Monticello Reservoir Fishing in Fairfield County, South Carolina

• Overview

  In South Carolina, Monticello Reservoir falls inside Fairfield County. Height above sea level is 423 feet. Surface area runs to some 10.4 sq miles, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. At about 37 miles of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. It ranks among the bigger water on our South Carolina list. 12 miles away sits Chapin, the nearest town. Columbia sits 28 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Monticello Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include smallmouth bass, black crappie, blue catfish and margined madtom. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. Read Monticello Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 80°F and January reads 42°F. The hard part of the year is the heat, not the cold. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. The season on Monticello Reservoir follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Parr Shoals Reservoir is 5 miles distant. Check the position at Monticello Reservoir before loading the car.