Santee Cooper Information Please

Thinking of trying Santee Cooper for the first time this weekend or next. Trying to stay out of extremely hazardous areas. I tried PM'ing Inkdabber, but no option for PM's on his profile. thinking of launching either at poplar creek or packs landing. looking to tight line. Is water clarity an issue in these areas right now? Should I look for bays or fishing ledges of the main channel? Approx water depths I should target? I plan on using minnows. I am looking to stay near these landings and not running full throttle across the lake as im not familiar with hazardous areas. Thank you for your help and feel free to PM me. v/r Tim

Packs is probably closest to you. I use to fish it a lot with my BIL, unfortunately we lost him to cancer(agent orange), so I have not fished it in recent years. Mr Cromer met some guys when he went to Broadwater Tuesday, who had fished that area and they had some nice crappie. You can tightline up to the right as you leave Packs. If you go through the cut in the woods it opens into Sparkleberry swamp which is where we use to fish. Single pole jigging the pads and downed timber with jigs or minnows would probably be a good method. I would stop in the store and talk to the Pack boys and they will give you the current news.
Remember this part of the lake was never cleared of timber when they filled the lake. It is nearly impossible not to hit a few stumps as you motor around. But it is one of the prettiest bodies of water you'll find.
On that side of the lake, Jacks Creek would be a better bet than Popular creek on the other side, but water in the Popular Creek area is much less stumpy than any of the others and you could tight line there easier.
I am still battling some crud so I can't get out this weekend.

Fishing Santee will be a totally different experience than Wateree. If you are worried about water hazards, avoid Packs. The fishing isn't great in Popular creek, but the landing and folks are. I put in there often, but you will have to ride a good ways to fish. Seeing your post, and knowing how you like to fish I would put in and fish Taw Caw or Wyboo creeks. Both have several ramps available. Both have a mixture of shall flats and deep runs. Both offer few stumps to worry about, and both can offer great fishing. Tight lined minnows will remain effective, but the fish are moving shallow and becoming aggressive. Due to this, long line trolling and single pole jigging will become the better techniques in the coming weeks.

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Originally Posted by Inkdabber

Fishing Santee will be a totally different experience than Wateree. If you are worried about water hazards, avoid Packs. The fishing isn't great in Popular creek, but the landing and folks are. I put in there often, but you will have to ride a good ways to fish. Seeing your post, and knowing how you like to fish I would put in and fish Taw Caw or Wyboo creeks. Both have several ramps available. Both have a mixture of shall flats and deep runs. Both offer few stumps to worry about, and both can offer great fishing. Tight lined minnows will remain effective, but the fish are moving shallow and becoming aggressive. Due to this, long line trolling and single pole jigging will become the better techniques in the coming weeks.

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Ink, I am leaning towards Wyboo form my first trip. Are there any baitshops along Hwy 260? Planning on launching at C. Alex Harvin III Launch on 260. Probably start looking in the 20-30 ft depth for structure to start in the middle of day and shallower to start the morning. I am reliant on electronics so will need to get out there and see where the marks are. Thank you for the help. Tim

Sounds like I need to read up on the longlining techniques for the coming weeks.

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Originally Posted by KHNC

Sounds like I need to read up on the longlining techniques for the coming weeks.

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sent you this in a PM !!! will also share for others wanting to learn this technique this is one of if not the best read you will get on this subject !!!

http://magnoliacrappieclub.com/articles/LongLining.pdf

I agree with Ink. Tawcaw Creek is where I used to fish out of and in and did well there. Just be careful of the big gators in that area. If there out still.

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Originally Posted by micorps

Ink, I am leaning towards Wyboo form my first trip. Are there any baitshops along Hwy 260? Planning on launching at C. Alex Harvin III Launch on 260. Probably start looking in the 20-30 ft depth for structure to start in the middle of day and shallower to start the morning. I am reliant on electronics so will need to get out there and see where the marks are. Thank you for the help. Tim

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Had to laugh. I am not familar with the lake below the I95 bridge, but the water above where we fish is seldom over 10 ft. Might find a hole in the river channel that is close to 30 but most of the upper lake is shallow. That is why it is dangerous in high winds. Really kicks up the waves.

From what I've read the Wyboo area will work well for the type of fishing you plan. If Ink and Bean recommend it, you can't go wrong. Hope you do well, look forward your report.

I'm sure there are plenty of bait shops out that way, but I buy all my bait from the Santee General store in the town of Santee. They're bait is usually fresh, and they are the only one that sales by the pound.

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Originally Posted by micorps

Ink, I am leaning towards Wyboo form my first trip. Are there any baitshops along Hwy 260? Planning on launching at C. Alex Harvin III Launch on 260. Probably start looking in the 20-30 ft depth for structure to start in the middle of day and shallower to start the morning. I am reliant on electronics so will need to get out there and see where the marks are. Thank you for the help. Tim

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Yep, that is one dangerous place in the wind. Outright scary in the timber that's unmarked crossing to potato creek. I see those 5' wide trees just inches under water as I drive by in my fiberglass bass boat and cringe. I have also seen Russellville flats completely drained of water when the winds got crazy and a giant storm hit the lake. We spent a couple hours on the bank waiting for the water to come back so we could get off the lake. Thought we may have to spend the night!

I would also recomment the lower end around Wyyboo, but one thing to remember compared to Wateree is that the water temps will be 3-5 degrees higher and the spawn down there happens sooner than wateree. I thinking about heading down myself this weekend mainly because of the water conditions on WAteree and Stumpy pond.

The upper end will most likely be more stained as well as compared to the lower end around Wyboo. Good luck if you go but watch the wind, not sure how it will be Saturday and the weathermen dang sure dont know.....

As posted above Wyboo and Taw Caw/Goat Island Areas are good but don't overlook jacks creek this time of year. It has plenty of hazard but could be fished all day with out ever putting your boat on plane.

Thank you for the information everyone. Trying to stay in a bay as wind looks like it will get up to 15mph. Not sure if it will be stronger on the main part of the lake. From what I have read, wyboo creek bay is the deepest area so think I will start there for my first time to the lake. Once again, thank you for the help.

The two worst wind directions on lake Marion are north east, and south west as most creeks, coves run these directions. South west tomorrow will make Wyboo tough