Chapin, SC Fishing: Productive Fishing in the Capital of Lake Murray

Chapin sits west of Columbia, South Carolina. Before becoming known as the Capital of Lake Murray, it was initially a 1700s frontier settled by Germans who named the fork area between the rivers of Saluda and Broad the “Dutch Fork.” Back then, it was a proud and close-knit but poor community with its peculiar ways. But this all changed with the arrival of Martin Chapin, a New York native who began to bring business to the town, starting with his lumber business and his purchase of what would eventually become the Lake Murray basin. The Columbia, Newberry, and Laurens Railway was built on this property, helping Chapin transport his lumber to other markets. The station in the Dutch Fork was called Chapin as it was near Chapin’s Mill. The railway gave rise to more business opportunities in the place.

The Great Depression and the rise of new technology had a tremendous impact on the town's progress. Then came the damming of the Saluda River in the 1920s. For the Dutch Fork residents, who were known as being very insular, this was the most challenging adjustment to make, as it changed the landscape of their hometown forever. 

Today, Chapin owes much of its development to Lake Murray’s creation. The lake is considered the Midlands’ jewel and is the biggest draw for people looking to visit or settle in Chapin. The vast water body covers 78 square miles, 140,000-acre fresh water, and 50,000 acres of land. Chapin itself has access to more than 500 miles of the lake’s shoreline, rightfully earning its nickname, Capital of Lake Murray. It is one of the best places to visit if you want the whole Lake Murray experience with its awe-inspiring beauty and endless outdoor recreation opportunities.

Chapin Fishing

Fishing in Chapin means enjoying excellent access to Lake Murray’s productive waters. While the lake welcomes all other water sports, such as swimming, water skiing, and sailing, it is undoubtedly one of South Carolina’s best fishing lakes. Chapin residents and visitors are spoiled for choice fishing spots on the lake. The lake capital, true to its nickname, provides anglers with plenty of great fishing facilities, including marinas, boat ramps, and bait and tackle shops all around the lake, so there’s no stopping you from enjoying your fishing trip in the region.

The 140,000-acre lake is home to a range of the most sought-after fish species, including striped bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, redear sunfish, bullhead catfish, and channel catfish. The lake is known for its state records for white bass, white perch, white crappie, and white catfish. Each spring, it is stocked with a million striper fingerlings, which take three years to reach 21 inches.

The lake’s biggest prize, the striped bass, can be targeted anywhere on the lake, but novice anglers have the best chances of landing them from the shorelines. A key to finding these stripers is looking for topographical shifts and luring them with artificial worms and a bobber-and-hook setup. Catfish, another Lake Murray staple, are best found in the murkier parts of the water, especially where there’s movement or inflow. Unlike the striper, you don’t need a bobber for your line with the catfish. They’re bottom feeders that can be lured in with any baitfish legal to use in Lake Murray. Shad works wonders, but worms and chicken livers can also attract them. Crappie belongs to the lake’s top three but is the hardest to land for novice anglers. However, if you want to test your mettle as an angler, this fish species is the one to challenge yourself with. You can use your technique for landing bass with the crappie, but use live minnows to improve your chances.

Because of its richness and productivity, the lake attracts plenty of fishing tournaments all year round, many of which are nationally sponsored. These big tournaments include the Fishing League Worldwide tournament, Bassmasters, Big Bass Tour, Carolina Anglers Team Trail, Youth Bass Tournament, Oakley Bass Tournament, and Forrest Wood Cup. And it is no wonder — it is considered one of the 100 best bass lakes in the United States and has been voted one of the top places to boat and live.

The South Carolina DNR manages and maintains 24 fish attractor locations across Lake Murray to encourage more people to fish in the lake. Anglers can find these fish attractors by spotting the marked buoys. Don’t be too selfish with the fish attractor location, though. Anchoring in one fish attractor spot is prohibited as it increases your chances of getting entangled with the structure. 

The vast lake is best explored on a fishing boat or a fishing charter. That is not to say that anglers without boats or the budget to book a charter cannot enjoy fishing in the lake, as the destination offers multiple access spots with eight fishing piers and five fishing banks.

For anglers bringing their fishing boats, the Lake Murray region has several public boat ramps where you can launch your vessel. Rocky Point has a public access area with a single ramp and gravel parking for a limited number of vehicles and trailers. Hilton Recreation Area is in a small wooded spot on a cove off the lake. Aside from a two-lane concrete boat ramp, it has a fishing pier, shoreline fishing access, and picnic facilities. Eptings Landing is not a public boat ramp. It is a privately owned full-service boat landing operated by the Epting family since 1937. Apart from its remarkable history, it has excellent service.

If you think one fishing trip to Lake Murray is not enough, consider leasing a slip in one of its well-equipped marinas to store your fishing boat. There’s the Timberlake Marina, a newly refurbished wet slip marina that offers docks that you can use for various vessels, including jet skis, power, sail, and pontoon boats. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Chapin

The top 10 fish species found in Chapin, SC, are striped bass, channel catfish, white catfish, bullhead catfish, crappie, white bass, white perch, bluegill, largemouth bass, and redear sunfish.

Seasonal Fishing

Much like the rest of South Carolina, Chapin enjoys a temperate climate, making it a good destination all year round. The best time to visit and fish will depend on your target catch. Starting as early as March can be excellent if you’re exclusively looking to fill your bucket with bass. While they can be around the lake the rest of the year, early spring finds bass in the mid-lake section, in the brush and rock piles, pockets, and beds. They are so concentrated in these areas that you can sight fish for them. When the waters start to warm, anglers should move along with them toward the lower end of the lake. 

While there’s no actual closed season in the lake, the department enforces daily creel and size limits for its bass population. Anglers are advised to familiarize themselves with these strict regulations so they can fish legally and help maintain the healthy populations of these fish species in the lake.

Enjoy the Charm of Chapin

Chapin is consistently voted one of the top places to live in the United States. Visitors to this lake capital will find it brimming with small-town charm and hospitality, perfect for vacationing families and individuals looking for a quaint escape in the south.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Explore the best of Lake Murray with the guidance of a local expert. Not only can a guide steer you towards the best fishing spots — they can help you improve your fishing skills and allow you to fish in a new place with safety and comfort.

2. Get Active

Chapin has two excellent parks with many recreational facilities for its residents and visitors. The Crooked Creek Park has courts for a range of sports, including tennis and racquetball, walking tracks and trails, playgrounds, and a 27-hole disc golf course. Melvin Park, a newer park off Eptings Camp Road, has multi-purpose fields, a splash pad, and new baseball fields.

3. Go Antiquing

The Market Place of Chapin offers the best deals on vintage and antiques in all of the Midlands. Even if you’re not in the market for any particular item, it’s a nice place to visit and window-shop for jewelry, rare items, fine art, and more.