Lake Marion fishing conditions · South Carolina

Now until 6 pmCrappie

The bite peaks at 98. Water is 67°, close to the 65° crappie like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Right now: 98 for crappie, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Crappie, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

983 am
98
98
986 am
98
98
989 am
98
98
9812 pm
98
98
983 pm
98
98
906 pm
88
88
889 pm
88
88
88Tue
88
88
883 am
88
88
886 am
88
90
909 am
90
98
9812 pm
98
98

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: 67°F
Wind: 5 mph
Light: Dark
Sky: Clear
Air: 53°F
Barometer: Steady
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are South Carolina regulations for these waters.

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

98GoNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

40°50–80° · ideal 65°90°

Why

Right in crappie's ideal range. Crappie is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina statewide: 8" minimum, 20 crappie a day, within the 40-fish daily game fish total.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Season here: Oct–May, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on crappie

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

86GoNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Blue catfish is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside blue catfish's active range. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

150 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina statewide: 150 blue catfish a day (Act 120, effective May 15, 2026). Lakes Marion and Moultrie, the upper Santee and the Pee Dee from the North Carolina line to the US 301 bridge stay at 25 a day, and no more than 2 over 32" may be kept there or on the Congaree and Wateree.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Season here: Year-round, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on blue catfish

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

86GoNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside striped bass's active range. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina statewide: striped and hybrid bass 10 a day combined, no length limit. The Santee system (Marion, Moultrie) is a 3-fish 23–25" slot and closed Jun 16–Sep 30; Lake Murray has a 21" minimum Oct 1–May 31; Hartwell and Thurmond allow only 3 over 26"; coastal rivers are 26" and 3 a day, closed in summer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on striped bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside largemouth bass's active range. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina statewide: no length limit, 5 black bass a day combined. Lakes Marion, Moultrie, Murray, Wylie and several others have a 14" minimum; Hartwell, Thurmond and the Savannah River chain allow 10 black bass a day with a 12" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Season here: Year-round, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on largemouth bass

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside channel catfish's active range. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina sets no daily or length limit for channel catfish; the state nongame limits cover only blue catfish and American eel.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Season here: Feb–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on channel catfish

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

67°

42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside common carp's active range. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina's nongame size and possession table does not include common carp, so no limit applies. Grass carp are protected; SCDNR: "It is unlawful to take, harm or kill grass carp in public waters."

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · South Carolina

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on common carp

The water

Water temperature67°F
Barometer30.35 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:34 am
Sunset today6:35 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
Major solunarToday 12:20 pm–2:20 pm
Minor solunarTonight 6:10 pm–7:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

South Carolina DNR report, undated

Names blue catfish, crappie, striped bass, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at South Carolina DNR

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The larger of the two Santee Cooper lakes — world-famous for trophy blue and channel catfish, with strong largemouth, crappie, and a landlocked striped-bass fishery (where stripers were first found to reproduce in fresh water).

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesSouth Carolina
WhereClarendon County · 33.5000, -80.3500

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Santee Cooper (Lake Marion)12 mi · South CarolinaBest today 4 am–6 pm

80Worth the trip

Lake Moultrie20 mi · South CarolinaBest today 10 am to tomorrow 3 pm

80Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Marion?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Marion you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Marion?

Lake Marion is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Marion?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Marion against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Marion have?

Lake Marion has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Marion?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Marion. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Marion tidal water?

No. Lake Marion is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.