Sunny skies greet EverStart anglers at Santee Cooper lakes
Eastern Division tourney graced with bright forecast
MANNING, S.C. – A full field of 200 boats blasted off this morning under beautiful South Carolina sunshine at the third stop of the 2003 Eastern EverStart Series on Santee Cooper lakes. Local forecasters are predicting sunny skies with highs around 80 for the next four days.
Santee Cooper is always a big fish producer when the EverStart Series visits the massive 160,000-acre impoundment in the spring, and this week should be no different.
Several weeks ago BASS held an event on Santee Cooper that broke records. During the first two days of competition nearly 80 five-fish limits over 20 pounds were caught, and it took almost 46 pounds to make the finals after two days.
EverStart anglers say the lake is probably not going to fish that well this week, but it will definitely produce some hefty strings.
Lake Okeechobee EverStart champion Andy Morgan says that mature bass fry are abundant which means bass are nearly done spawning. “I’m sure there are some fish still on bed somewhere, but I think a majority of the bass have spawned. Plus the moon is just not right for another spawn right now.”
Santee Cooper remains some 2 to 3 feet higher than normal. Many anglers will be probing the shallow banks with buzzbaits, spinner baits and Flappin’ Shads. Also, the word “Senko” is being whispered a lot.
The water temperatures had been near the 70-degree mark before a potent front knocked it back to just below 60 degrees. Each day the water is warming back up to nearly 65 degrees.
The only problem with the outlook today is the wind is supposed to blow out of the southwest at 10-20 mph. On some lakes that would not be a problem, but since Santee Cooper is so vast, a breath of wind stirs up 3-footers in a hurry.
At the last two EverStart events on Santee Cooper, it has taken about 30 pounds to make the top 20. Pros are expecting that it will take at least that or maybe more given the stable weather conditions.
Today’s weigh-in will take place at John C. Land III Boating and Sportfishing Facility in Manning at 3 p.m.
Wednesday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:15 a.m.
Temperature: 48 degrees
Water temperature: 59 degrees
Forecasted wind: from the west-southwest at 10-20 mph
Relative Humidity: 62 percent
Day’s outlook: abundant sunshine
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