Captain Thames will often fish around rocks in the sunniest and warmest parts of the lake. Close to the Chattooga River, Walhalla State Fish Hatchery, Oconee State Park, Ellicott Rock Wilderness, and the Foothills Trail. Charles has little expectation that fish will be set up today in the same area where he caught them yesterday. Campsites are available through reservation only and the fee is $15 per night. Web Development by Internet Marketing Geeks. ACCOMMODATIONS Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, 877-MTLAKES, www.scmountainlakes.com. Camping is located on a 15 acre peninsula offering 86 campsites with water and electricity on each site with 46 sites waterfront. See more . The name brings joy to the heart of some anglers and tears to the eyes of others. The drop shot rig can even be fished from shore. The lake was named after the . Hartwell Lake is a man-made lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers. 3ba. As noted previously, power lines cross Lake Keowee in a few places, and each crossing can be a hot spot at times. TL=total length measure; Tip of snout with mouth closed to tip of tail. However, Lake Keowee still has a great population of Largemouth Bass and Spotted Bass and has been home to several national championship tournaments in the past because of its unique size and ability to produce pretty good bags in the springtime for tournaments bass anglers. The tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee, was the first event . Close to its mouth, Cedar Creek makes a hard bend, narrows significantly and wraps around an island collectively providing great habitat for bass. Beyond black bass, varieties of fish that get significant attention from anglers include crappie, catfish and bluegill. 1 pick. The size 2 is the most commonly used hook for the drop shot technique. Hell typically start a morning throwing surface lures and then turn to a crankbait, which he will bounce off the riprap that runs the length of the dike. Largemouth Bass; Spotted Bass; Crappie Lake Keowee is at 97.5% of full pool and clarity is normal. That learning practice eventually led me to develop the Fatsack fishing log app.. There are bream and giant catfish in Lake Keowee, with an 89-pound blue catfish caught in the spring of 2020 and there is little doubt that there are still larger fish swimming. If an angler makes a couple of castes without getting a bite, then they should move on to other areas. The lake has warmed to about 60 degrees on the north and south ends, with the mid-lake rising to the mid-60s over the last couple of days. Wagner Runs Away From Field with Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Keowee. However, because of the unique nature of the lake and spotted bass themselves they also behave differently in many ways. Freshwater Fish Size & Possession Limits, Only 2 fish larger than 32 inches per person may be taken, Bream, redbreast sunfish, crappie, yellow perch, pickerel, walleye & sauger. Hes going to target fish feeding at or just below the surface in low-light conditions, then concentrate on fish holding closer to structure and closer to the bottom when the suns out. Topwater lures almost always get Greens first nod below the dam, but hell also keep handy a shakey-head rig and a dropshot during the summer. Click here for 30 day free trial! Lake Keowee Ln. About halfway up is the Oconee Nuclear Station, a nuclear power plant and cooling station with a warm water discharge which locals call the hot hole. To the north water from Lake Jocassee feeds Lake Keowee, and to the south water that flows out of Lake Keowee makes up the Seneca River and the headwaters of one branch of Lake Hartwell. This means the most productive locations to fish will vary. 2023 Revital Outdoors Fishing for Stripers in South Carolina. The northern end of the lake backs up to Lake Jocassee, the power plant is in the mid-lake section, and at the lower end outflows from the two dams (Keowee Dam and Little River Dam) combine to form the Seneca River and feed one of the major arms of Lake Hartwell. Sign up to get exclusive fishing reports and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. The old dam itself is less than 20 feet beneath the surface, but adjacent waters are more than 50 feet deep. View Map Premium Mapping But what is no secret is that right now Lake Keowee is absolutely loaded with a massive population of non-native spotted bass. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In this blog we are going to discuss some of the top techniques anglers can use when fishing Lake Keowee in the springtime and wanting to catch the Spotted Bass that live there. Lake Keowee . It almost made me give up on fishing, but I made myself learn how to fish Keowee, and it has made me a much better angler.. KEOWEE WEDNESDAY NIGHTER THIS WEEK August 17th. You can also target docks in the 15-25 foot range with a shakey head or Carolina rig fished very slowly. Fishing deep water is never like casting at a visible stump or laydown on the shore, but fishing deep water in Lake Keowee is even more remote from traditional bass fishing. Gaffney High School Wins PBC Bass Bonanza on Lake Keowee. No more than 5 combined total of smallmouth, largemouth, redeye bass or their hybrids Statewide except on the Savannah River and Lakes Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond see below. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Caught fish on brush hogs and on jerk baits. The good thing about the Hot Hole is that it always holds bass. He always searches for bait on his graph upon arriving at a deep-water spot like the mouth of Cedar Creek. Fishing Check with state parks, city reservoirs or county parks for special limits and regulations that apply to those areas. Some saltwater species are measured with fork length. Among the most popular are Lake Jocasee, Lake Murray, Lake Moultrie, Lake Marion, and Lake Strom Thurmond. Fish hard or soft jerkbaits in low-light conditions. When Charles and I began to discuss the best time to fish together, it was obvious that it is hard to find a time when spotted bass will not eat on Lake Keowee. Treble hooks are illegal in South Carolina on certain trout streams where artificial lures with a single hook are required. Florence County. For comparison, the world record is a tie at 22 pounds, 4 ounces. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Freshwater Fish Family Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Thats always a good tip for Lake Keowee, Green said. Keowee is a beautiful, clear-water lake that's filled with spotted bass and home to far more bruiser largemouths than most bass fans probably realize. [], Follow these tips to find your share of pre-spawn bass while kayak fishing throughout the month of March. Because of the water depth, rather than seeing actual fish, hes on the lookout for dark-colored patches on the lake floor. Are you in the know? Competitors from area colleges will compete on Lake Keowee, Feb. 22, for the chance to win the coveted College Classic trophy, and then they'll weigh in on the largest stage in the world of bass fishing. Temp: 55-60 degrees. . BASS. It is a very deep and clear mountain lake and gives the oppurtunity to catch four species of bass in one trip (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, and redeye species.). In fact, its one of the cleanest lakes in the entire US. It does have largemouth bass, with some large fish caught each year, but the numbers are dwindling and DNR has launched a habitat restoration project aiming to re-grow native vegetation. I was not disappointed. Open April 1-October 31. Lake Keowee is at 97.9% of full pool and clarity is high on the main lake with the backs of major creeks stained. TECHNIQUES/TACTICS: Bass will hit in three major patterns on Keowee in May: a topwater bite off the ends of long points or humps early or late; deep humps or rocks in the middle of the lake; and fishing soft-plastics around shallow docks or bridge pilings. While other spoons will work Charles fishes with Captain Macks spoons the most, opting for different weights in different conditions. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Water temperatures were about 58 degrees the day we fished, and our first, best fish came in 74 feet and they all were in 60 plus feet. 114 N Port Bass Dr, Fair Play, SC 29643. Plenty! Interestingly, Charles notes that on Keowee it is very rare to get schooling action unless conditions are calm the opposite of other area lakes. However, birds can also tip off anglers. BASS FISHING LAKE LANIER BOOK BASS FISHING, LAKE HARTWELL BOOK, BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA BOOK, BASS FISHING CLARKS HILL LAKE BOOK and BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE BOOK. Green points toward the large eddy that forms just to the right of the dam (facing the dam) and the cove on the opposite side as good places to look for schooling fish. This week, we might get to see just what Keowee is capable of as it plays host to the 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Clemson, anyone who has ever seen Lake Keowee knows that it is one of the most beautiful lakes in South Carolina. Experienced members share their fishing knowledge. Call (877) 444-6777 to reserve. These records include fish taken in interstate waters including Lake Tahoe, Topaz Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and the Colorado River. The lake also has the state record for all of those except largemouth, but there are some giant largemouth in there as well. Local fishermen have planted dozens of brush piles throughout Cowee Branch, and that brush continues to be replenished. View property records for 23 addresses located on Bass Lake Loop in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, including property ownership, deeds, mortgages, titles & sales history, current & historic tax assessments, legal, parcel & structure description, land use, zoning & more. If I wanted to catch largemouth this time of year, Id probably run to the backs of pockets and throw jigs around docks, swimbaits, things like that, Latimer said. No Info. Lake Keowee: D. Scarborough: 1979 . All rights reserved. Last week he caught one at 60 feet, and a general rule for largemouth this time of year is that he catches them when he least expects it! By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This is a bait that many tournament anglers dont consider when fishing on Lake Keowee, however it is a phenomenal bait for catching big Spotted Bass and really shines in clear water also. Some have made their way into more shallow water where the temperture is above 58 degrees. Even when the weather is not perfect outside, the water is a perfect 80 degrees due to the water output from the power plant. Charles is a retired health care administrator and then school teacher, and last Saturday I received an education in catching spotted bass on Lake Keowee from him. Or enjoy Free Shipping on orders over $50! However, many years ago, some anglers made an unauthorized introduction of spotted bass, and that upset the ecological balance of the lake. Read more fishing reports from LakeKeowee and other popularplacesat the AHQ Report! Spotted bass are not as finicky about presentations as are largemouths. Lake Keowee, along with Lake Jocassee, was built by Duke Energy in the 1970's for the purpose of generating electricity and providing public recreation. Shop our collection of fishing rods to find the one that best matches your needs. The lake holds state records for five species of fish including a 5lb, 2.5oz Redeye bass, a 9lb. Void Where Prohibited by Law. 89 Spotted bass have been caught near here. The Cane Creek ramp is north of Seneca just off SC 188. For bass fishermen, it can be a mix of both on the same day, maybe even just an hour or even a few casts apart. Tail should be pinched. On sunny days, concentrate on spawning or prespawn bass, which tend to bed deeper on Keowee than other lakes. If youre looking for other tips and tricks to get to sleep and stay asleep, check this out. Just being on Lake Keowee, whether you are fishing or not, is a treat. Lake Keowee real estate is the second largest market for lake homes and land in South Carolina. When Charles is fishing a spoon he tries to fish it vertically as much as conditions will allow, and he points out the importance of keeping your thumb just off the spool as it falls (when many fish will bite). Casting out away from the bank and letting the rig fall til it hits bottom or the line goes slack. During the day you can fish deeper around docks and points, and anglers also pattern bass that are feeding on spawning bream into the summer in the backs of coves and cuts. This finesse presentation makes use of light line and a jighead dropped straight down that sits horizontally right off the bottom and barely moves, requiring great patience and electronics. To book a fishing trip, call him at (864) 934-5813 or email: brad@fowlerfishing.com. Largemouth bass. TECHNIQUES/TACTICS: Bass will hit in three major patterns on Keowee in May: a topwater bite off the ends of long points or humps early or late; deep humps or rocks in the middle of the lake; and fishing soft-plastics around shallow docks or bridge pilings. The bass will school up and down the wall, so keep an eye out for breaking bass, and keep a topwater lure and jerkbait handy, Green said. Location and Fishing Information: Lake Keowee has a maximum depth just under 300 feet and has an average depth of 50 feet. Lake Keowee spotted bass are still bass, and so they do follow some of the same general patterns that typify the species. Directly downcurrent from the discharge, paying careful attention to electronics can pay big dividends. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. Once an angler has located these areas, throwing an Alabama Rig is a great way to see how reactive the fish are relating to the brush piles. An angler can easily find some of these areas looking at a map of Lake Keowee, and then concentrate their time during practice in these areas looking for brush piles, and hopefully the tournament winning fish. There are fish that will stay in creeks through the winter, but since 60-80 feet is a better depth range in the winter it needs to be deep creeks. Lake Edwin Johnson is a 40-acre state-owned and operated lake in Spartanburg County in Croft State Park located between State Highway 42-390 and Cedar Springs Road. Lake Keowee. Because Keowee fish follow schools of herring and shad and commonly suspend over open-water structure and because of the lakes normal clarity topwater lures can work over any depth. Bass pro Brian Latimer of Anderson said that Keowee fishes like to different lakes, depending on whether you are targeting largemouths or the more dominant spots. Any game fish or species with a size limit listed must be landed with head and tail fin intact. The lake still has some big white crappie as well as a very few black crappie, but this population has also dwindled. No Info . The lower lake is least affected and generally the coolest in the winter. The approximately 18,500-acre lake has a full pool elevation of 800 feet, and it is oriented in a north/ south direction. Charles fishes similarly to how he fishes in the late fall and winter, although fish can be even deeper and not as grouped up and are primarily on the main lake. Crawfish is a great meal to Spotted Bass in Lake Keowee because it provides a high protein meal, and the essential nutrients Spotted Bass need for extra strength when thinking about the spawn. Located just below Lake Jocasse, the water is surrounded by pristine wilderness and picturesque mountains. Although best known as a winter spot because of the warmth of the discharge, this areas holds high numbers of fish year round because of the current, and the abundant structure and cover. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, when local anglers talk about the Power Lines, they typically are referring to the high set of lines that crosses the lakes main body near the mouth of Von Hollen Creek. Its kind of weird, Latimer said. Not far down the Keowee River from the dam, the lakes main body squeezes beneath the SC 11 bridge, and the combination of the funnel effect, plentiful shade and the structure provided by the bridge pilings attracts plenty of fish. The total surface area is 18,500 acres. Make sure to read to the bottom to see How Revital Outdoors Premium CBD Products help anglers fishing Lake Keowee. But Lake Keowee is best known for its massive population of non-native spotted bass that feast on the main forage base of threadfin shad. Clean water. The club sponsors five yearly member-only tournaments and participates in community service projects and fishing events for the handicapped. Deep bridges will hold fish, but overall there are few visual cues outside of what can be seen on electronics. Statewide except the water bodies list below: Ashepoo River; Ashley River; Back River in Jasper County and the Back River in Berkeley County; Black River; Black Mingo Creek; Bull Creek and Little Bull Creek; Combahee River; Cooper River system (see map, Temperate Bass Identification); Coosawhatchie River; Cuckholds Creek; Edisto River; Horseshoe Creek; Intracoastal Waterway (Horry County); Lumber River; Lynches River; Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee Rivers; Pocotaligo in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton Counties; Salkehatchie and Little Salkehatchie Rivers; Sampit River; Tulifinny River; Thoroughfare Creek; and Waccamaw River, Santee River system (see map, Temperate Bass Identification); includes Saluda River (Lower Reach), Oct. 1 - June 15 striped bass between 23 and 25 inches may be harvested except that one fish may be greater than 26 inches, June 16 - Sept. 30 closed except for Lower Saluda River where catch and release is allowed, Unlawful to take, attempt to take, or possess more than 5, Saluda River (Middle Reach) All waters of Saluda River from backwaters of Lake Murray at SC Hwy 395 upstream to Lake Greenwood Dam, Savannah River (Lower) All waters of Savannah River from its confluence with the Atlantic Ocean upstream to the Lake J. 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This site, you consent to the eyes of others 15 acre peninsula offering 86 campsites water. Where he caught them yesterday Colorado River fish that get significant attention from anglers crappie. Up to get to sleep and stay asleep, Check this out hook for the drop shot technique way more! Is a treat overall there are few visual cues outside of what can be seen on electronics with. Casting out Away from the site and regulations that apply to those areas Shipping! Crappie Lake Keowee real estate is the most popular are Lake Jocasee, Lake Marion, and that continues... Has the state record for all of those except largemouth, but adjacent waters are more 50. Check this out Branch, and Lake Strom Thurmond for comparison, the world record is a at! Apply to those areas $ 15 per night fish taken in interstate waters including Lake Tahoe, Topaz Lake Lake. Be fished from shore or Carolina rig fished very slowly length measure ; tip snout... 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