LOWCOUNTRY
The heart of bass fishing in South Carolina is the Santee Cooper lakes. These two reservoirs, lakes Moultrie and Marion, which comprise Santee Cooper, support the fastest growing, oldest and largest largemouth bass in the state. On top of that, the average fishing pressure, relative to other reservoirs in the state, is low, although it can be high seasonally.

“From creel surveys conducted a few years ago, most of the fishing effort is from February to May, and tails off as the season progresses,” said Scott Lamprecht, a SCDNR fisheries biologist in Bonneau. “These anglers are targeting spawning bass.”

Located in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina, Santee Cooper affords bass a long growing season. The lakes, although less fertile than some lakes in the state, feature a diverse forage base. The genetics of the Santee Cooper bass population closely resemble the Florida subspecies, which is known for its large size potential. The fishing pressure is low as well, allowing bass to become old. Approximately 25 percent of the bass population consists of fish greater than 5 years old.

“When you examine the factors that come together on Santee Cooper, it is easy to see why Santee Cooper produces lots of big bass,” Lamprecht said.

Santee Cooper bass grow fast, but that was not always the case. Hydrilla, an exotic grass, appeared in the lakes in 1980, and eventually covered 25 percent of the lakes’ surfaces. Bass fishing success (as defined by number of fish caught per hour) and angler participation increased with the grass, and although bass became numerous, they grew slower, so the average fish was smaller than in fish habitats with healthy native plant communities.

“We’re beginning to see more vegetation in the system,” Lamprecht said. “There are more native species, such as wild celery and lemon bacopa, which ought to benefit the bass population in general.

“The cover helps bream populations, which help bass. Bass are made to eat bluegills, and their recruitment is good when they have a steady supply of little fish to eat.”

Lamprecht also mentioned that there has been considerable growth of water willow, which is grass carp resistant. Additional work has demonstrated that areas barricaded from carp have responded well with vegetation. So much so that if they’re opened to carp they can handle the grazing at the current carp-population level.

Below Santee Cooper, Lamprecht said the Cooper River is equally as good as the lakes.

“I want to call the Cooper River a bass factory,” Lamprecht said. “There are good year-classes there each season. The first year’s growth is slow, which is the river’s only strike, but after that they really take off, mirroring Santee Cooper lakes’ growth rates. The fish will get to a good size overall but not necessarily maximum size, but it still has big bass.”

Lamprecht said anglers will find the big bass positioned near woody structure, natural or manmade, just off the main-river channel. He said anglers that pitch unusual presentations to these areas will be successful.