Santee Here We Come

[RonCat]

OK, there was lots of discussion a few weeks back about Santee. Am heading down, staying at Black’s, just doing some fun fishing with some buddies. Hoping to (in priority order):

- Not lose a lower unit
- Drink some good bourbon
- Eat like a king (one buddy is a French chef)
- Catch some fish
- My buddies catch more and bigger fish (their PB’s are around 6 I think)
- Did I mention the lower unit yet?

Any help is appreciated in terms of all the above….although I have the bourbon covered with a bottle of Blanton’s!

[n2ratfishin]

Enjoy, as for the lower unit use common sense, go further out of the canal than you think you should before turning left or right into Moultrie out of Blacks. There used to be ramps at The Hatchery and Angels. Both can be great in the spring and if the ramps are still there a lot less worry about losing a lower unit.

RESPECT THE WIND BECAUSE EITHER LAKE CAN GET LIKE THE OCEAN REAL QUICK! If it gets bad maybe try the Cooper River?

[Jeff Hahn]

The ramp at Angels is at Tall Pines Camp Ground. It was $5.00 to launch, but might have gone up. The ramp at the Hatchery is still there and is a free DNR ramp. Be sure to take one evening and go to Music Man BBQ in Moncks Corner for supper. You’ll thank me later!

I’m headed down on April 7 for 10 days.

[ProVle]

Home of landlocked Stripers also trophy Blue cats.

[Dennyg]

if Miss Patsy is still cooking at the Canal Lakes restaurant in the diversion canal try her catfish stew. It is fabulous. The fried catfish was awesome also.

[JustinNC]

I don't think theyre AS bad since they opened up a season on them, but I know about 15-20 years ago I was down at Blacks, and was outside talking on the phone one night by the boat ramp, and turned around towards the water and there was a gator easing towards me just in the edge of the water. I don't know if it was coincidence, curiosity, or a dinner date only one of us knew about, but I didn't stick around long enough to find out. Used to be a ton of them around Blacks but I don't think I've been in warm weather since they opened a season on them.

[Aj14]

I'll be heading there tomorrow for a week at two weeks at Santee and one week at Murray.
Your French chef will not be impressed with the food at Blacks.
Other than the diversion canal, prepare for white knuckle ride around both the upper lake and the lower lake!
If and when you get tired of pitching to thousands of cypress trees, head to the Cooper River. It's tidal and can be great fishing.
More important than all above.... be safe and have fun!

[Rider99XX]

Good luck and be safe!!

[o2bbassin]

Heading down there also April 8-13. Annual trip for a dwindling bunch of old guys (all over 70) which we have been doing for 25+ years. Usually involves lots of beer drinking and card playing. Sometimes even fishing breaks out! Hoping we have good weather. Stay safe out there.

[CGWright]

My only time on the lake amazed me with the number of stumps just inches below the surface.

[250bassFL]

Be safe and good luck.

[Hoot]

Have a Good, Fun, Safe Trip and take a lot of pictures of those PB Bass

[cwenbass]

If you fish the hatchery and want to go out on the main lake, you should go around the corner in the river and have a pretty straight run with no stumps. Blacks is a pretty cool spot to stay.

[c rig]

All of you please give trip reports after you’re done. Always interesting to hear how others approach things, and how they do.

[Donnyboy]

Wishing you a great trip. It’s in my top 3 lakes to go to. It has Big ones no doubt. The later in the spring I gravitate more to the lower lake.
I try to eat breakfast at the diversion canal restaurant a few times every week, it’s good food.
Put in at the hatchery a couple times last year and fished the stumpy bay outside the canal and they weren’t everywhere but when you found them it was very very good, numbers plus big ones, 2 over 9!!! Still learning the lake and how to get around.
Health problems kept me from going this year and I’m jealous that your going lol.
Got on a herring bite a few times and it was awesomeness, every cast on the lower lake. Have Fun…

[RonCat]

Looks like the weather and wind will be ok, 15mph Wednesday. Probably fish out of Blacks since it will be a 1/2 day, The Hatchery one day, Angels Landing one day, and TawCaw a 1/2 day. Sounds like early spawn so will be fishing shallow. Report to follow.