A) Clark Hill
B) Hartwell
C) Greenwood
D) Murray
E) Jocassee
F) Keowee
G) Russell
H) Santee
I) Wateree
J) Wylie
I realize some are better for numbers. Some size. This ranking is just for overall bass fishing enjoyment. Could be ranked just on your personal preference. To keep from typing out every lake you can just rank the letters. I listed the lakes alphabetically. If you haven’t fished them all just rank what you have.
2013 Pantera 4
2012 Opti 200 Pro XS
25 Tempest
Santee
Murray
Wateree
Lake X
Stumpy Pond
Hartwell
Clark's Hill
Greenwood
Russell
Jocassee
Wylie
Keowee
It's been 30 + years since I've been to Santee or Wateree. I go to Wylie quite a bit. It's close. I catch enough to have fun. I've been to Jocassee once. I wasn't prepared for the deep clear water. I've never been to any of the others listed. My Sister in Law lives a couple miles from Hartwell. I've got to get down there sometime.
I live in NC, 1/2 mile from SC.
Hartwell
clarks hill
Hartwell
Hartwell
hartwell
hartwell
clarks hill
hartwell
hartwell
hartwell
Where is Lake X? Never heard of it.Originally Posted by fishon!sc
Murray
clark hill
hartwell
santee
greenwood
I love Santee but people struggle with catching a limit there. And for me that’s the reason for the low ranking.
2013 Pantera 4
2012 Opti 200 Pro XS
25 Tempest
Hartwell and Clarks Hill a little far for me but heard its pretty good.
Santee
Wateree
Murray
Monticello
Wylie
Jocassee (just for the beauty)
Hartwell
Keowee
Russell
Da Hill
Greenwood
Murray
Santee
the rest never fished.
Overall enjoyment. 6 months out of the year I would remove any big lake with rec traffic. Murray, Hartwell especially.
still need to get to Hartwell been focusing on unlocking Keowee
Wait until you get down to Russell.
Santee
Wateree
Murray
CH
Monticello
1-Santee
2-Santee
3-Santee
4-Santee
5-Santee
6-Santee
7-Santee
8-Santee
9-Santee
10-Santee
I’am a little biased!
Lake X = Monticello I bet
Santee-can be tough but has the biggest bass in the state
Murray- Is on fire been taking 25-30LB every week yesterday you had to have almost 18 to cut a check in the BFL 40 places
Hartwell-If it didnt get all the pressure it would likely be higher
Clarks hill-One of my favorites but has declined some from yesteryears
Lake Monticello-small lake with lots of pressure but has some giant that show up when they move water. If the lake has no current go home or to murrary
Wateree-would be #2 but had an epic decline 10yrs ago 30LBs was winning and 17LB to get a check now 17LBs is winning
Wylie-same as wateree fishing is starting to come back but it still sucks spots have ruined this lake along with pollution from floods
Greenwood-spot are ruining this lake as well.
Jocassee-im not a clear water guy I fished it 3 times in 20 yrs. Last year I went in april and seen the biggest bass ive ever saw on a bed in SC and couldnt get her to bite may explore this lake again this year tho
Keowee-took 23LB there yesterday and a 10LB was caught there last week still im biased to clear water. I hate this lake with a passion. If you go in the summer its the worst experience you will ever have. BOAT TRAFFIC LIKE NO OTHER
Russell-used to be my home lake another lake spots have absolutely destroyed. 30yrs ago it was one of the best lake with the submerged forrests and the stocked trout. Forrest have rotted now, they quit stocking the trout like they were. GA is currently stocking this lake with Florida strain bass hopefully that helps this lake out.
I don't have a lot of experience with spots other than Hartwell.
Why do you say spots have ruined these lakes you mentioned?
they haven’t ruined any of these lakes…..only made them better. Hartwell is as full of largemouth as ever and has giant spots in it. Clark’s hill is still loaded with largemouth and the spots have just boosted the bass population. Wylie went through a horrible cycle long before the spots got in it but thankfully the spots are bringing the lake back. Russell is a very fun lake. Can’t speak for greenwood as I’ve never fished it but I’m sure it’s a fine fishery just like the rest of the lakes mid to up state. The people that claim “spots ruined the lakes” don’t know what they’re talking about.
3 main reasons 1 they are super aggressive which is a good thing sometimes for you an me when the large mouth are not biting . The bad part about that they compete with the LM for the food. 2 they reproduce 2 times a year so they reproduce faster than the LM. 3 once the largemouth fry hatch they eat the LM fry. If you witnessed what happened to lake russell from 30yrs ago to today You saw it. Yes many factors come into play like the lake peaking forrests rotting, them not stocking as many trout and the introduction of spots. Lake RussellComing out of that peak LM populations struggling then spot were introduced and the LM just couldn't compete with the spots. With fishing pressure and the spotted bass the lake is no longer stocking it self naturally with LM. Yes there is still LM in the lake and if you know the niche to catch the LM you can still catch them but not like before. Im watching the same trends happen the same way as what happened to Russell. Wylie, Greenwood and Clark Hill are all at the beginning of this trend if you noticed the last 2 or 3 years wylie is just horrible. Tourneys taking 10-12LBs to win and Greenwood was the same way. Before spots were in Gwood it was 20LBs at least every week or it was load the boat up and tuck your tail home with 35LB bags being possible. Some of these lakes can sustain better than others but in SC where its kill the grass native or not the LM fry have no where to hide from the spots. Dont get me wrong I love to catch spots but I love catching 6-10LB LM more. The clubs im fishing in Spartanburg area all 5 of them we rarely see a fish over 5LBs. One club is running a 7Lb and over pot and it hasnt been hit in 2.5 yrs.
Did you ever fish in these lakes in 80s, 90s? catching 30-50 1.5 to 3LB spots isn't as fun to me as throwing spinnerbaits over the top of submerged trees and almost getting your arm broke with 5-11LB bass you may only catch 5-10 a day. Doesnt happen anymore at Russell with the big fish. Hartwell has prob held up the best with spots still a 20LB at best lake rare 25LB day here or there. Yes they had 23 there last week with 2 8LBs weighted rest of the year 20LB lake at best. Anybody that says spots made a lake better is somebody who couldn't catch 5 largemouth to begin with. Like I said you can still catch LM but that changes eventually time will tell. You bring in your 5 best spots that everyone is catching in a tourney and the 1 or 2 people who found the LM are gonna laugh you off the ramp. Hartwell as good as it has ever been? Im guesing your like 25 yrs old and didnt see these lake shine. I could be wrong. If you think Hartwell is the best lake in the state you havent made it 4 hours southwest many times where 25 to 30LBs sacks are the norm.
Good points guys.
I went to Hartwell last year and caught a ton of 2 lb spots off all points.
Prior to that, never caught many spots in lakes I fish.
Were they fun? Yea I guess so, but I'm a largemouth guy.
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