Anglers rig up with Carolina rigs, count baits down to the desired depth with measured strips against the rod and then put all rods in holders. However, two years ago, the number of stripers in the mix was more than doubled in response to a high angler interest in catching more stripers and especially more big stripers. Spend time knowing the mechanics of the gear and becoming accurate with casting ability,” says Mike. In the spring, large numbers of striped bass migrate up the Congaree River to spawn. Congaree River is a stream located just 10.6 miles from Saint Matthews, in Richland County, in the state of South Carolina, United States, near Wiles Crossroads, SC. Dragonflies don’t hatch in March. You can also tie off to the towers. under the Gervais Street bridge on Columbia side. He actually took the time to teach a couple of us how to tie flies and even took us to a local trout stream. A third effective approach is controlled-depth trolling, but this requires either downriggers or lead-core lines and is quite specialized. Let's face it, there's a lot we can learn and share from one another like what bait or lure is generating the best results. On Lake Hartwell, virtually all serious summer striper fishing is done with live bait, and most anglers favor blueback herring. Anglers focus on the lake's main body and the mouths of lower-lake creeks and fish close to the thermocline. Outside: clear … Known as primarily insect eaters, trout have many more options for potential food throughout the year. Kayak Fishing the Congaree River - Video April was a good month on the Congaree River in Columbia, SC even though I was only able to get out there 2 times. “Fly-fishing calls for more dedication to throwing what you’re throwing, and more skill in making adjustments, like in changing from floating line to sinking line. off bank. So grab a rod and go find the shell. A lot of anglers use bucktails or grubs on leadheads, according to Hayes. REMINDER: The striped bass fishing season for the Santee River System has ended. It was. Lake Thurmond is an extremely popular night-fishing destination during late summer, and that should remain unchanged. A place to share photos, ideas and information of the Striped Bass community in our local rivers. There is something uniquely appealing about water, from the sound of its gurgling to the aquatic life it offers and the enjoyable sports it provides. One major difference between Lake Hartwell and Lake Thurmond is that substantial stands of timber were topped off but not cleared when Hartwell was impounded in 1952. This is a great birding destination. Congaree River Fishing Reports Recently shared catches and fishing spots. Ryan called at 9:30 to ask about our water. Shoreline fishermen often use surf-casting gear to make long casts into the swift water, usually with artificial lures. These factors, combined with the surrounding topography and rock outcrops similar to mountain streams and the heavily wooded landscape, make the Lower Saluda River corridor an outstanding natural resource within the urban environment of metropolitan Columbia. Going the Distance - Boaters can run the entire Lower Saluda through its confluence with the Broad River by taking out at landings on the Congaree River. We've got you covered. Other Options: On the Congaree River, cool water and shoals hold some “spring run” Santee Cooper stripers all summer. Bass, catfish, bream, crappie and others can be caught in Cedar Creek or in oxbow lakes. The Saluda River is well-known for rainbow and brown trout fishing and is rife with striper as they move from the upper Congaree River towards Lake Murray dam. Bass, catfish, bream, crappie and others can be caught in Cedar Creek or in oxbow lakes. It comes down to a matter of matching the size, color and shape of the most abundant insects with an artificial fly and then presenting them to the fish based on where the live samples were collected. I quietly lowered the trolling motor into the water and sneaked up to the place I planned to begin fishing. "is that a PERSON?!" They will be the conservationists of these amazing waters when we’re gone,” he says. Josh drake. The stocking proportion is seven stripers to eight hybrids. We offer Full and half day trips on the Saluda and Congaree river for trout striper and smallmouth. Partners for the Lower Saluda Scenic River Project serve on a local advisory council, which represents local landowners, river users, community interests, and SCDNR. As the bait bounces along the river bottom, keep the line tense and anticipate gentle strikes; Set the hook at the first sensation of a strike; Fishing striped bass from shore. Mud Hole makes rod-building simple and fun for novice rod builders. “One of my favorite quotes that sums this up pretty well is from Heraclitus: ‘No man steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he is not the same man,’” says Jake. I spun the boat to face down river and we followed the striper. South Carolina striper fishing regulations Division of Natural resource. N.W.S. McConnell caught his record fish on a live herring while drifting in the lower end of the lake. A World Class Fishing Location. Most fishing rods feature both an action and a power rating, but what do those ratings mean and how do you use them to select the right rod for different scenarios? As part of the dam re-licensing process a few years ago, Duke Energy did significant work improving access to the tailwater. Current Temp: 32 Max Temp: 35.01 Min Temp: 32. Yes. Both anchoring and drifting will catch fish, and fishing 35-50 feet down over humps in 50-85 feet of water is most effective. If no wind is blowing, they will use their trolling motors to "create a drift.". From the beginning of April until midway through May is one of my favorite times of the year. In South Carolina, only the Santee-Cooper reservoirs have suitable tributary rivers, the Congaree and Wateree, to meet their spawning needs. The more secluded Broad River is a world class smallmouth fishery, and Lake Monticello is known as a good largemouth, catfish, and smallmouth fishery. If those times won’t work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising. All of the park creeks and lakes are open, for fishing with a South Carolina State License, except for Weston Lake. Enjoy the thrill of catching big striped bass on Lake Murray, located in central South Carolina. When I was guiding, one of my mottos was, ‘Let the river tell you what to fish.’”. May 2011 Striper Fishing Saluda/Congaree River - www.PalmettoKayakfishing.com A typical sized striper caught in May on the Saluda/Congaree in the heart of Columbia, SC. The fry continues to drift down stream with the yolk attached for a few more … It takes a lot of practice and patience, but more fish are caught close to the angler with good drifts than long casts with poor floats, and that all comes down to casting. Anglers look for baitfish and stripers on the graph in the late afternoon or evening in order to identify a general area, and then they anchor over a point in that area that stretches out to the main channel. All Rights Reserved. Mud Hole MHX Rod Building Kits: Field-Tested, The South's Best Waters for Trophy Catfish, Southwestern Venison Chorizo Quiche Recipe, Southern-Style Fried Shellcrackers Recipe, 10 Best Long-Range Rifle Cartridges Ever Made, Understand How to Use Scrapes to Locate Whitetails, Get On Board: Species 101 for Beginning Anglers, Amazing Kayak Power and Control: Hobie's MirageDrive 360 Propulsion System, 240 Pounds! Take river samples and identify flies. It’s only 50 miles long, but the Congaree is many rivers in one. It is estimated that by the 15th century, the British used rods of approximately 14 feet with a twisted horsehair line attached at its tips. Flailing, no kayak, not Here are some extreme examples — crayfish don’t swim on the surface. Caught by Terry McConnell of Eastanolee, Georgia, the huge fish weighed 59 pounds, 8 ounces. This surface schooling can be an excellent way to locate bass in the Congaree River, and even during the summer you can expect to run into some striper action as well. does the striper still run the Congaree river and does anybody fish for them. That fact acknowledged, this lake and its tailwater create a very good late-summer destination because most of the lake's fish are concentrated in the waters near the Buzzards Roost Dam and a second opportunity exists immediately below the same dam in the Saluda River. A Tailored Experience for All. Rivers are great for catfish, but remember to check regulations before hitting the water, not only for fishing regulations, but also for precautions for fishing near dams or other facilities. One basic rule to keep in mind is that trout are primarily insect eaters and tend to feed in the faster water riffles; therefore the flies used on the Saluda will be much smaller imitating the local aquatic insects. The fly fishing world is abuzz about wild rainbow trout in the lower Saluda River at Columbia, S.C. It’s a wonder those trout survive a massive invasion of trout-eating stripers each spring and summer. 319 likes. For Mike, depth and weight are everything. “The Saluda is a Southern gem,” says Jake. The best fishing, most anglers agree, occurs when one or two turbines are turning. “The Saluda is … I told him that we had clear water and caught a striper. You just have to keep a decent load in the rod against the fish and hope the striper runs out of steam or turns on its own before you run out of line. Give it a try this summer. I love the artistry of tying flies and the satisfaction of catching a fish on my own creations; I love reading the water and figuring out where the fish are and what they want to eat each day.”, Jake Howard, one of the top performers on the Team Stonefly Competitive Fly-Fishing Roster and a local fly-fishing guide, says he too started fishing with his father before his earliest memory. 1; Details; Dec 16, 2018 Dontay Fanning 0. Fishing Congaree NP You can easily get hooked on fishing at Congaree National Park. From its origin at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda rivers near the Piedmont fall line in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, to its remote, bottomland terminus at Congaree National Park, the Congaree offers a distinct diversity of rich history, varied wildlife and remarkable habitat linking South Carolina’s largest city to its largest wilderness. In the spring, the braun female stripers swim up the Congaree river, to the Saluda river where they spawn in Columbia. This is when the striped bass, or striper, begin their run up the Congaree River in an attempt to spawn. off bank. A narrow band of barely suitable habitat remains in the deepest waters near the dam, right around the thermocline. MAY - COBIA: BEAUFORT COUNTY. Blue Catfish with a chicken liver . Jake mainly fishes the Saluda River for trout and striped bass and the Broad and Congaree Rivers for smallmouth bass. Miscellaneous . River fishing involves a certain amount of risk, so always keep safety in mind by wearing PFDs and never taking chances just to catch a fish. “One can catch trout all the way up to tarpon on fly gear as long as the fish are not too deep. Congaree/Saluda Striper Report. upstream from Lake Murray in a spawning attempt. The Cumberland River has produced some of the biggest Stripers known to man. Sunrise Fishing Guide Service uses only top-of-the-line fishing equipment. “I also enjoy fishing a small nymph about 2 or 3 feet below a popping bug fly. While the bulk of the fishing is done from the banks, anglers also can hand-launch canoes or small johnboats below the dam and drift downstream to the Highway 39 bridge at Chappells. 323 likes. The fishing forecast published by the Georgia DNR suggested that average striper sizes are smaller on Lake Hartwell than on Thurmond, but that it also offers outstanding trophy-fish potential. “What I mean is, no matter what type of tackle you use, the fish are going to be in a certain type of water and cover based on time of year, water and weather conditions. These factors, combined with the surrounding topography and rock outcrops similar to mountain streams and the heavily wooded landscape, make the Lower Saluda River corridor an outstanding natural resource within the urban environment of metropolitan Columbia. Similar to Lake Thurmond, Lake Hartwell is a large reservoir that offers abundant striper habitat through most of the year. For schooling stripers, most fishermen will start out throwing topwater plugs. “Being at a low altitude and latitude, it’s somewhat of an anomaly. Dec 23, 2016 - Congaree River. Fishing for bream, large mouth bass and striped bass is a popular hobby. Again, the lake's main body and the lower ends of major creeks are the key areas for looking for fish. The fly fishing world is abuzz about wild rainbow trout in the lower Saluda River at Columbia, S.C. It’s a wonder those trout survive a massive invasion of trout-eating stripers each spring and summer. The two lakes are impoundments of the Congaree River between Columbia and Charleston. It's also loaded with forage, including blueback herring, threadfin shad and gizzard shad, and it is heavily stocked with stripers and hybrids by the South Carolina and Georgia departments of natural resources. NOTE: public access for river use (paddling, fishing, swimming) is no longer provided from the Zoo parking lots. Map of Congaree River. This includes the Broad River below the Columbia Canal diversion dam and the entire Congaree River. Traditionally, the best midsummer fishing on Lake Thurmond has been in the upper third or so of the lake, along the main-river channel, because of the cooling influence of the Richard B. Russell Dam tailwater. Jake mainly fishes the Saluda River for trout and striped bass and the Broad and Congaree Rivers for smallmouth bass. He recommends fishing the Saluda fall, winter and spring for trout and then all three rivers in the warmer months to catch smallmouth and stripers. Buddy Bouknight offers guided striper fishing trips for every level of fisherman or fisherwoman! Like Thurmond, Hartwell gets stocked with 16 fish per acre, but in Hartwell's case, six of every 16 are stripers. Subscriber Services. There is much to ex… The report mentioned several "monsters" having been caught last year and predicted more of the same this year. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) Regulations. It yields some 40-pound-plus fish every year and, in fact, coughed up some trophies early this spring. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. An excellent producer of stripers, including trophies over 40 pounds. However, research done with marked fish has shown that a separate striper population stays in the river year 'round. Typically the better Striper fishing is found in the Tennessee section of the river, though you can find some downstream from the dam in Kentucky, closer to the state border. The Hobie MirageDrive 360 pedal propulsion system is the pinnacle of kayak control with more efficient fin designs, glide technology and allows the boat to be moved in any direction. Fishing Congaree River, SC on 12/2/2020 will be best from 12:00AM through 12:00AM, and from 12:00AM to 12:00AM. Saturday morning I was wade fishing (barely wade fishing like 6 feet off the bank due to CFS) below Gervais St. and as we walked to change spots, with the river raging and freezing, and no rocks showing. Saluda Valley Guides LLC is a fishing guide service in Columbia, South Carolina. This guide will put you on three of the top destinations for dog-days stripers. Because of commercial pump-back operations through Russell Dam, however, the water in the tailwater will not stay as cool this summer, and that refuge area will probably be lost. Want to test the outer limits of your shooting skill? That means that about the time you set the hook into one fish, a couple more rods may be about to dart down. Tom recommends one way of finding out what the fish are eating on a given day is to use a fine mesh seine to collect samples of the aquatic insects washed into the net from under the rocks and vegetation. "The tailwater area probably offers the best and most popular striper fishing in this area," said Gene Hayes, a regional fisheries biologist for the SCDNR. All you have to do is watch a skilled caster double-haul 80 feet of line or watch someone tie a fly.”. Late spring to early summer is prime time for catching big cobia, with much of the best fishing occurring in the Beaufort/Hilton Head area. Paddlers can enjoy 20 miles of the Congaree River Blue Trail within Congaree National Park, as well as camping, hiking, fishing, birding, and nature study.