Most Lake Marion anglers go with 8- to 10-pound-test line. While that's a bit larger than most would prefer, there are so many snags, trees, cypress knees and other debris for the fish to wrap around, anglers sometimes need that extra bit of backbone to wrestle the big bream into the boat. Eight-pound-test line can be used successfully in some areas, but that's about as light as I would go at this lake.

On all the lakes we'll discuss, the same basic techniques will work just find for bream fishing. The live-bait techniques, whether employed on a long pole or presented with ultralight gear, will produce plenty of action. The same is true of the small spinners and fly rod gear. The focus of this story is primarily to give you where-to-go spots for great bream fishing in our state. The "how to" during May and even through June is pretty simple.

If you want a change of pace from a shallow, fertile lake with big bream, move upstate to a clear body of water, Lake Jocassee. In terms of excellent size and numbers of bream, you don't lose a thing here. But you certainly have to go about catching them differently than you do at Lake Marion.

Lake Jocassee is a deep, clear lake, and the opposite of what many bream anglers in South Carolina are accustomed to fishing when searching for big bream. An angler must employ a specialized approach in terms of tackle and bait presentation. Not only is lighter line a plus in these clear lakes, it is essentially mandatory for consistent success on big bream. Ten-pound-test line looks like anchor rope to a big bream in this water. Most anglers recommend six-pound-test line as a maximum and they suggest 4-pound-test line as an even better choice. If you're really frisky, try 2-pound-test. You'll probably hook more fish and your skills in playing fish will be tested.

While the number of 10- to 12-ounce bream rivals that of almost any lake in the state, the deep water offers anglers ample room to maneuver and fight fish with light-action spinning rods.

The bream here may be found somewhat deeper on the beds than in the more dingy lakes such as Marion. Plus, they prefer to spawn in the backs of coves and pockets with hard bottoms. However, in addition to the traditional method of casting a small bobber and cricket or worm, local anglers have devised other methods for taking these fish.

One technique that works very well early and late in the day is to slip around the shoreline of the creeks and coves, casting small popping bugs to the bank on ultralight spinning gear. A clear, plastic float is added to the line above the popping bug as weight and enables the angler to make long casts while keeping the boat well off the shoreline.