Story by Justin Brouillard
The National Professional Fishing League is set to wrap up the 2024 season with a trip to Lake Murray, “the jewel of South Carolina.” The anglers and their families will conclude the season on the historic tournament waters from December 11-13. Hosted by the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC), the event will launch and weigh in each day at the Dreher Island State Park – fans are encouraged to attend.
It’s the fourth time in NPFL history that an event will take place in the Palmetto State, all proving to be fun and exciting tournaments for the anglers and fans. In 2022, Drew Six claimed victory at Lake Hartwell with an impressive total of 51 pounds, 5 ounces, outpacing Patrick Walters by 4 pounds, 7 ounces. The following season, Walters bounced back in his home state, dominating the field at Santee Cooper with a total weight of 67 pounds, 12 ounces—by a margin of 5 pounds, 10 ounces. Most recently, in May 2024, Mike Corbishley secured a narrow win on Lake Hartwell with a total of 44 pounds, 1 ounce, edging out Hunter Sales by just 9 ounces.
At approximately 48,000 acres with over 650 miles of shoreline, Lake Murray is a bass angler’s paradise. Created by the Saluda Dam, the reservoir spans four counties and is renowned for clear waters and a strong population of largemouth bass. The diverse structure and abundant baitfish provide endless opportunities for anglers to fish their strengths while soaking in the scenic views of winter in the south.
Joey Sabbaga, who grew up on Lake Murray and has over 30 years of tournament experience, knows the reservoir better than most. While many major tournaments visit in the spring or summer, he believes winter offers some of the best fishing, with the lake improving yearly.
“It’s going to fish well; it has been fishing well,” Sabbaga said. “For whatever reason—storms, high water, or excess vegetation—the fishing has improved over time. Winter really gives anglers lots of options, both shallow and deep.”
That said, Sabbaga warns about Lake Murray’s notorious day-to-day changes, especially with the cold fronts currently rolling through, and warmer weather protected throughout the tournament.
“Anglers will have plenty of options, but the weather will influence what’s most productive,” he added. “Wind and temperature shifts move fish around. When the weather is tough, the grass gives bass a place to hunker down, and Murray has some vegetation right now in some places. We’ll see midrange fish near the grass edges, fish offshore for “scopers,” and fish shallow on the bank. It’s going to be a typical fall deal.”
With temperatures in the high 50s, the topwater bite has passed, but Sabbaga believes shallow fishing could still play a small role, for bigger fish. However, he expects the tournament to favor forward-facing sonar anglers who can adjust as needed.
“Guys can certainly find success offshore and piece together solid bags over three days to win, but the biggest fish or biggest bag may come from shallow water,” he said. “The grass is spread out across the lake, and those areas have been productive. The anglers who win will likely mix things up and explore different depth ranges.”
Dustin Williamson, while more familiar with other South Carolina waters, has a love/hate relationship with Murray. His past events have been either strong or disappointing, but he’s looking forward to this winter challenge.
“I’m excited, that’s for sure,” Williamson said. “The cold snap we’re seeing will push fish into more of a winter pattern, giving anglers a lot of options—from 50 feet to 2 feet. You can crank, fish shallow, or drop a minnow deep—pick your poison.”
As a local favorite, Williamson says an angler like Patrick Walters has both the confidence and experience to adapt to Murray’s ever-changing conditions, but expects the weights to be closer than we have seen in the past. Sabbaga, too, believes the key will be knowing when to switch things up.
“The locals familiar with winter fishing will have an edge,” Sabbaga said. “But it’s not about timing like it usually is with these herring fish; it’s about knowing when to make a move. The anglers who can scope offshore and aren’t afraid to sample shallow water where the biggest fish live will be tough to beat.”
Williamson agrees, and notes that consistency will be the biggest challenge over the three-day NPFL event.
“In a one-day derby, you can commit shallow, but over three days, it’s harder for that bite to hold up,” Williamson said. “The deeper fish are less affected by weather changes, so they’re more consistent. That said, if the warming trend hits, the shallow bite could surprise everyone.”
As for weights, both anglers predict similar results. Local tournaments have shown that bags in the 12- to 15-pound range are easy to come by, with some anglers catching 17 to 19 pounds – and the occasional bag over 20.
“It’s easy to catch 15 pounds but hard to catch 17,” Sabbaga noted. “There are so many 2- and 3-pound fish in Murray that upgrading is a challenge.”
Williamson added, “If the warming trend plays out, we might see a really big bag one of the days, but backing that up over three days will be tough.”
The 2024 NPFL Progressive Angler of the Year Race is coming down to the wire, and Lake Murray is the perfect venue to crown a champion. Check out Ken Duke’s “Lake Murray Fast Facts” to learn more about the race for the Golden Shield.
How to Watch
Tune in daily from December 11 through 13 to watch the action from the Lake Murray. Follow along and watch the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog, and on-the-water photo galleries and blogs of the anglers from the Palmetto State.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast or check out the real-time leaderboard on the Weigh Live Tracker with estimated weights entered by the anglers on the water and join us for the LIVE Weigh-ins, here!
And be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, & Twitter.
NPFL Stop #6 at Lake Murray is hosted by the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC).
