I’m gonna try to make a trip up to Cola to look for some smallies in October/early November. Anyone have any tips for fishing that area? Lures, what part of the river, which River?
Any advice is appreciated, haven’t caught a smallie in years.
In Columbia, fish the Broad River and the transition area with the Saluda. The shoal area below Columbia Dam is excellent now that most of the flow has been returned to the natural channel. This is a wade fishing or canoe/kayak area. Smallies can be caught downstream of this area, but the best SMB fishing is above Rosewood landing (the one by the football stadium). Mike McSwain can put you on some fish from a canoe; Good Guide and good company. The Saluda is primarily trout water this time of year, but SMB will hang out where it meets the Broad. This is a good wade fishing area. Baits? Hard to beat a Mepps black fury as a consistent producer. This time of year the topwater bite should be starting. Also, 4" Sinkos are also a favorite of several of my friends. Good luck.
X2 on Mike McSwain. Went fishing with him last week and he put me on lots of nice smallies up to 4 lbs. Fish hit mainly Zoom Ultra Vibe Craws and a Scrounger bait I had never heard of before.
I wish I could hire him. I’ve heard a lot of good things but a guide is hard to do for a college kid haha
What color plastics, if you don’t mind my asking
They were hitting the standard crawdad colors with some green/chartreuse mixed in. I’ve had good success in the lower Broad/upper Congaree using various crawdad crankbaits.
Thanks for all the advice.
As far as fishing the river, would I be better off wading around public access areas or should I put my kayak in upriver and fish down the river?
You can either wade or use a kayak. Both can be effective. If I’m kayaking I normally paddle upriver from where I put in just in case the water comes up unexpectedly.
Anyone have a suggestion for which flies to throw?
The only smallie I’ve ever caught on a fly was by accident when I was striper fishing. It hit a red and white clouser. If you could find a streamer that imitated a crawfish I’m sure that would work.
Drove up to the river Friday, stayed till Sunday. Only got 5 little smallies and maybe 10 largies. Maybe it’ll happen next time
Going back up that way for thanksgiving. Is the area around Harbison state forest worth fishing?
It should be. Definitely doesn’t receive much pressure. Are you talking about putting in a kayak at Harbison? If so you have to get a permit from forestry commission headquarters. They will give you a combination to the lock so you can access the landing. If the Broad is low the creek the landing is on will be nothing but mud. Use waders.
The smallies will be moving to wintering waters soon so if you can’t find any aggressive feeding fish near the shallows/rapids, look for slack deep pockets preferably with some good boulders and chunk rock nearby. Throw jigs (I like the 1/4oz Strike King Finesse football in natural craw colors), weightless fluke-style baits, crankbaits (diving depth dependent upon the depth you’re fishing) in natural bait fish and crawfish patterns, and suspending jerkbaits. A good buddy of mine likes throwing a 3/8oz 4-blade spinnerbait and does VERY well.
In the future, where every stranger poses a potential threat, knowing the predator mindset is the only safe haven.
Xpress H20B Bay Series
Yamaha 115 SHO
Im thinking about dropping the canoe in the water tomorrow at the cayce landing and trying around the water treatment plant. has anyone been out there with any success lately?
Mechanic, the Cayce ramp is still closed pending repairs. I talked with a person from the city of Cayce who told me it should be open in a couple months.
yeah i found that out he hard way, i got up at 530am road all the way out there, and wasnt happy.
are there any other boats ramps around that area that are open?
Yeah, the Rosewood Dr.landing in Cola. is open. It’s about a mile or so upriver from Cayce ramp.