Full Day Catfish, Crappie & Sunfish Trip
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Fullday beginner fishing trip targeting catfish, crappie, and sunfishAll fishing gear, tackle, and bait provided by experienced guidePerfect for families with relaxed pace on calm lake waters
Ready to learn the ropes without the pressure? Guide Stevie English knows exactly how to get first-time anglers hooked on fishing. This 8-hour adventure on Santee Cooper Lakes is built for beginners who want to master the basics while targeting three of South Carolina's most reliable species. You'll spend your day on some of the calmest, most fish-rich waters in the Southeast, learning proven techniques that'll serve you well no matter where you cast a line. Stevie brings everything you need—rods, reels, tackle, and bait—so you just grab your fishing license, pack some snacks, and get ready for a laid-back day that might just fill your cooler.
Santee Cooper Lakes offer the perfect classroom for new anglers. These massive interconnected lakes—Marion and Moultrie—cover over 170,000 acres of prime fishing habitat with countless coves, channels, and structure that hold fish year-round. Stevie knows these waters like his backyard and will position you over productive spots where catfish prowl the bottom, crappie school around submerged timber, and sunfish guard their beds in shallow water. The pace stays relaxed and educational, giving you time to practice your casting, learn to read your rod tip, and understand how different baits work. This isn't a race to fill the boat—it's about building confidence and skills that'll make every future fishing trip more successful. The calm nature of these lakes means you won't be fighting big waves or dealing with rough conditions, letting you focus on the fundamentals.
Stevie covers the essential techniques that work across multiple species and fishing situations. You'll start with basic bottom fishing for catfish using circle hooks and fresh bait, learning how to detect subtle bites and set the hook properly. For crappie, you'll practice vertical jigging around structure and learn to work small jigs and minnows at different depths until you find where they're holding. Sunfish fishing teaches you the art of finesse—using light tackle, reading subtle strikes, and working baits in shallow cover where these scrappy fish live. Throughout the day, you'll handle spinning reels, practice different retrieval speeds, and learn to tie essential knots that every angler needs to know. Stevie provides quality gear matched to each technique, from medium-action rods for catfish to ultralight setups for sunfish, so you experience how different tackle affects your fishing success.
Blue Catfish represent the heavyweight champions of Santee Cooper Lakes. These powerful fish can stretch over three feet and put up fights that'll test your drag system and patience. Blues prefer deeper channels and drop-offs where they hunt schools of shad, making them most active during low-light periods of early morning and late afternoon. What makes them special here is their size potential—Santee Cooper produces some of the biggest blues in the Southeast, with fish over 20 pounds caught regularly. They're also excellent table fare when properly prepared, making them a favorite target for anglers who want both sport and supper.
Crappie fishing on these lakes offers consistent action and delicious rewards. These schooling fish relate heavily to submerged timber and brush piles that dot the lake bottom, often suspending at specific depths based on water temperature and bait location. Spring brings the most exciting crappie fishing when they move shallow to spawn, but Stevie knows productive spots that hold fish throughout the year. Crappie average 10-12 inches in these waters, with slabs pushing 14 inches not uncommon during peak times. Their light bite requires sensitive tackle and patience, but once you dial in the pattern, you can catch them steadily.
Green Sunfish might be the smallest target species, but they're perfect teachers for beginning anglers. These colorful, aggressive fish attack baits with enthusiasm, giving you plenty of opportunities to practice hook sets and fish handling. They're abundant in shallow cover around docks, fallen trees, and weed edges where they're easy to locate and catch. Green sunfish spawn multiple times per season, making them active and catchable from spring through fall. While they rarely exceed 8 inches, their willingness to bite makes them ideal confidence builders for kids and first-time anglers who need steady action to stay engaged.
This top-rated beginner trip combines expert instruction, quality gear, and productive waters into one perfect package for new anglers. Stevie's patient teaching style and deep knowledge of Santee Cooper Lakes create the ideal environment for learning fundamental fishing skills that'll last a lifetime. With all equipment provided and a maximum of three guests, you'll get personalized attention and hands-on instruction throughout the entire 8-hour experience. Whether you're introducing kids to fishing, trying something new yourself, or looking for a relaxed day on the water with friends, this customer favorite delivers both education and entertainment. Book now to secure your spot with one of South Carolina's most experienced beginner-focused guides and discover why so many first-time anglers become lifelong fishing enthusiasts after a day on these world-class waters.
Captain Stevie's 25-foot Crest pontoon is perfect for your first fishing adventure on Santee Cooper Lakes. This roomy 2003 vessel easily handles up to 6 anglers with plenty of deck space to cast lines without crowding each other. The reliable Yamaha 175HP motor gets you to the best fishing spots quickly, while the wireless trolling motor lets you glide silently through shallow waters where crappie love to hide. An onboard fish finder takes the guesswork out of locating schools of sunfish and catfish hotspots. GPS keeps you on track to productive waters, and the large icebox ensures your catch stays fresh and your drinks stay cold during those 8-hour learning sessions. The stable pontoon design means even nervous first-timers feel confident while baiting hooks and landing fish.
Ictalurus FurcatusThe giants of Santee Cooper, Blue Cats are what dreams are made of. These monsters can push 40+ pounds and fight like freight trains once hooked. They cruise deep channels and muddy holes, especially around creek mouths and drop-offs. Best action happens spring through fall when they're actively feeding on everything from cut bait to crawfish. What makes them special? Pure size and that bulldogging fight that'll test your drag. The meat's excellent too - firm, white fillets perfect for the dinner table. My go-to trick: use fresh-cut herring on the bottom and give it time. Blue Cats are opportunistic but cautious. Let it sit, wait for that second tap, then set the hook hard. Bring gloves - they're slimy as heck but worth every bit of the battle.
Pomoxis NigromaculatusCrappie are hands-down the best eating fish we target, with sweet white meat that's hard to beat. Both black and white crappie roam these waters, typically running 10-14 inches and weighing about a pound. They school up around submerged timber, brush piles, and deeper structure, especially during spring spawn when water hits 65 degrees. Dawn and dusk fishing produces best, though they'll bite all day in cooler weather. What guests love most is the steady action once you locate a school - catch one, catch several. The delicate bite requires patience, but that's part of the charm. Local secret: small jigs tipped with minnows worked slow around standing timber. Watch your line closely - crappie have paper-thin mouths, so gentle pressure keeps them hooked until the net.
Lepomis CyanellusThese scrappy little fighters are perfect for beginners learning the basics. Green Sunfish run 3-7 inches and pack attitude way bigger than their size - they're aggressive biters that'll hit live bait fast. You'll find them hiding in shallow weed beds and around debris where they like to set up territory. Spring through fall fishing is solid, but they're most active during warmer months. While they're pretty bony and not the best eating, kids love catching them because they bite readily on worms and small jigs. Pro tip: look for that big mouth - it's larger than other sunfish and helps distinguish them from bluegill. Use light tackle and let your bait sit still near cover. They travel in schools, so once you find one, keep fishing that spot.
Santee Cooper