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47 km of the Great Pee Dee River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 36 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 39,274 acres of water rimmed by 110.8 miles of bank. A development index of 4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 55% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 27.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 10.5 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is Lake Moultrie, 50 mi to the west.
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 36 ft. Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4) is the standout, an eddy pocket at roughly 28 ft, rated prime for summer flathead catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (20 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4) (28 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4) (28 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4) (28 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6), a creek channel in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Current seam (mile 15.5) (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6) (13 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2), a creek channel in the 20 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 26.7) (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 36 ft. The spot to know is Main-channel hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 26.7) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) |
In spring, longnose gar run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 1 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for fall longnose gar. Time it for midday and the evening. You won't need more than a rope lure or a small white spinner most summer days.
| 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 | Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6) (13 ft) | Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy) |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.6) (21 ft) |
In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 30 ft for winter. Winter common carp concentrate at Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4), a prime-rated eddy pocket around 28 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6) (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4) (28 ft) |
Count 16 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Slackwater eddy (mile 4.4), sits near 28 ft.
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 Great Pee Dee River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official South Carolina fishing regulations →
Great Pee Dee River is about 36 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target flathead catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, longnose gar, common carp on Great Pee Dee 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.
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Great Pee Dee 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.
Lake Moultrie 50 mi, SC · Cooper River 56 mi, SC · Shallotte River 58 mi, NC/SC · Lake Marion 66 mi, SC · Lake Waccamaw 69 mi, NC · Cape Fear River - Reach 2 of 2 82 mi, NC/SC · Cape Fear River - Reach 1 of 2 84 mi, NC/SC · Lake Robinson 87 mi, SC · Northeast Cape Fear River 90 mi, NC/SC · Congaree River 101 mi, SC · Lake Wateree 114 mi, SC · Saluda River (Lower) 117 mi, SC
See how Great Pee Dee 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.