Coming to South Carolina to do some Santee Fishing in Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie means you know where the big fish are! These lakes are where crappie, largemouth, striper and monster catfish are hunted by anglers in the know. But there is plenty of Santee Fishing for everyone since Lake Marion covers 110,000 acres while Lake Moultrie encompasses  60,400 acres.

These lakes were created when the Santee River and the Cooper River were dammed in the 1940s. As little as 20 years later the lakes had already gained a reputation as a crappie fishing hot spot. Since then it’s become a haven for trophy Crappie, or "papermouths", as they are commonly referred to. But don't be surprised if you reel in a monster catfish. These range from five pounders up to 50 pounds.

Crappies like to hang out in and around underwater structure. If you are not familiar with the Santee Fishing in Cooper lakes, consider using a fish finder to reveal underwater structure. The lakes are fairly dense with underwater structures. It only takes a short run by boat to find productive water.

Although crappie can be caught year round, the most productive season runs from early March to mid-December. Crappies have their comfort zone and they try to stick to it while staying around underwater structures. This means they move deeper as the temperature falls and then move closer to shore as spring approaches.

As the weather warms, crappie start getting ready for spawning. They spawn in structure in the shallow water, depositing eggs in structure for the safety of the eggs and the subsequent minnows. After depositing the eggs they will move back into slightly deeper water. Once they begin spawning, the best place to fish is where permanent grass might be found.

When you’re done fishing for the day and want a good place to hang up your gear, have some dinner and then relax in front of the television set, come to Clark’s Restaurant and Inn where you’ll love our Southern hospitality as well as our good Southern home cooking!