Big Ben Port Lake Fishing near Johnsonville, South Carolina

• Overview

  Marion County in South Carolina is where Big Ben Port Lake sits. It sits in open plain. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is low-lying compared with other South Carolina water we list. Johnsonville lies 6.2 miles from the water. For a city, North Charleston is 78 miles off. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Big Ben Port Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include flathead catfish, longnose gar and margined madtom. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. The near bank of Big Ben Port Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 45°F and July at about 80°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Big Ben Port Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapping classes it as an oxbow: an old river bend cut off from the main channel. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Balloon Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Big Ben Port Lake before loading the car.