I was given a surprise birthday gift from my GF of a trip to SC for 4 days.
Conditions ranged from sunny and 90 - 80 with thunderstorms. Strong winds all four days. 10-20 MPH shooting NE
Hotel: Colony Motel 3/10 - If you are in a pinch then it will be ok but overall I would find another location.
Fishing Day one: The wind kept us in the river and decided to follow advise and head up to the power plant and drift 30 ft of water with 3/4 oz DS , 2/0 Gamagatsu wide gap circle hook, 12 lb floro leader, Berkley flatworm GP. We made 4 half mile drifts picking up a few 2lb smallies, several pike 5-8 lbs. Moved about a mile down river to a ledge in 30 ft and made a drift for about 1/2 mile and blanked. Went to state park and started in 30 ft with no luck switching baits several times from Flat worms to z too type of baits. Moved in and found them in 18 ft. Made several passes and had tons of Pike and smallmouth every so often nothing over 3 lbs.
Day two- The wind again kept us in the river. We repeated hitting the same spots as day one but added about 3 hours in front of deckers and pitched GP ned rigs to the sea walls and picked up a half dozen smallies less then 3 lbs. Went into SNI and tossed shad colored Keitech swim baits and Chatter baits in GP and killed the pike just outside the reeds. We both had several smallmouth follow. The boat traffic was horrible all day . This was are worst day fishing.
Day three- Started throwing top water early (pop R) shad color, Spooks and whopper plopper in citrus shad. We had several SM under three and one just under 4 had a 4 + double jump on a spook but never ate it. Again absolutely killed the pike just outside the reeds all the way down to Doty highway. In the evening we fished the middle channel cuts with spinner baits and buzzbaits in black and had good mix of pike and SM . We targeted heavy saw grass and through over it until dark. It was an absolute blast we had a fish blow up on almost every cast .
Day four : Storms stole are morning bite. Fished two hours in the middle channel DS at the entrance of channel cuts and any structure in 14 ft of water. I had my chance at a 5-6 lb SM and lost it due to no net and a poor hookset.
If anyone would like more information please feel free to contact me.
Crankin
Thank you for all of the advise. If anyone needs help on Northern Illinois waters please contact me.