I'd strongly suggest you employ the use of a good rod holder, such as the locally manufactured DriftMaster model, or you'll have rods snatched out of the boat before you can react. I don't care how quick your reflexes are, you will lose rods if you don't put them in rod holders on this river.

Generally, if I don't get into some good action within 10 minutes or so of fishing a spot, I'll leave that area and try another spot. It usually doesn't take many moves to locate plenty of fish action.

Lake Murray is certainly receiving plenty of attention right now for fishing success on several species. The long-term drawdown and subsequent filling of the lake inundated much of the growth along the shoreline. According to SCDNR fisheries experts, this has created a real boom in the fisheries of the lake. Panfish species, such as bream, are among those most benefited.

No roundup of bream hotspots in South Carolina would be complete without mentioning this lake as a red-hot prospect. The biggest issue you'll face is that it now has so much cover along the shoreline, you may have to move around a while before you get into the action you want. But you can be sure that the fish are there, and finding plenty of bream action is merely a matter of hunting them down.

Lake Edgar Brown, a 100-acre lake essentially located in downtown Barnwell, is a great bream fishery. This lake is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is ideal for shoreline fishing or from a boat.

There are no hidden secrets to fishing this lake, you just need to get out and work around the lake until you locate the areas where the fish are bedding or holding.

While fishing from a boat is great on this lake, a large amount of the lake's shoreline is accessible by shoreline fishermen. This, in my opinion, is one of the best shoreline fishing opportunities in the state, especially during this time of the year.

Cane poles and live bait are ideal for Lake Edgar Brown. However, if you want to make things a bit more interesting, I've seen anglers using light spinning tackle working around the shoreline. This is effective with crickets, worms or small spinners. Also, in some places, there's room to even use a fly rod and popping bug from the shoreline.

Great bream fishing is essentially available statewide if you can get access to small private ponds and lakes. For shoreline fishermen, there are always plenty of small ponds and lakes scattered around the state on private property. You can often get permission to fish these lakes from landowners, but always get permission before fishing. Treat the area with respect and you can perhaps get invited back. Some of these little ponds tucked away in isolated areas can produce some incredible fishing opportunities. It's doesn't take a big pond to grow outlandish-sized bream.

Now is the time to go bream fishing in South Carolina. Bream will be caught throughout the spring and summer and well into the fall. For some of the best fishing of the entire year, now's the ideal time to focus your efforts on these feisty panfish.