FISHING AND BOATING
Part of Clarendon County is located on Lake Marion, the largest lake in South Carolina and one of the 50 largest lakes in the nation, at 110,600 acres.
Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, in neighboring Berkeley County, are two of the finest lakes in the nation for freshwater fishing. Lake Marion holds the record for the world’s largest channel catfish at just under 60 pounds, as well as the state record for largemouth bass at 16 pounds, 2 ounces. Other fish in these two lakes include striped bass, white perch, white bass, crappie, Arkansas blue catfish, bream, and chain (jack).
Launch your boat in Clarendon County and sail straight to Charleston! Boaters can travel from Lake Marion in Clarendon County through the Diversion Canal to Lake Moultrie; at the end of Lake Moultrie lies the 75-foot high Pinopolis Lock, which will lower boaters down to the Tailrace Canal that leads to the Cooper River and on to Charleston. The trip from Lake Marion to Charleston is less than 150 miles.
The lakes do not ice over in winter and fishing season is always open.
Two major FLW tournaments are held every spring in Clarendon County: the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Tournament, and the Santee Cooper Lake Stren Series Tournament.
The annual Striped Bass Festival is held every spring in Manning.
For more information: Discover South Carolina's Great Lakes