Verified September 26, 2026 against Santee Cooper and SCDNR. Fishing limits change. Always check the current SCDNR rulebook before you keep a fish.
Lake Marion is South Carolina’s largest lake. Lake Moultrie is the third largest. Together the Santee Cooper lakes cover about 160,000 acres of flooded timber, cypress swamps, and open water, and they are first and foremost about fish. Big fish. The kind you tell stories about at the bait shop for years.
Here’s how to fish them.
What’s biting
Catfish. Santee Cooper is legendary for trophy blue catfish. Anchor up with cut bait, be patient, and hold on to your rod.
Striped bass. The stripers that made these lakes famous. The season is closed in summer and opens back up October 1.
Crappie. Fish the flooded timber and brush piles, especially in spring when they move shallow.
Largemouth bass. Cypress knees, grass lines, and stumps everywhere. It’s bass fishing heaven.
Bream. Bluegill and shellcracker are perfect for kids, beginners, and anyone who wants a fish fry.
The rules that trip people up
Santee Cooper has its own rules that are stricter than the statewide limits. Here are the ones people get wrong most. Check the full SCDNR rulebook for everything else.
Striped bass. In the Santee River system, including Lakes Marion and Moultrie, the season is closed from June 16 through September 30. From October 1 through June 15, you can keep 3 per day. Each must be 23 to 25 inches long, except one fish per day may be longer than 26 inches.
Blue catfish. The daily limit on Lakes Marion and Moultrie is 25 blue catfish. You can keep no more than 2 longer than 32 inches per day.
Largemouth bass. On Lakes Marion, Moultrie, and the upper Santee River, the limit is 5 largemouth bass per day, and each must be at least 14 inches.
Get your license right
South Carolina freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses are separate. If you’re fishing the lakes on Tuesday and the coast on Wednesday, you need both. And here’s one most people don’t know: South Carolina residents who receive disability benefits can get a free three-year license covering both freshwater and saltwater. Details are on our Fishing hub.
Where to launch
Santee Cooper manages the lakes and publishes maps showing the boat ramps around both. Santee State Park on Lake Marion has boat ramps and camping. See our Santee State Park page and our Boat Ramps guide.
Hire a local guide
First time on a lake this big? A local guide is worth every penny. They know where the fish are this week, not last year. Most guide services here are small, family-run operations, and they’ll teach you more in a morning than a season of YouTube. Ask at the local bait and tackle shops for recommendations.
Be a good steward
- Don’t release your bait bucket or move fish from one lake to another.
- Pack out fishing line. It tangles birds and turtles.
- Handle fish you release gently and get them back in the water fast.
- Watch for stumps. They’re everywhere, often just under the surface. Go slow when you’re not sure.
Make it a trip
Pair a morning on the water with an afternoon on the Santee NWR Wildlife Drive. Then grab dinner at a small-town spot in Santee, Manning, or Moncks Corner. Now go outside and play. And bring a bigger cooler.