May 28, 2014 (Santee Lakes) – If you’re angling for a fish dinner—or just enjoy catch and release, you may want to check out Santee Lakes, where night fishing kicks off on June 12th. There are a total of six night fishing dates coming up: June 12th and 26th, July 20th and 24th, and August 7th from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Lakes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Bring a lantern! No fishing license is required, and no radios are allowed to disturb the silence of the evening – or the fish.
The lakes have been stocked with 8,000 pounds of catfish so far this season—with more coming on June 6th. Raymond Paul caught the largest so far, a whopping four pounder, in Lake 4 using hotdogs and mealworms as bait.
“Raymond Paul displays his four-pound catfish caught at Santee Lakes.”
The bass are biting in all lakes, according to the Santee Lakes fishing report, though lakes 1 and 5 have been the hotspots.
You can also catch bluegill by fishing around the cattails or off the docks. Santee Lakes has five docks plus four fishable islands—making this a fun destination to bring the kids and get them “hooked” on fishing!
You can get more information, or sign up for free fishing reports—including tasty fish recipes– at www.SanteeLakes.com.
Fishing Permit Fees
Adult (ages 16 and over) $9.00 per day
Junior (ages 7 to 15) $6.00 per day
Second fishing pole stamp $4.00
*One child under 7 may fish for free with a paid adult
Recipe of the Week:
Bluegill Worcestershire Recipe
Put one cup of flour into a zip-lock bag or bowl, add coarse ground pepper, and salt to your taste. Coat the Bluegill fillets completely with the flour mixture. Cook the fillets in a flat pan on medium heat with a little butter, or vegetable oil if you are calorie conscious. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until fillets are slightly brown. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, lemon and finely chopped parsley for the last minute of cooking. Put cooked fillets onto a dinner plate and pour the extra sauce over the top of each plate. Serve with rice, corn and a nice salad.