of day seems to be better than any other right now, Spence said, but he did suggest that Lake Marion fishermen try to find out when water will be drawn.
“Sometimes that turns them on, sometimes it shuts them down. Lately, it seems to be turning them on.”
During the night, Spence anchors and throws out cut bait or a live blueback herring, white perch or bream hooked behind the dorsal fin. On a particularly large fish he uses a 10/0 or 12/0 circle hook, because Team Catfish doesn’t make double action hooks that big. He uses a simple sliding egg sinker rig with an 18- to 24-inch leader. One ounce is enough lead for cut bait, but he uses 3 to 4 ounces on live fish to keep them from swimming around too much.
Any decent catfishing or trolling rod with a good level-wind reel makes for good tackle at Santee Cooper, Spence said, and gave some fish-fighting advice.
“When the fish is moving, he’s deciding where to go and what’s going to happen,” he said. “Just hold the rod up at 10 or 12 o’clock, and let the rod and the drag do the work. When he stops moving, then it’s your turn to do something.”
He recommended the pump-and-reel method used by big-game saltwater sportsmen to bring big cats to the boat.
Spence’s biggest tip for catfish success at Santee Cooper is a simple one.
“Be patient. Catfishing takes a lot of patience,” he said. “I find that bass fishermen, used to casting and going, have a hard time with it. It’s for the guy who wants to sit back with a cup of coffee, and see what happens.”
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Editor’s note: Spence can be contacted at 803.478.5029.
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