“Stevens Creek Reservoir is not your typical Savannah River reservoir,” Rankin said. “Most of the reservoirs tend to be very deep. Hartwell, Keowee and Russell just don’t seem to provide good sunfish populations. The fish seem to be stunted.

“Stevens Creek, on the other hand, has a good shellcracker population and large redears. The lake, located below Lake Thurmond, is shallow in the upper end and features lots of submerged aquatic vegetation, which benefits the panfish populations.”

Two other lakes in the Upstate that Rankin mentioned for bream were Lake Yonah and Lake Tugaloo.

Lake Yonah is a 325-acre lake on the state line with Georgia. The lake was constructed in 1925, and the dam is actually the start of Lake Hartwell. Rankin said that the only access to the lake is on the Georgia side, but the two states do have a reciprocal license agreement.

“To be in a mountain setting, Lake Tugaloo is more fertile than you would expect for other lakes in the region,” Rankin said. “The reason is the lake’s proximity to Clayton, Georgia.”

Located seven miles south of the town, nutrients from Clayton directly enter the 575-acre lake, enriching the water and resulting in a good bream population.

Rankin said another set of water system lakes in the region are better off for other species.

“Lakes Robinson and Cunningham, owned by the Greer Commission of Public Works, are more of crappie fisheries,” Rankin said. “There are some sunfish in each lake, but the size is not as impressive as other lakes.”

No matter where you decide to go fishing, it is wise to consult the SCDNR Rules and Regulations brochure for fishing regulations and license requirements or call your local SCDNR regional office.