Santee Cooper Fishing report 4/30/2016

[Brent Bartman]

Got a bit of a late start today. went out of Cypress Gardens in moncks corner around 830AM

Mostly cloudy today with a falling barometer winds from the south. Had a tough time getting on the bite. the tides didn't seem to turn them on like i was hoping. also the fish seemed to me to be in a pretty hard up post spawn. I was hoping to find some spawning fish in the back of the creeks but they seemed to have moved to the mouths and found some fish stacked up in hydrilla in about 6-12 ft range. froggin ended up being the only thing to draw bites throwing Zoom Horny Toads in tree frog color. they wouldn't take any other frogs or color. I was rolling as slow as possible with the rod tip as high as possible. caught 12 fish. My only keepers were 2-4, 3-1, 2-1. Wrecked about a 6.5-8lber and she wrapped her self hard up against stick-up in the Mat. I had her about 2 feet in front of the boat when she came off the hook. She sat on the surface for about 5 seconds which was enough time for me touch her but not grab her. broke my heart. 

[Al Wolbach]

I love fishing that river but have never caught numbers of fish. I have had more success up the river from where you are launching and for big fish. There is so much current when the tide shifts it is difficult to fish. Have you fished the rice paddies upstream, above the railroad bridge? BTW I have never figured out the fish/tide relationship in that area.

[Brent Bartman]

I havent been here for a few weeks so tidal fishing is still new to me. But seems the stronger the current the more number I will catch. I havent ventured too fare into the rice fields. Im not confident is fishing large flats for bass. Im more off a finding deep ledges and points (deep meaning 10-15 feet) with mats coming overtop of them.

[Al Wolbach]

Brent, I can share a couple of big fish holes if you are interested. Are you new to that area?

[Brent Bartman]

2 hours ago, Al Wolbach said:

Brent, I can share a couple of big fish holes if you are interested. Are you new to that area?

Yeah I just moved here in February. Every time i think im starting to unlock the cooper river it skunks me again. this tidal fishing is tough. and I would really appreciate that!

[Al Wolbach]

If you launch at Cypress Gardens go up river, under the swing railroad bridge then through the no wake zone. After the no wake zone there are several small islands separating the river channel from the rice fields. The 3rd or 4th island has a couple of large stumps on the channel side that sometimes hold big fish and there is a wooden wall that separates the channel from the rice fields. It is best found at low tide when you can see it. I fished the wall by using weighted baits, jigs, worms, lizards, etc. That wall runs on both sides of the channel and takes hours to fish thoroughly but fish the bottom along the wall. There are holes in the bottom that are deeper in places. I also had some success with buzz baits and spinnerbaits between the islands when current was pulling water from the rice fields. I have caught fish ranging from 3 to 11.5lbs along that wall. If I can find my map I will send more info but that area is a big fish area. You will see large schools of mullet in that area also which probably attract the fish. If you check out that area at low tide you will see a lot of cover..

[Al Wolbach]

 

On May 5, 2016 at 7:52 PM, Al Wolbach said:

If you launch at Cypress Gardens go up river, under the swing railroad bridge then through the no wake zone. After the no wake zone there are several small islands separating the river channel from the rice fields. The 3rd or 4th island has a couple of large stumps on the channel side that sometimes hold big fish and there is a wooden wall that separates the channel from the rice fields. It is best found at low tide when you can see it. I fished the wall by using weighted baits, jigs, worms, lizards, etc. That wall runs on both sides of the channel and takes hours to fish thoroughly but fish the bottom along the wall. There are holes in the bottom that are deeper in places. I also had some success with buzz baits and spinnerbaits between the islands when current was pulling water from the rice fields. I have caught fish ranging from 3 to 11.5lbs along that wall. If I can find my map I will send more info but that area is a big fish area. You will see large schools of mullet in that area also which probably attract the fish. If you check out that area at low tide you will see a lot of cover..

test

[Brent Bartman]

I appreciate it. I'm headed there tommorow and I'll check it out. I appreciate the help!!

[blackmax135]

Our club fished the Cooper river in February and it sucked so bad.  Me and my partner both got skunked, out of 12 anglers 7 got skunked.  So don't feel bad cause everyone says at this place your either a hero or zero.  The guy who won the tournament came in with a 22 pound sack and he started culling around 11am.  I couldn't believe it!  He stayed in the main run all day and fished a chartreuse chatter bait with a small swim bait trailer.  Everyone told me he wins the tournament every year.  The area where they have the no wake zone Al Wolbach was talking about is where he said he caught all but 3 of his fish.  He would throw the chatter bait in one of the whirl pools and let it sink.  He has been one of my mentors since I joined.  O