Mares Lake Fishing in Marlboro County, South Carolina

• Overview

  In South Carolina, Mares Lake falls inside Marlboro County. Everything around it is dry hill. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Marlboro County. Bennettsville lies 6.5 miles from the water. Fayetteville sits 60 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Mares Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Marlboro County list sawcheek darter, redfin pickerel and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Mares Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 80°F in July and bottoms out near 43°F in January. Cold never closes this one. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan around that when you fish Mares Lake. Weed growth peaks in late summer and changes where you can fish.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Becker Pond is 2.2 miles distant. Treat access at Mares Lake as something to verify.