I met a few fishermen a month or so ago who were pulling their boats out of Thurmond Lake with no plans to fish again until next spring.

I asked each why, and the response was, "It's winter, it gets too cold. " I told them that I consider fishing the lake in the cold-weather months as good as it gets.

Striped bass and hybrid bass, for example, can be found feeding in the shallows, the action usually marked by flocks of diving gulls and terns. The Raysville area is always red-hot, but because of low lake levels, it can be dangerous for the anglers who don't know the water. Iron-hard tree tops can do a number on outboard motor lower units and boat hulls.

The thing to remember about winter fishing is to dress warmly in layers of clothing, a wool stocking cap, waterproofed and fur-lined gloves, and insulated socks. As daytime temperatures rise, you can shed some of the outer layers and don them again as the sun starts to go down.

- Looking for a place to launch your boat? Two of the multi-lane ramps at Dorn's Boating and Fishing Complex on Hawe Creek in McCormick County, S.C., have been extended. The Lake Springs ramps will be usable unless the lake drops to 22 feet below normal. The Little River Marina's lower ramp also can be used.

THURMOND LAKE

Capt. David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed full-time professional fishing guide specializing in hybrids and stripers and trophy largemouth bass. Boat phone: (706) 214-0236, (803) 637-6379 (crockettrocket@bellsouth.net) - We bypassed fall fishing and went directly into the winter pattern. I've seen water temperatures in the high 40s, and that usually doesn't happen until February. Still, we're having great days on the water, especially after a day or two of warm up that could push water temperatures up into the high 50s. Some days, we've had to wait for the fish to move into the shallows to feed. This time of the year, the windows of opportunity could be very narrow, sometimes just a couple of hours. Usually, when we spot one or two fish breaking in the shallows, we know the bite is on. I enjoyed fishing with Brock Daniels and his group that ended up catching most of their fish on freelined herring the last couple of hours of the day. Jeff Morris and his family from Ohio ended up fishing herring beneath planer boards as that day all the fish were shallow and looking for some warmer water. The morning bite was slow, but in mid-afternoon, the bite picked up. All of our fish are being caught on live herring and mostly in shallow water.

Billy Murphy, professional guide, (706) 733-0124 (Web site is doubletroublefishingguides.com) with twins Brad and Jim) - My grandson, Johnathan, and my son, Jim, went scouting for larger fish with me over the holidays. We kept 14 nice stripers and hybrids, including a 15-pounder caught by Johnathan. We fished downlines, pulled planer boards, and fished free lines in 22 to 34 feet of water. Fred McNatt, of North Augusta, fished with me on Tuesday and we caught 10 fish, the biggest going 7 pounds. Most were 2 to 4 pounds, and all were caught on downlines 18 to 20 feet down. Water temperature was 53 degrees. Larry Freeman and I fished Wednesday, catching 18 fish, with Larry catching a 7½-pounder. The fish were stacked in 23 feet of water, but were quickly moving. We moved up and down the channel until we found them again.

Capt. Mark Crawford, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in hybrid and striped bass. www.teamsaveonemore.com, (706) 373-8347) - I tried to put my party on big fish in the middle of the lake, but they would not cooperate. Water temperatures dropped and made it tough. Hank Nelson-Abbott, of Lincolnton, Ga., Shaun Howe, of Easley, S.C., Orrin Finegold and his son, Jared, of New York, and Rob DuFour and his son, Jack, from Atlanta, had a great time, even though the fishing wasn't what it should have been.

Capt. William Sasser, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in crappies, hybrids and striped bass. (706) 589-5468 - Between the rain, wind and cold this week, fishing has been great. The upper Little River area around Raysville is muddy, but we found some schooling fish chasing threadfin shad. Robert Rhodes, of Evans, William Reynolds, of North Augusta, and Reggie and Cynthia Rhodes and Curtis Mathius, all of Augusta, fished for stripers and crappies on a rainy day. They caught 83 fish ; 38 were slab crappies, and 45 were stripers. Rusty Rivers, of Sandersville, Ga., and Tim Obannon and Frank Diaz, from Riddleville, Ga., fished a split trip for stripers and crappies. The fishermen wound up with 50 fish. Check out my Web site at www.williamsasserfishing.com.

Capt. Tommy Dudley, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in stripers and hybrids. (706) 833-4807 - I'm still downlining live herring in deep ditches because it's easier than using planer boards. I've seen water temperatures ranging from 48 to 52 degrees. Jim St. Cyr and his son, Paul, and the latter's friend Justin, all from Spartanburg, S.C., and his father-in-law, Ken Cole, from Massachusetts, fished with me on the day after Thanksgiving. We put 23 hybrids into the boat. My VHF radio handle is Boat Racer, and I can be reached on Channel 68. My Web site is www.fishlakethurmond.com.

Albert Moody, Clark Hill Herring Hut, Clarks Hill, S.C., (864) 333-2000 - Early in the week, Eli Bagwell and Sam Bagwell, of Augusta, caught 20 perch, with five in the 2-pound class and 15 in the 1-pound class, fishing medium minnows in the river below the dam. Gilbert Sheppard caught a limit of shellcrackers, fishing hybrid pinks below the dam. Karl Moore, Keith (Buddah) Remkus and I fished on Wednesday, catching only 35 fish, including only two perch. We think the cold snap shut them off, but the warming trend ought to turn them on this weekend.

SAVANNAH RIVER

New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam

Lock and Dam Bait and Tackle (Bob Baurle), (706) 793-8053 - Lots of bream are being caught, as are a few perch. The Mayor's Pond has been stocked with catfish. The creel limit for the pond is eight fish. Striped bass are being caught in the river every now and then, but the catfish bite has been great.

MERRY LAND

BRICKYARD PONDS

Harrison Sears (706) 722-8263 (www.brickyardponds.com) - Billy Gilbert won November's big fish contest with a 5.78-pound bass. He won $50. A fishing license is not required to fish in our ponds.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Beaufort, S.C., & vicinity

Ralph Goodison, Fripp Island, (843) 838530 - The weather has been cool, but fishing remains hot, especially inshore for redfish, but they are beginning to migrate into deeper holes. Winter trout fishing is good. A few black sea bass are hitting around the reefs and wrecks, with a few grouper and vermilion to boot. Some hardy anglers have been trolling for kingfish. The ninth annual Thanksgiving Kids Fishing Tournament at Fripp Island Marina attracted 156 participants ages 4-15 .

SAVANNAH

Miss Judy Charters, Capt. Judy Helmey, (912) 897-4921 (www.missjudycharters.com.) P.O. Box 30771, Savannah, Ga. 31410-0771 - Look for clean water and drifts that aren't too fast or slow. Lots of sea trout caught this week were in the 15- to 16-inch class, but bigger fish are out there. The trick to catching them is to have patience and fish slowly. Even when casting soft plastic lures, retrieve them s-l-o-w-l-y. When temperatures cool, remember fish are cold-blooded creatures and their metabolism slows, making them disinterested in hot pursuit.