Every time I go to Sportsman’s Warehouse I notice they have a smallmouth bass fishing report for the Saluda, Congaree and Broad Rivers on the white board. Has anyone ever caught or have first hand knowledge of any smallmouth being caught in the rivers?
All three reports always have the exact same wording. I can see the Saluda possibly having some smallmouth, but I wouldn’t think the water in the Congaree or Broard is cold enough for them.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
the congaree below lake murry is stocked with rainbow trout. the water comeing off the bottom on lake murry is cold year round. never tried for smallmouths though
green grass and high tides forever
jhp----- Murrells Inlet
I have a friend who lives near the Broad north of Irmo. We regularly catch smallies up to 3# canoeing in the river there. i have some friends at work that have caught a few in the Congaree and Saluda, but most of the ones I have seen have come from the Broad.
Small crankbaits and soft plastics work best.
Too many fish, Too little time!
I used to put my canoe in at Harbison Forest on the Broad when they used to let you and I have caught some bass…but other than that, I’ve never really fished for them much at all… now I’m wondering if they were smallies and I didn’t even realize it.
Tideline, they should be stocking the river (Saluda) with trout pretty soon. Normally toward the end of the year they stock it pretty good. There’s usually a story on the news when they do showing the helicopter dropping them in. The majority of them are pretty small though when they first put them in. I usually wait till about Apr/May to fish for them.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
When I was in undergrad two years ago I would run the Columbia Riverwalk two or three days a week. One evening I got a late start and passed a group of Mexicans on my way back (2.5 mile trail one way) and could have sworn they had a stringer of smallmouth. I was half delirious and around mile 4 so I just shook it off and went home. Two days later I stopped at the (Broad River) dam at the end of the trail and started looking in buckets of the guys fishing and sure enough they were nice smallies. I take a trip to Canada every year to catch them so to find out they were in Columbia… needless to say I was ecstatic. The next day I drove down to the (**() and threw everything I had at them, nada. The following day after talking it over with dad I pulled out an old crawfish crankbait he used to use in the stream in Ohio where he grew up and that was all she wrote. For the next two weeks I would fish in the afternoons every chance I got and the other people of ethnic persuasion would stand at the top of the hill and all start yelling and arguing over if they could have fish I caught. I released all but one. Prob caught one every 20 or so casts. Averaged 4 or 5 per evening. It’s a blast hooking them in the eddies below the dam and then having to chase them down the banks once they get into the main rapids. I haven’t been back in a couple of years but I would highly recommend giving it a try.
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
31’ Contender
Twin 250 HPDIs
I’ve seen postings here and on other boards and even a magazine article or two about Columbia smallies. I’ve read about folks fishing around the Gervais street bridge and on up the Broad river. As a matter of fact Hank Parker did a show last year about smallies on the Broad. He wouldn’t say exactly where he was but he said it was close to his home (He lives in Union). I spent several years fishing smallies on the upper Potomac in Maryland and it was best in the cooler months. Oddly enough the Broad river smallies like it HOT. If you Google “broad river smallmouth” you can find a lot of info.
Thanks, I just saw some of the articles and really want to give it a try now. I hate I can’t put my kayak or canoe in right there at the row club on the river at I20. Apparently that access is only for members of the row club, yet I belive that property is owned by Richland County, which happens to be the county I live in. I’m going to do some checking into that.
In the meantime I am going to check out the dam area Touche is referring to. I work 5 min from there and there’s now a parking area right at that dam you can pull into off Broad River Rd.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
White jerkbait’s and any small crankbait or small rapala in BLUE color.
Unfortunatly it is true about the “undocumented workers” catching over the limit as I have seen and been told by other fish people.
Let me know how you do. I’ve been down there many times walking along the canal with my wife. I usually see folks fishing below the dam on the river side but they’re always bottom fishing and just pulling in catfish.
quote::clown_face:
Originally posted by dinnertime2001White jerkbait’s and any small crankbait or small rapala in BLUE color.
Unfortunatly it is true about the “undocumented workers” catching over the limit as I have seen and been told by other fish people.
SCDNR started stocking smallies in Broad River here in Cherokee County back in the late 70’s. They have made their way down stream ever since. They have even been caught in Lake Monticello. I have caught sveral over 6 lbs below Ninety-Nine Island Dam in Cherokee County.
Thomas Constant RiverratSC Broad River CatmanIt’s all fun and games until they open the trunk.
Try a Yamamoto Double Tail Hula Grub with a bullet head weight - virtually any colors work, but go with the general water color/lure color theme. Just bounce it around on the bottom at various speeds until you find the one they want. Smallies love those things.
Lots of smallies in the Columbia area. I will give up one of my holes only because I have not been able to fish much this year and my interest are elsewhere. Oh, and road construction this year has had the access blocked. There is/was an access point to the broad river below and across from the volkswagon dealership that allowed for small boat access and for canoe/kayak throwin. The access is hard to see and most people miss it. A 4x4 is recommended and you will need to jump the curb at the bottom of the hill about 30 yds past the flashing light but there is a dirt road there with limited parking. You could also park at the corner across from the dealership and walk across the road for non 4x4 people. An alternate put in for canoe/kayak would be the riverfront park accessed just passed the bridge. This requires a short portage and is at the end of the river walk and below the spillway.
Focus on the large rock formations in the middle of the river for smallies. The banks will produce largemouth. It is an easy paddle to the spillway but don’t neglect the areas below the bridge. There is alot of good water between the spillway and I-126