January is a very cold month, and it requires more dedication from outdoorsmen to adapt to temperature extremes. But the cold weather does not shut down the fishing on Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie. For some species, it actually improves the odds of success.
According to Marlin Ormseth, a Lake Moultrie catfish guide, drifting for blue catfish on both lakes can be extremely productive during January.
“This is the one time of the year when I do most of my fishing during the day,” said Ormseth (843-825-4713). “Most of the year, I prefer catfishing late evenings and at night, but during January, we make some huge catches of blue catfish, particularly big numbers of decent-sized fish, during the daylight hours. Many of the fish will be in the 3-to- 7-pound class, but we will also catch a reasonable number of large fish, from 25 pounds and up. So it’s a great time for big fish, but also for catching eating sized fish in big numbers.”
Ormseth’s preferred technique on Lake Moultrie is to drift-fish. He uses multiple rods and fishes water depths from 15 to 40 feet. His primary focus is to locate areas holding a lot of baitfish and drift the humps, and ledges in those areas.
“The productive depth where the fish will be caught may vary from day to day, but typically, it will be near underwater contour change, and there will be lots of shad in the vicinity,” he said.
Of course, there’s excellent fishing for catfish on Lake Marion, as well, and usually there a few more flatheads caught there during the winter. Barry Pritchard of Pritchard’s Guide Service (803-478-7533) said the best technique ate Marion is to set up in a stationary manner and fan-cast cut herring around the boat.
“I will occasionally drift-fish, sometimes along the Wilson Dam or on the flats where there are not a lot of snags,” Pritchard said, “but most of the time, when it’s really cold, we’ll anchor in 18 to 25 feet of water where there are a lot of shad marked on the graph and fan-cast a dozen rods around the boat. I’ll give the area 45 minutes to an hour to produce, and then move on if I’m not getting bites.”
Striper action begins to taper off this month. Some schooling action will occasionally occur, and a few very large stripers will be caught on bucktails or by drifting live bait. The biggest problem for anglers to overcome is not one of their own doing, according to most guides. It is the abundant, easy-to-catch forage that is the culprit.
Largemouth bass fishermen are not totally left out, especially in terms of trophy fish. Some huge fish can be caught this month, and the fishing is more of a quality and not a quantity game.
Focus on heavy cover and along the edgelines of weeds and inundated stump fields with slow-moving, bottom-bumping baits. Another tactic is to use live bait, such as big shiners. Some fishermen will use 4- to 6-inch shiners under a cork fished three to five feet deep along these areas and score on huge largemouth. The use of live bait for big bass is an underutilized tactic for big bass in both lakes, but especially in Lake Marion. The occasional huge blue or flathead catfish will take the shiner, a big-fish bonus that will keep you busy for a while with bass tackle.
Crappie fishing is slow during January, and not a lot of fishermen target them, but huge crappie can be caught fishing deep over brush in 18 to 22 feet of water. Live bait works best, and the bait needs to be stationary or moving very slowly. If there is a burst of warm weather, some slabs will stage at the mouths of the major creeks late in the month.
One side-benefit gleaned from the above is that while January fishing can be cold and slow, it is a good time of the year to catch quality fish. With the exception of the blue catfish, the numbers of fish caught may not be large, but the size can be extraordinary.
Winter activities around the lakes are not totally focused on fishing. Squirrel hunting, especially with dogs, is making a big comeback and is enjoyed by many hunters in the Santee Cooper area. In addition, small-game targets including rabbit and quail are prime opportunities.
In addition to private land, some excellent hunting opportunities exist on public lands around the lakes. Check out the WMAs for specific seasons, but small-game hunting opportunities are available.
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