Bud, you have any advice on how to navigate Santee?

[sparetime]

I know most people say to hire Inky Davis to ride  with him around to learn how to navigate the lakes. But from what I hear he had the RONA and is not doing anything til he gets his vaccine. I'm wanting to go back down this weekend and ride around on the upper lake. All I know is that you can run by the levy and follow the channel markers( not getting too close to either side). Anything to look out for coming out of Taw Caw? Is there a way to go straight across to the south side? Or do I need to hang a left and go towards Wybu and the Levy to get to the diversion canal?

[Bud Kennedy]

Evan, I ran that lake for 7 years and never got comfortable running anywhere.  The advice to stay in the channels is prudent.  Even then be careful of floaters that can appear especially after a storm or windy conditions.  If the Water is high stuff can be anywhere and becomes a hazard.

I actually got so that if I wanted to fish wybo/potato creek area I would just trailer down there.  The big water in the lake can get really angry when the wind picks up and the waves can surpass 4 ft and play heck with where you can go safely. 

The true trick to Santee is to be aware of the water level of the lake.  This is a shallow water impoundment and it does not take a whole lot to bring even more stumps into play.  I tended to run in the channels but would get on the troller when moving into an area.  If I stayed on the big motor it was near idle speed.  You learn real quick on Santee not to tug on superman's cape.

Using a guide is a good idea if you really want to find fish, otherwise only time on the lake will teach you the ropes.  My boat has all the battle scars to prove it.  The underside of the hull is a mess but that is just how it is.  Even with a guide it is unlikely you will learn much for navigation until you have been out with them a number of times.

When leaving taw caw creek heading towards I 95 the best area tends to be at the cow pasture but it is very shallow and has lots of smaller cypress trees.  It is a big flat that does well during spawn.  My favorite however in the spring was usually down to wybo/potato creek.  The best fishing tends to be up at Stump Hole not far from the river channel but that too is a big navigation challenge.  That is Inky's go to location most of the time.

[Rangerman]

Next time you over this way stop by I got some book maps very old, and other maps you can borrow.  Yes Santee can be very hard on equipment I broke on Merc 140 slap off back of boat in 75 and got a lower unit in about 95.  I like the Swamp end in the spring and so does Inky   I can't tell you about his pond down at Jack's or he would kill me Lot of Senko's and Heavy line.  Sorry on maps I must have given them away on my last boat room clean out.

[sparetime]

Went down this past weekend. Put in at the fish hatchery. Guy that I went with said to idle back and around the canal. Then he said pull in this opening, kill the big motor,trim it out and put the trolling motor down and fish. 😲 stumps stumps and more stumps. My mind didn't let me truly understand just how bad it is. Boots, guess all those rods rigged with 6 and 8# need to stay home next time🤣🤣. Thinking about going down to blacks and putting in and idling around to find a few fishing holes. I'm just not into putting another lower on right now, this one doesn't have 6hrs on it. There will be no getting on plane for me. I do like the fact that you can put in anywhere close to the area you want to fish and stay close to a ramp to avoid the running and be able to get to safety for inclimate  weather. But thanks for the info guys.

[Bud Kennedy]

If you are gonna go out of Blacks or out of Spires looks for those ditches that run through the area of the flats.  They can be productive.  Lot of  folks throw squarebills, spinnerbaits and if you do find a channel never hurts to try a lipless crank.  Color selections tend to run towards shad colors and Chartruse/white for the spinnerbaits.  If you go to Blacks or Spires there are tons of places to investigate

If you are up in the trees be aware of Snakes and wasp nests.  Gators of course are always around.

[Rangerman]

Hatchery is one of the best trips I ever had at Santee.  Fished with a guide by the name of Warren Crabtree out of the Canal Motel.  Went to Hatchery went in on East Dike at Gates went in stump field and threw back to ditch at the remains of old Dike walls.  Smoked em on big worms. In ditch and started up to flat on edge that where they were. Big Blue Flip Tail Daddy's with 5/0 Hook Be safe my friend. May want to try the Duck Pond, Blacks and Sub Divison area.  Then other side of canal toward Angles check the Black Water Ponds

[sparetime]

There must have been a hundred boats in there last Sunday. I only saw 2 fish put in boats. One was in ours the other in another. When they caught that one they camped out right there til we left that afternoon. We had a few bites but we couldn't connect. I will say that it is kinda protected from the wind though.

[Rangerman]

Wind can be a bitch in the low country.  That's time to go the Swamp Low Fall and Packs

[santee bass]

These replies are spot on.For hard maps,I like Atlantic Maps because I think they have the best island detail.

[Rangerman]

Chips in GPS not worth much Bang, Bang Oh Hell