NEWS for July 21, 2008 A Summary of DNR News Releases Note to Editors, News Directors: Full-length articles follow these summaries, also fishing trends and tidetable. Also available online at dnr.sc.gov. For more information, call Brett Witt at the Communications Office of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources at (803) 734-3815 in Columbia or e-mail newsdesk@dnr.sc.gov.
* Ask DNR! -Have a question about hunting, fishing, boating, natural resources or wildlife conservation? Submit your question, wildlife fish and game photos and wild game recipes at www.dnr.sc.gov/dnrradio/ask_dnr.html, then listen for "Life's Better Outdoors" with host Mike Willis. Join DNR communications director Mike Willis for "Life's Better Outdoors" each Saturday at 11 a.m. on Sports Radio 1400theteam.com in Columbia and on the Clemson University radio program Your Day, the first Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m., statewide on the SCETV radio network.
* 2009 HUNTING, FISHING LICENSES AVAILABLE ONLINE-Purchase your license by going to: https://ssl.sc.gov/DNRLicensing/EntryPage.aspx.
* EARLY-SEASON MIGRATORY BIRD SEASONS APPROVED BY NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD-The S.C. Natural Resources Board recently approved migratory bird hunting seasons for mourning doves, marsh hens (rails), woodcock, snipe, moorhens, purple gallinules, teal and an early season for Canada geese. The Natural Resources Board set the 2008-2009 hunting seasons for these migratory game birds at its July 16 meeting in Columbia. The seasons must still meet approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and be published in the Federal Register in order to become final. For more information, write to Early-Season Migratory Birds, DNR, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202, call (803) 734-3886 in Columbia, or visit the DNR Web site at www.dnr.sc.gov/hunting.html. #08-177
* MAP MODERNIZATION MEETING FOR OCONEE COUNTY SET JULY 31-The S.C. Department of Natural Resources Flood Mitigation Programs will conduct a meeting as part of the Map Modernization Program for Oconee County beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 31 at Oconee County Council Chambers, 415 S. Pine St. in Walhalla. The Map Modernization Initiative is a five-year, billion dollar project implemented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to update the nation's Flood Insurance Rate Maps on a countywide basis. Visit the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Flood Mitigation Web site for more information on the Map Modernization Initiative in South Carolina: www.dnr.sc.gov/water/flood/mapmodn.html. Contact the Flood Mitigation Programs in Columbia at (803) 734-1410. #08-178
* WHITE PERCH DELISTED AS STATE GAME FISH-Legislation removing the white perch from the list of game fish in South Carolina was enacted in June. Because white perch is no longer protected as a game species, there are no limits on the taking of this fish. Also, nongame fish devices may be used to harvest white perch (see DNR's Rules and Regulations for more information). This species may also be harvested and used as baitfish. The bill removing white perch from the game fish list, H.4497, was developed due to concerns raised during the Striped Bass Stakeholders Working Group, which was convened to identify ways to restore the striped bass fishery in the Santee Cooper system. The white perch (Morone americana) was first declared a game fish in South Carolina in 1976. It is similar in appearance to both striped bass and white bass, but is smaller than either of these two popular game species. #08-179
* SANTEE COOPER STRIPED BASS STOCKING COMPLETED BY DNR-The S.C. Department of Natural Resources recently completed the stocking of more than 4.2 million hatchery raised striped bass fingerlings throughout the state. More than 2.5 million fingerlings were stocked in the Santee Cooper system between Lakes Marion and Moultrie. The stocking by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is intended to supplement natural reproduction that has historically maintained the Santee Cooper striped bass population and maintain otherwise unsustainable stocks in other state lakes. In addition to the stocking in the Santee Cooper system, striped bass were stocked in Lake Greenwood, Lake Hartwell, Lake Murray, Lake Thurmond and Lake Wateree. None of these lakes currently have natural spawning populations. The DNR Freshwater Fisheries Section annually stocks from seven to 10 million fish in state waters, including striped and hybrid bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, channel and blue catfish, bluegill, redbreast, redear sunfish (shellcracker), and rainbow, brook and brown trout. Anglers in South Carolina spend more than $1 billion to fish each year according to 2006 reports, making the sport, with economic multipliers factored in, a premier business in the Palmetto State. For information on DNR's freshwater fish stocking program, call (803) 734-3886 in Columbia or check the DNR Hatcheries Web site at: hatcheries.dnr.sc.gov/index.html. #08-180
* UPSTATE YOUTH DOVE HUNT APPLICATIONS DUE BY AUG. 11-Two youth dove hunts, sponsored by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service and the Upper Savannah River Chapter of Quail Unlimited, will be held in the Upstate on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1, the first day of dove season. Applications for the youth dove hunts are due by Monday, Aug. 11. Interested youths or adults should call or come by the Clemson DNR office, 311 Natural Resources Drive, to receive an application. To request an application by phone, call the Clemson DNR office at (864) 654-1671, extension 24. Application requests may also be e-mailed to: Mortonr@dnr.sc.gov. #08-181
* APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR ANDERSON COUNTY DOVE HUNT-Applications are now being accepted for an opening-day dove hunt at Evans Field in Anderson County, conducted by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. Thirty participants will be selected for the Monday, Sept. 1 dove hunt in a public drawing to be held Tuesday, Aug. 11 at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Clemson office. There is no cost to apply for the drawing. Applicants should type or clearly print their name, mailing address, telephone number and hunting license number on a 3-by-5-inch index card and mail it or bring to the Clemson DNR office. Up to three people can apply together on the same index card, but make sure that complete information for each person is included. Duplicate entries will be disqualified. Send your application only on a 3-by-5-inch index card to the following address: Clemson DNR Office, Evans Dove Hunt Application, 311 Natural Resources Drive, Clemson, SC 29631. For more information or questions about the dove hunt, call the Clemson DNR office at (864) 654-1671, extension 16, or send an e-mail to MortonR@dnr.sc.gov. #08-182
* 2008 S.C. DUCK STAMP IS NOW AVAILABLE-Nationally acclaimed wildlife artist Jim Killen's print, "Blue-winged Teal at Santee Coastal Reserve," chosen by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources as the 2008 South Carolina Duck Stamp print, is now on sale. The S.C. Migratory Waterfowl Committee and S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) commissioned Killen to do a series of four originals through 2010. The new 2008 state migratory waterfowl stamps, often called duck stamps, go on sale each July for the upcoming season and cost $5.50 each. Stamps are available from most retail businesses that sell hunting and fishing licenses or directly from the DNR. South Carolina duck hunters are required to have the state waterfowl stamp in their possession while hunting. Duck hunters purchase about 24,000 stamps each year, and collectors buy another 5,000 stamps. For more information on the Duck Stamp Program contact Antonio Bates in DNR licensing at (803) 734-4269 in Columbia or visit www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/stamps/index.html. #08-183
* DROUGHT RESPONSE COMMITTEE TO MEET AUG. 5 IN COLUMBIA- The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will convene the South Carolina Drought Response Committee on Tuesday, August 5 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the S.C. Forestry Commission's Harbison Environmental Education Center, located at Harbison State Forest at 5600 Broad River Road in Columbia. The purpose of the drought meeting is to evaluate the drought status statewide. Local response to the on-going drought will also be reviewed to determine if additional actions are needed to insure sustainable water supplies. During the June 30, 2008 meeting, the S.C. Drought Response Committee upgraded the drought status to "extreme" for Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties. For more information about drought, visit the Office of State Climatology Web site at www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or contact State Climatologist Hope Mizzell in Columbia at (803) 734-9568 or e-mail at mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov. #08-184
* 'CERVEZA' WINS AGAIN, TAKES FOURTH ROUND OF GOVERNOR'S CUP SERIES- "Cerveza" took top honors in the fourth round of the 20th South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series at the Charleston City Marina's HMY/Viking MegaDock Billfishing Tournament, just two weeks after winning the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina Billfish Tournament. The Series features five tournaments along the coast and began May 14 at Edisto Island Marina tournament and ends next weekend at the Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament starting July 23. For more information on the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series contact Wallace Jenkins at (843) 953-9835 or JenkinsW@dnr.sc.gov, and Amy Dukes at (843) 953-9365 or DukesA@dnr.sc.gov. Visit the website at http://govcup.dnr.sc.gov/ to learn more about the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series and to keep up with this year's standings. By encouraging live tag and release, the Series has focused attention on the sharp decline of Atlantic billfish and encouraged conservation of all marine resources. #08-185
* SOUTH CAROLINA TOPS NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S CUP BILLFISH SHOOTOOUT-The 15th Governor's Cup Billfish Shootout Tournament was hosted in conjunction with this year's MegaDock tournament in Charleston, with South Carolina prevailing as the winner. The format for the Shoot Out Tournament consists of North Carolina and South Carolina Billfish Series leaders from the previous year's Governor's Cup Tournament representing their state in a head-head competition. The Shoot Out Tournament is based on a catch and release only format and the goal is to see which team can accumulate the most release points. For more information on the S.C. Governor's Cup Billfishing Series, contact Jenkins at (843) 953-9835 or JenkinsW@dnr.sc.gov, and Amy Dukes at (843) 953-9365 or DukesA@dnr.sc.gov. Visit the website at http://govcup.dnr.sc.gov/ to learn more about the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series and to keep up with this year's standings. #08-186
July 21, 2008 DNR News (803) 734-3815 The following information is provided courtesy www.SCFishingReport.com. Check the site for recent updates and detailed reports.
Freshwater Report
Mountains Area
Lake Jocassee Trout: Very good. Very nice catches of large rainbow trout are being reported trolling in 60 - 80 feet of water using trolling spoons or large plugs; also pull large live shiners in the same zone. Black Bass: Excellent. Areas that have rocks and some wood seem to be most productive, and the hot lure remains dark swamp crawler green pumpkin Zoom trick worms.
Lake Keowee Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Very good. Early in the morning Lake Fork swimbaits have been productive in the upper part of the lake when the baitfish are moving - magic shad and albino colors have been most productive. Fishing Carolina rigged worms in pumpkin seed, watermelon seed, and motor oil colors continues to be productive around islands in 15 to 35 feet of water. Crappie: Fair. Crappie have moved out to deep water and can be caught fishing up against bridge pilings at night. Bream: Very good. Fish crickets in 5 to 15 feet of water.
Lake Hartwell Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Try out lead core line and lures such as Cisco Kid and other similar ones. Largemouth Bass: Good. Early and late there is still good topwater action along points, and as the sun gets higher switch to shaky head worms and Carolina rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water. Bream: Very good. Bream have moved into very shallow water and are feeding aggressively.
Piedmont Area
Lake Russell Largemouth and Spotted Bass: Good. Try Carolina Rigging or fishing finesse worms in 15 to 20 feet of water; green pumpkinseed and purple worms are good choices, as is watermelon color. Crappie: Fair. There are reports of decent numbers of crappie being caught trolling up Beaverdam Creek in the late evening and around structure under lights at night. Bream: Good. Use crickets and red worms shallow water.
Lake Thurmond Striped and Hybrid Bass: Very good. Striper fishing in 45 feet of water under the 378 bridge is very strong using live herring. Cut bait fished around points is also producing. Largemouth Bass: Good. Early in the morning bass are being caught around secondary points using Zara Spooks. Crappie: Good. Look for brush in 25 to 35 feet of water; minnows are producing better than jigs. Shellcracker: Excellent. Target shellcracker using red worms, pink worms, and crickets.
Lake Wylie Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Night fishing is becoming the preferred way to catch fish - deep crankbaits, dark worms, and jigging spoons are all productive. White Perch: Very good. Use a minnow or small spoon lowered to the bottom and then bumped slowly; crickets will also work. Bream: Very good. Use crickets or worms and try to "smell out" the beds. Also fish shallow structure around the shoreline. Catfish: Good. Use mussels, shrimp, and stinkbaits. Fish are also being caught trolling with minnows using traditional crappie fishing methods.
Midlands Area
Lake Greenwood Largemouth Bass: Later in the day fishing is tougher and anglers are targeting ledges with Carolina rigs and finesse worms. At night fish dark plastic worms around piers or brush piles. Striped Bass: Good. Down around the dam some nice catches of striper are being made even on very hot days - fish early and late with live herring. Crappie: Very slow. Crappie have moved out over deep brush piles and are also occasionally being caught drifting over deep water. Bream: Good to very good. The fish are shallow and can be caught using crickets and worms fished in 3-5 feet around docks and tree tops. Catfish: Very good. Fish on the bottom using cut bait or worms in 12 to 15 feet of water.
Lake Murray Striped Bass: Good. The predominate catch is coming with down rods baited with live herring, although some fishermen are being just as productive suspending cut herring at the depth they mark the fish in the same areas. Deep humps and the towers are both productive and lower lake creeks are also productive. Largemouth Bass: Tough. Early in the day fish topwaters like pencil poppers, Zara Spooks, Sammys, and flukes. A surprising number of bass remain shallow, although the recent heat wave may move them very deep. Crappie: Poor. No one seems to be finding the crappie right now, except a few guides and other anglers who have favorite deep brushpiles. Shellcracker and bream: Good. Shellcracker have generally finished spawning and moved out to 8 to 12 feet of water. They can be caught on crickets or worms. Catfish: Good. Cut herring and nightcrawlers fished on the bottom are producing over most any area of the lake from the campground down to the dam.
Lake Wateree Largemouth Bass: Fair. For several weeks fishermen had been successful fishing soft plastics around the banks, but the best bite may now be with deep running crankbaits like the DD-22. Catfish: Very good. For numbers of fish target the lake flats using cut bait and gizzard shad. Creek mouths where the creeks meet the main river channel are great places to anchor up for bigger catfish. Bream: Very good. Fish 1 to 5 feet of water using worms and crickets.
Santee Cooper System
Lake Marion Largemouth Bass: Fair. Some really large bass are still being caught with Texas rigged worms in slightly deeper areas. Catfish: Very good. Towards the dam catfish are in 15-25 feet of water. The bite is hot using cut bait, stinkbaits, or worms. Crappie: Fair. Try to locate brush in 25 to 30 feet and fish minnows vertically. Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. Fish shallow using worms and crickets.
Diversion Canal Bream and Shellcracker: Very good. The bite is best when water is being pulled through the canal. Catfish: Very good. Anchor or slowly drift cut bait at night. Bass: Good. Largemouth are stacked in the canal around drops where the water goes from shallow to 15 feet almost vertically.
Lake Moultrie Largemouth Bass: Fair. Try deep Carolina or Texas rigging in deep water. Catfish: Very good. At night large flatheads and blues are both being caught in shallow water. During the day bigger fish seem to be keying on the sides of hills and underwater humps in 18 to 24 feet of water, although they may be shallower at times. Crappie: Fair. Look for structure in 20 to 25 feet of water and fish minnows vertically. Bream and shellcracker: Very good. Fish 1-5 feet for bluegills and 8 to 10 feet for shellcracker.
Saltwater
Little River Spottail Bass: Good. Anglers are catching spottail bass along structure in the ICW, around creek mouth drains, and in the upper creeks using live mud minnows and Berkeley Gulp. Flounder: Excellent. Flounder continue to be caught in Cherry Grove and 53rd area creeks using mud minnows. Sheepshead: Very good. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are both very productive around the jetties and any inshore pilings. Spanish mackerel: Very good. Look for feeding birds and motor slowly towards the fish; throw Gotcha Plugs, Hopkins Spoons, or anything else with a treble hook to land fish. Bluefish: Very good. The Cherry Grove beaches are particularly good; use cut bait.
Cherry Grove Pier Nice flounder are being caught off the pier. Black drum and sheepshead are both feeding very well on fiddler crabs.
Grand Strand Spottail Bass: Very good. Lots of reds are being caught on the flats and in the backwaters and creeks as well as by flounder fishermen drifting or trolling Murrells Inlet. Mud minnows, live or cut mullet, and cut shrimp are all producing. Trout: Fair. There are isolated reports of trout being caught in the creek behind Litchfield, as well as on the outside of the jetty walls. Try Mirrolures, Gulp shrimp, or live shrimp. Flounder: Good to very good. Drift or troll live mud minnows in Murrells Inlet or the Tubbs Inlet area. Black Drum: Very good. Target deep holes in the creeks, such as the hole off the end of the Murrells Inlet (old Veterans) Pier. Cut shrimp, live shrimp, and crabs are all productive. Sheepshead: Excellent. At both the Murrells Inlet and Georgetown jetties the sheepshead seem to be ravenous. Fiddler crabs and live or cut shrimp on a Carolina rig fished vertically are producing. Pompano: Good. Fish with sand fleas in areas that have not been dredged for best results. Bluefish: Good. Schools of nice sized bluefish are beginning to show up again in the surf, and anglers are doing well fishing cut bait on the bottom or on bluefish rigs.
Springmaid Pier Early and late in the day Spanish are being caught. Whiting, small bluefish, and pinfish are also abundant.
Second Avenue Pier Flounder and spottail bass are being caught. Lots of sheepshead are also being landed fishing fiddler crabs vertically around the pilings.
Myrtle Beach State Park Pier The bluefish bite has slowed down, but Spanish are still being caught in good numbers by fishermen jigging. Small bluefish and decent sized whiting are also being landed.
Apache Pier The bluefish being caught are small now, but some nice Spanish up to 3.5 pounds are being caught. Some nice catches of flounder are being reported, and black drum up to 10.4 pounds are being caught.
Surfside Pier Fishing is slow, although white and sharks are still being caught.
Garden City Pier While bluefish and Spanish mackerel have slowed some are still being caught, although the Spanish are mainly in the 11-13 inch range and being caught jigging. Bluefish the same size are also being caught. Whiting and a few pompano are being taken, and beyond the breakers in the middle of the pier flounder are being caught.
Charleston The harbor is full of bait - tons of mullet, menhaden, and some shrimp have arrived. Spottail Bass: Very good. Tailing action is starting to get hot on the flats. Also, around low tide fishing for really big reds in the same areas using cut menhaden and crabs has been red hot. Lots of fish are also being caught in the ICW, creeks, and Wando River. Trout: Good to very good. Trout prefer clean water, and fishing is best in the Wando River, the Intracoastal around Wild Dunes, and most of the inlets, especially around high tide. Both live bait and artificials are productive at times, and the topwater bite has been strong recently. Flounder: Good. Target flounder using live mud minnows fished slowly on the bottom in the inlets and creeks. Giggers are reporting good numbers of fish caught. Sheepshead: Very good. Most any structure, from nearshore wrecks to the jetties to inshore piers and bridges, is holding hungry sheepshead right now. Fish fiddler crabs or cut shrimp. Spanish Mackerel and Jack Crevalle: Very good. Most anything shiny and fast should draw strikes. Many fishermen are concentrating around the Castle area, and fishing the ebb tide when water is pushing the bait out.
Folly Beach Pier Some Spanish mackerel up to 5 pounds are being caught, as well as occasional kings. Bluefish and whiting are also very common, and spottails, trout, pompano, and sheepshead have all been caught recently.
Edisto Spottail Bass: Good. Anglers are catching spottails in all of the area creeks and rivers using live mud minnows. Trout: Excellent. Mud minnows, live shrimp fished under a cork and most any artificial are all producing in the creeks. Whiting: Good. Whiting continue to be prolific in the surf and can be caught using shrimp or cut bait fished on the bottom. Flounder: Fair. Fish live mud minnows on a Carolina rig on the bottom.
Beaufort Spottail Bass: Very good. The best spottail fishing is for tailing reds feeding in the flooded grass around high tide; these can be sight-fished for by lure or fly fishermen. Trout: Few reports. Flounder: Good. Fish mud minnows along the bottom. Cobia: Fair. The tail end of the Broad River cobia fishing season has arrived. Bluefish and Ladyfish: Good. Bluefish and ladyfish are present in the Broad River and feeding on the large menhaden schools.
Paradise Pier Some decent whiting have been caught as well as black tip sharks and stingrays. Sheepshead are also available around high tide when the water is slackest. The biggest catch is blue crabs which are being caught by the 5 gallon bucketful around low tide.
Hilton Head Spottail Bass: On the incoming tide fish the edges of the grass with rattle floats and natural colored Gulp Shrimp to catch slot sized fish as well as larger ones. Also use brown Gulp Swimming Minnows, or mud minnows. Trout: Good. Outgoing tide has been strongest for the last couple of weeks, and most trout are being caught up against the grass or in areas where oyster beds abut grass. Shrimp and mud minnows fished under Cajun Thunder rattling bobbers, or Gulp grubs, are producing. Flounder: Fair. Best fishing is around low tide in the same areas as the spottails and trout, or in the mouths of creeks and inlets.
S.C. WEEKLY TIDETABLE: Tides at Charleston (Customhouse Wharf) Get specific tide information for various SC stations from NOAA at: tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tides08/tpred2.html#SC