Cooper River Fishing Map & Spots (SC)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

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Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Cooper River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Cooper River on the board.

Fishing Cooper River: what the data says

5 km of the Cooper River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 55 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.

Cooper River maps at 1,267 acres behind 9.1 miles of shoreline. With a 1.8 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 6% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.1 mi with a 1.7-mi widest point. Lake Moultrie sits 28 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.

Flathead Catfish fishing at Cooper River

Come spring, look for flathead catfish tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): a creek channel around 43 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 20 ft	night & dusk	open water
Summer	8 to 30 ft	night & dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)
Fall	10 to 35 ft	night & dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)

Largemouth Bass fishing at Cooper River

When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): a creek channel around 43 ft that scores good in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Cooper River

Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Main-channel hole (mile 0.2). It's a creek channel holding about 43 ft of water and rates good come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Cooper River

When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): a creek channel around 43 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	open water
Summer	8 to 25 ft	night & dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dusk	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)
Winter	20 to 40 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)

Longnose Gar fishing at Cooper River

Come spring, look for longnose gar tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 1 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): a creek channel around 43 ft that scores good in fall. Best bite is midday and the evening. A rope lure or a small white spinner is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday	open water	Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow)
Summer	1 to 12 ft	midday & dusk	open water	Rope lure, Small white spinner
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday	Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) (43 ft)	Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy)
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	open water

Common Carp fishing at Cooper River

Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 3 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 30 ft one. Best bite is early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	open water
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	open water
Fall	5 to 18 ft	midday	open water
Winter	10 to 30 ft	midday	open water

Notable structure

2 pieces of structure are mapped here — Channel current seam (mile 2.7), around 45 ft, is the deepest of them.

Channel current seam (mile 2.7): current seam, around 45 ft
Main-channel hole (mile 0.2): creek channel, around 43 ft

Cooper River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for South Carolina waters are set by the South Carolina DNR — and special regulations can apply to Cooper River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official South Carolina fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Cooper River?

Cooper River is about 55 ft (17 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Cooper River?

Anglers target flathead catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, longnose gar, common carp on Cooper River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Cooper River?

Main-channel hole (mile 0.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 43 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Cooper River?

For flathead catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Cooper River?

Fishing on Cooper River is regulated by the South Carolina DNR. Check the official South Carolina regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lake Moultrie 28 mi · Lake Marion 48 mi · Great Pee Dee River 56 mi, SC/NC · Calibogue Sound 80 mi · Wright River 83 mi, SC/GA · Congaree River 86 mi · Saluda River (Lower) 102 mi · Lake Robinson 106 mi · Shallotte River 114 mi, NC/SC · Lake Wateree 116 mi · Lake Murray 119 mi · Sapelo Sound 122 mi, GA

See how Cooper River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in South Carolina · best crappie lakes in South Carolina · best channel catfish lakes in South Carolina · best flathead catfish lakes in South Carolina

Browse all South Carolina fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.