The popularity of catfish angling in South Carolina seems to have hit a boom stage. There are probably three reasons for that: Catfish are determined fighters, they can grow to trophy sizes, they're tasty on the supper table and they are found in just about every lake and river in the state. The channel catfish seems to be the common link in most fisheries, and this hard-fighting, great-eating fish is available in huge numbers and quality sizes statewide.

Moreover, during recent years, with the introduction and subsequent spread of the blue and flathead catfish species, there are now a number of lakes that provide trophy catfishing. The state now truly has outstanding fisheries for all of the 'Big Three" of catfish angling: the channel, flathead and blue catfish. Plus, bullheads offer a bonus in most lakes and rivers as well.

We're going to take a look at the best catfisheries in the sate, defined by species for certain lakes. Some lakes will certainly be top picks for more than one species. A couple of lakes have the potential to produce quality or quantity fishing opportunities for all three catfish species.

Here's a forecast of what catfishermen can expect to enjoy not only now but throughout the year from catfish at our lakes and rivers.

CHANNEL CATFISH
Channel catfish are found throughout the state, and there are few places that don't provide quality fishing for this species. But we've cropped out the best ones to highlight here. South Carolina certainly has some of the best channel catfishing opportunities in the southeast.

Lake Greenwood
Of all the lakes in the state, the one most likely to produce a trophy channel catfish is Lake Greenwood. Moreover, this lake has the potential to produce large numbers of quality fish.

The channel catfishery at Lake Greenwood is very productive right now and remains so throughout the summer. But one real positive attribute is that the fishery remains very good right through the fall and winter months. The cold-weather season can produce both quantity and quality fish.

Double-digit-sized channel catfish are not common anywhere in South Carolina, but anglers are more likely to find them here than anywhere else, according to catfishing guide Chris Simpson (www.fightindablues.com or 864-992-2352).

"We'll catch a lot of 6- to 8-pound channel catfish on an average day," Simpson said. "But the potential to catch a 10-pound-plus channel catfish is better here than any place in the state, in my opinion," he said.

While the primary catfishery is the channel catfish, according to Simpson, both blue and flathead catfish are in the lake. He said in the next few years, he expects these species to become an important part of the overall catfishery in Lake Greenwood.

Lake Wylie
The story on this lake is that it consistently provides bites from big channel catfish. It's not uncommon to catch a stringer full of channel catfish in the 4- to 6-pound class, and very frequently, fish in the 8-pound and larger classes will be taken. While Wylie's potential to produce huge channel catfish is not as good as Lake Greenwood's, the average size of the channel catfish here is simply outstanding and there are scads of them.