Lake Murray South Carolina
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skeeterdriver
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:08 pm
Lake Murray South Carolina
Having never been on this lake the Skeeter owners tournament was moved from Clark Hill to Murray. Any last minute tips for a mid-september trip to Columbia? After the tournament I have the below posted Skeeter ZX225 for sale and pictures can be sent via e-mail if there is interest. Thanks for any ideas anyone has.
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brendanc
- Posts: 2720
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2001 4:00 pm
Lake Murray South Carolina
Hi Skeeterdriver,
Welcome to the website. You might want to post something on the "ask the prostaff" or "Tournament Talk" board(s) about Lake Murray. I personally have never fished Murray, but I did find some interesting articles for you to read. From what I have read, it looks like you will be looking for bass that are follwing the shad migration back into the creeks and shallow water. (Time to check out those migration routes). Also I was recently watching a fishing show (the bass pros) and Edwin Evers was talking about how he has been finding bass all the way in the backs of coves and creeks earlier than most anglers would think. His theory is that "like deer during the start of the rutt, bass begin their migration with the shortening of day light, more so than temperature changes". Might be wirth taking a look in the very backs of creeks on one of your tournement pratice days. Anyway, I hope you find something usefull and best of luck with the tournament and selling the boat.: :
West Virginia pro posts his first victory as a B.A.S.S. pro
Critical strikes on buzzbaits and soft plastic put West Virginia's Dan Welch in the winner's circle.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A nightmarish combination of natural and man-made conditions created some of the toughest fishing conditions of the year for the anglers in the $320,950 South Carolina CITGO BASSMASTER Southern Open presented by Busch Beer.
Lake Murray regulars will tell you that late September is traditionally a difficult time for fishermen, a transition period for bass awaiting the cooling water temperatures that trigger a movement toward shallow water. With the backdrop of a persistent drought, water managers had been gradually lowering the lake for several weeks in preparation for repair work on its earthen dam. So the 50,000-acre reservoir was about 2 feet down as the tournament approached.
Then the rains came — more than 8-inches worth — thanks to Tropical Storm Hanna and a separate weather front that arrived two days later. The combination of elements left both bass and bass fishermen confused. But it suited Dan Welch just fine.
"I'm used to tough fishing," said the West Virginia pro.
"I live on the Ohio River."
Enough said.
Welch, a 49-year-old owner of a pizza business whose previous best B.A.S.S. finish was 31st, somehow fashioned a pair of double-digit limits to take a 6-pound lead into the final round. As it turned out, he only needed 4 measly ounces in the end to win the $50,000 top prize with a three day total of 33 pounds, 2 ounces.
"This is a dream come true," said Welch, whose closing effort consisted of four bass weighing 4 pounds.
"I've never won one of these before. I'm an emotional wreck. This is the highlight of my career. I look at it as a breakthrough kind of thing. I've been doing this for about five years with just a little success."
A trio of South Carolina anglers proved to be Welch's closest pursuers. Todd Auten finished second with 29-5, followed by Wayne Jeffcoat's 29-4. Reigning B.A.S.S. Angler-of-the-Year Davy Hite was fourth with 29-1, and Florida pro Scott Martin rounded out the Top 5 with 28-11.
Welch's success centered around an area where he'd enjoyed an unlikely big bass bonanza during the final practice day.
"You can see where I was fishing from here," said Welch, in reference to the Dreher Island State Recreation Area weigh-in area. "I was fishing in the Crystal Lake area. I picked up my amateur friend on the last day of practice, and the weather was so foul that we just went straight across here. It was thundering and lightning and raining. The wind was howling and the big fish were really biting. We started throwing buzzbaits, and we caught a 4- or 5-pounder on every point. So I went back to that area every day. I didn't burn 5 gallons of gas this week."
Welch opened the tournament in second place with a five bass limit weighing 15-15, which put him behind Jimmy Millsaps' 17-2. But when the Georgia pro stumbled the next day, Welch took the lead with four bass weighing 13-3 to build a lead that proved to be insurmountable.
"This morning I went to my area, and I had a big blowup on a buzzbait and missed it," Welch said of his 4-pound final round showing. "I never had a big bite today, and ended up with those four small fish.
His primary area consisted of a series of slowly tapering rocky points that were dotted with sparse patches of hydrilla. Welch kept his boat in 6 to 7 feet of water and caught most of his 13 bass near the end of the points in 4 to 6 feet of water.
In the low light hours of early morning, his most productive bait was a locally made 3/8-ounce double-bladed buzzbait (white) tied to 17-pound-test Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon line. He threw the buzzbait on a 7-foot G. Loomis rod (medium/ heavy) and Team Daiwa baitcasting reel.
Once the sun grew bright, Welch would switch to a spinning rod and soft plastics. He caught three 5-pound-class bass on a 5 1/2-inch Zoom Swamp Crawler impaled on a 2/0 Daiichi hook and teamed with a cylindrical 3/32-ounce Mojo weight positioned 26 inches up 10-pound-test P-Line. His tackle outfit consisted of a 7-foot G. Loomis spinning rod (medium/heavy) and a Team Daiwa spinning reel.
"The buzzbait has a little white float on the arm of each blade that makes it more buoyant," Welch said. "That enabled me to run it pretty slow and still keep it on top, which was important.
"With the worm, I had to let it set. Throw it out there and just let it set. And the fish would come over and pick it up. I would pull tension with my line and I'd feel it moving away."
A BASSMASTER Open victory is heady stuff for Welch, who began his B.A.S.S. career competing in the amateur ranks of BASSMASTER Tour events. In four tournaments spent fishing from the back of a pro's boat, his best finish was 17th. Yet after three challenging days on Lake Murray, Welch was taking home $50,000 and sitting atop the Southern Open standings after the first of three events.
"I'm thrilled," he said. "I can't really put it into words what this means to me."
Gradual sloping point with scattered wood and grass
The winning pattern
Dan Welch's primary pattern consisted of a series of slowly tapering rocky points that were dotted with sparse patches of hydrilla. He positioned his boat in 6 to 7 feet of water and caught most of his bass near the points in 4 to 6 feet of water.
***THESE WERE THE LAKE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THIS TOURNAMENT (NOT TODAY). I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO COMPARE THEM, BC***
Lake Murray report
Weather: After months of being caught in the grip of a lingering drought, the Lake Murray region was pounded with rain by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna on the weekend before the tournament began. Then the Columbia area received another 4 inches on Tuesday during the practice period. Throughout the week, temperatures ranged from overnight lows in the 60s to daytime highs in the upper 80s. Each morning brought fog, which did not burn off until midmorning. Each competition day featured periods of overcast and sun, as well as sporadic showers.
Water: Despite the rain, the Saluda River and the main lake did not get particularly muddy. Some areas had their usual 1- to 2-foot visibility.
Lake Level: A few weeks before the tournament, Lake Murray was lowered to permit repairs to its earthen dam. It was roughly 2 feet below normal when the Southern Open began. But the impact of about 8 inches of rain actually raised the lake level a few inches during the week.
SOURCE ARTICLE
This one has less details, but again it seems that you will be looking for bass that are follwing the shad migration back into the creeks and shallow water. (Time to check out those migration routes): Davy Hite Article on Lake Murray
Welcome to the website. You might want to post something on the "ask the prostaff" or "Tournament Talk" board(s) about Lake Murray. I personally have never fished Murray, but I did find some interesting articles for you to read. From what I have read, it looks like you will be looking for bass that are follwing the shad migration back into the creeks and shallow water. (Time to check out those migration routes). Also I was recently watching a fishing show (the bass pros) and Edwin Evers was talking about how he has been finding bass all the way in the backs of coves and creeks earlier than most anglers would think. His theory is that "like deer during the start of the rutt, bass begin their migration with the shortening of day light, more so than temperature changes". Might be wirth taking a look in the very backs of creeks on one of your tournement pratice days. Anyway, I hope you find something usefull and best of luck with the tournament and selling the boat.: :
West Virginia pro posts his first victory as a B.A.S.S. pro
Critical strikes on buzzbaits and soft plastic put West Virginia's Dan Welch in the winner's circle.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A nightmarish combination of natural and man-made conditions created some of the toughest fishing conditions of the year for the anglers in the $320,950 South Carolina CITGO BASSMASTER Southern Open presented by Busch Beer.
Lake Murray regulars will tell you that late September is traditionally a difficult time for fishermen, a transition period for bass awaiting the cooling water temperatures that trigger a movement toward shallow water. With the backdrop of a persistent drought, water managers had been gradually lowering the lake for several weeks in preparation for repair work on its earthen dam. So the 50,000-acre reservoir was about 2 feet down as the tournament approached.
Then the rains came — more than 8-inches worth — thanks to Tropical Storm Hanna and a separate weather front that arrived two days later. The combination of elements left both bass and bass fishermen confused. But it suited Dan Welch just fine.
"I'm used to tough fishing," said the West Virginia pro.
"I live on the Ohio River."
Enough said.
Welch, a 49-year-old owner of a pizza business whose previous best B.A.S.S. finish was 31st, somehow fashioned a pair of double-digit limits to take a 6-pound lead into the final round. As it turned out, he only needed 4 measly ounces in the end to win the $50,000 top prize with a three day total of 33 pounds, 2 ounces.
"This is a dream come true," said Welch, whose closing effort consisted of four bass weighing 4 pounds.
"I've never won one of these before. I'm an emotional wreck. This is the highlight of my career. I look at it as a breakthrough kind of thing. I've been doing this for about five years with just a little success."
A trio of South Carolina anglers proved to be Welch's closest pursuers. Todd Auten finished second with 29-5, followed by Wayne Jeffcoat's 29-4. Reigning B.A.S.S. Angler-of-the-Year Davy Hite was fourth with 29-1, and Florida pro Scott Martin rounded out the Top 5 with 28-11.
Welch's success centered around an area where he'd enjoyed an unlikely big bass bonanza during the final practice day.
"You can see where I was fishing from here," said Welch, in reference to the Dreher Island State Recreation Area weigh-in area. "I was fishing in the Crystal Lake area. I picked up my amateur friend on the last day of practice, and the weather was so foul that we just went straight across here. It was thundering and lightning and raining. The wind was howling and the big fish were really biting. We started throwing buzzbaits, and we caught a 4- or 5-pounder on every point. So I went back to that area every day. I didn't burn 5 gallons of gas this week."
Welch opened the tournament in second place with a five bass limit weighing 15-15, which put him behind Jimmy Millsaps' 17-2. But when the Georgia pro stumbled the next day, Welch took the lead with four bass weighing 13-3 to build a lead that proved to be insurmountable.
"This morning I went to my area, and I had a big blowup on a buzzbait and missed it," Welch said of his 4-pound final round showing. "I never had a big bite today, and ended up with those four small fish.
His primary area consisted of a series of slowly tapering rocky points that were dotted with sparse patches of hydrilla. Welch kept his boat in 6 to 7 feet of water and caught most of his 13 bass near the end of the points in 4 to 6 feet of water.
In the low light hours of early morning, his most productive bait was a locally made 3/8-ounce double-bladed buzzbait (white) tied to 17-pound-test Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon line. He threw the buzzbait on a 7-foot G. Loomis rod (medium/ heavy) and Team Daiwa baitcasting reel.
Once the sun grew bright, Welch would switch to a spinning rod and soft plastics. He caught three 5-pound-class bass on a 5 1/2-inch Zoom Swamp Crawler impaled on a 2/0 Daiichi hook and teamed with a cylindrical 3/32-ounce Mojo weight positioned 26 inches up 10-pound-test P-Line. His tackle outfit consisted of a 7-foot G. Loomis spinning rod (medium/heavy) and a Team Daiwa spinning reel.
"The buzzbait has a little white float on the arm of each blade that makes it more buoyant," Welch said. "That enabled me to run it pretty slow and still keep it on top, which was important.
"With the worm, I had to let it set. Throw it out there and just let it set. And the fish would come over and pick it up. I would pull tension with my line and I'd feel it moving away."
A BASSMASTER Open victory is heady stuff for Welch, who began his B.A.S.S. career competing in the amateur ranks of BASSMASTER Tour events. In four tournaments spent fishing from the back of a pro's boat, his best finish was 17th. Yet after three challenging days on Lake Murray, Welch was taking home $50,000 and sitting atop the Southern Open standings after the first of three events.
"I'm thrilled," he said. "I can't really put it into words what this means to me."
Gradual sloping point with scattered wood and grass
The winning pattern
Dan Welch's primary pattern consisted of a series of slowly tapering rocky points that were dotted with sparse patches of hydrilla. He positioned his boat in 6 to 7 feet of water and caught most of his bass near the points in 4 to 6 feet of water.
***THESE WERE THE LAKE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THIS TOURNAMENT (NOT TODAY). I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO COMPARE THEM, BC***
Lake Murray report
Weather: After months of being caught in the grip of a lingering drought, the Lake Murray region was pounded with rain by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna on the weekend before the tournament began. Then the Columbia area received another 4 inches on Tuesday during the practice period. Throughout the week, temperatures ranged from overnight lows in the 60s to daytime highs in the upper 80s. Each morning brought fog, which did not burn off until midmorning. Each competition day featured periods of overcast and sun, as well as sporadic showers.
Water: Despite the rain, the Saluda River and the main lake did not get particularly muddy. Some areas had their usual 1- to 2-foot visibility.
Lake Level: A few weeks before the tournament, Lake Murray was lowered to permit repairs to its earthen dam. It was roughly 2 feet below normal when the Southern Open began. But the impact of about 8 inches of rain actually raised the lake level a few inches during the week.
SOURCE ARTICLE
This one has less details, but again it seems that you will be looking for bass that are follwing the shad migration back into the creeks and shallow water. (Time to check out those migration routes): Davy Hite Article on Lake Murray
Brendan C.