Santee Cooper — the combined system of Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie — is South Carolina’s largest lake system and one of the most productive freshwater fly fishing destinations in the Southeast. At 171,000 combined acres, Santee Cooper fly fishing is a legitimate destination fishery, not an afterthought. Striped bass, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, and crappie all reach sizes on Santee Cooper that command attention, and the system’s diverse habitat — from the cypress-studded backwaters of upper Lake Marion to the open water of Lake Moultrie — gives fly fishers a full menu of options across every season.
Striped bass are the marquee species for fly fishers on Santee Cooper. The tailrace below Lake Moultrie at the St. Stephen Powerhouse is one of the most consistent striper fly fishing spots in South Carolina. When generators are running and water is being discharged, stripers stack in the current and feed on displaced baitfish with the kind of aggression that makes presentation almost secondary. Large white and chartreuse streamers on sinking lines, worked through the discharge current, produce striped bass from fall through spring. Fish in the 10 to 20-pound range are common in the tailrace, and larger fish show up regularly enough to keep you fishing heavy tippet.
Lake Marion’s upper end — the cypress-flooded backwater section fed by the Santee River — is where Santee Cooper largemouth bass fly fishing reaches its highest expression. The standing timber, flooded cypress knees, and aquatic vegetation provide the kind of structure that largemouth bass don’t leave voluntarily. Spring bass fishing in the Marion backwaters with deer hair frogs, large Deceivers, and surface poppers worked tight to structure is as good as largemouth fly fishing gets in the Southeast. The fish here know the water and use it aggressively.
Redear sunfish — shellcrackers in local terminology — grow to legitimate trophy sizes in Santee Cooper and are a seriously underrated fly rod target. During the spawn in late April and May, beds of redear in the shallows of both lakes can be sight-fished with small nymph patterns with results that will permanently elevate your opinion of panfish on the fly.
Target Species: Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Redear Sunfish, Crappie, Catfish Best Seasons: October–April (stripers) | March–June (largemouth spawn, redear spawn) | Fall (bass) Fly Patterns: Large white streamers, Deceivers, deer hair frogs, poppers, small nymphs (redear) Notable Areas: St. Stephen Powerhouse tailrace, Lake Marion cypress backwaters, Santee River delta, Eutaw Creek
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