September offers plenty of action around the Santee Cooper lakes, and it’s not all about fishing. Deer season is in, and outdoorsmen have to make decisions whether to hunt deer or catch fish. No really wrong choice can be made, as some of the best deer hunting in the state is found in the counties surrounding the lakes.
But the same is true of the fishing, and fishing begins to perk up during September.
The bass fishing does begin to show definite improvement as the typically cooler weather and the increased size of the shad create ideal conditions for more schooling fish. According to most guides, there’s usually a sharp spike in topwater action in September, and it carries on into October as well.
Locating bass and forage together usually produces a winning combination. While working shallow cover in the 4- to 8-foot range with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics, keep a rod rigged with a heavy swimming-minnow imitation or a heavy-bodied tailspinner that can be cast long distances. When the fish push the shad to the surface, you typically have only a few moments to get the lure into the melee. But over the course of a day, being prepared for schooling fish will usually add several fish to the creel.
In addition, a few anglers will continue to fish at night, working points and humps with worms, spinnerbaits and jigs.
Catfishing is also excellent during September, with improved daytime action on both big blues and flathead catfish. The same is true for crappie fishing, according to guide Pete Pritchard (803-478-7533).
“Part of the improvement is simply the weather becomes more bearable, and fishermen can spend more time fishing,” Pritchard said. The action on the catfish, especially the larger fish, does improve during September, and a lot of fishermen begin to revert back to daytime fishing. Good baits for blue catfish are cut herring or shad, and live bait works well for the big flatheads.”
Drift fishing is good on Lake Moultrie around the humps and ledges, and on Lake Marion along the Wilson Dam and over some of the flats near deep water that are not completely covered with logs. Also, anchoring and fan-casting around in slightly deeper pockets in the tree-studded waters of lower Lake Marion is productive, according to Pritchard.
Crappie fishing usually perks up as well, Pritchard said, and typically the slab crappie will be found in 14 to 18 feet of water over sunken brush, logs and other woody debris.
“Sometimes I’ll find the fish suspended around the top and edges of the woody cover at this time of the year, which makes them easier to catch,” Pritchard said. “That’s the way I prefer to see the fish marked on the graph when I look at a brushpile or other crappie-holding underwater cover. But sometimes you have to get the bait or lure in the cover with them, so expect to get snagged on occasion. Minnows are good baits at this time of the year, but small jigs will also produce good-sized crappie as well.”
The bream-fishing is still fair, with most fish scattered around trees, weeds and brush. Most fish will be in the 3- to 7-foot range. Crickets and red worms will work for both the bream and shellcrackers. The action is usually not fast-paced, but patient panfishermen will still be able to make good catches.
Remember, were still in the “keep no striper” phase of the year, which began June 1 and extends through Sept. 30. No striped bass may be harvested or possessed for any reason. This closure, along with the open-season bag limit of three fish per day and minimum size of 26 inches, was signed into law to address the needs of the striped bass fishery.
Randolph’s Landing holds two major catfish tournaments on the Santee Cooper lakes every year: the Spring National Championship Catfish Tournament in March and the Fall National Championship Catfish Tournament this month.
Dates for the fall National Championship Catfish Tournament are Sept. 25-26. You can register three ways:
• Call 1-800-BIG-CATS;
• E-mail big_cats@ftc-i.net;
• Go to www.randolphs-landing come, print out the entry form and mail it to Randolph’s Landing 1022 Randolph’s Landing Way, Manning, SC 29102. You need to register before September and have your entry fee paid before blast-off.
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