Fishing Report, News

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September 13, 2023

While I was on the water tonight, I saw a nice light cahill hatch sizes 14-18. No rising fish but nice to see some good insect activity, as that is one of the indications of a healthy  river.

September 4, 2023

Recently a man emailed me and said he wanted a "newbie appointment," his words not mine. We found a mutually agreeable time and met and talked for a while and went over some of his questions. Then later that week I had an initial fly tying lesson with another beginner. Some people in the fly fishing business don't like beginners, they ask too may questions and frequently don't buy enough to compensate for the disproportionate time spent, plus often they require more patience. I don't mind beginners and actually help quite a few. I guess after working with semi-interested Boy Scouts on their fly fishing/tying merit badges when my son was a Scout prepares you for beginners. Genuinely interested people who are teachable are fun to work with. 

August 24, 2023

"Reel with Purpose" - sounds like a fishing charity doesn't it? Actually its is a technique I use just about every time I trout fish or striper fish, especially when using a streamer. So what  I do is when I am about to reel in my line to quit fishing or just move to another place and I have too much line out to just let it drag while I move or leave (see the July 8, 2023 post),  I intentionally reel the line in moving the fly and stopping the fly while moving my finger back and forth to evenly distribute the line and leader on my reel. In other words I reel with the purpose of catching a fish while I am reeling the line, I don't just reel quickly and mindlessly but with the intention of catching a fish and being ready to do so. Does it work all the time? No, only about 5% of the time, but I did catch a 20 pound striper 2 years ago while doing this. My friend also caught a nice 28 inch striper 2 years ago doing the same thing on his last cast. It also worked tonight. I usually just point the rod tip and line straight down with the rod tip almost touching the water. However, tonight I did that for a while and then held up the rod tip to about a 75 degree angle and kept reeling. Whether it was the reeling action alone or the reeling and changing of depth in the water, I don't know, but it was more than the 22 inch striper could stand, and s/he ate my size 4 Gervais Gray and kept me from getting skunked. So instead of just mindlessly reeling in your fly, reel with purpose.          

August 22, 2023

Striper season is over right? Try telling that to my friend Mark. We  went fishing, his first time striper fishing and certainly his first time fishing with a spey rod. He used my TFO Deer Creek 13'0 7 wt with a 2.5 foot t10/ 7.5 foot intermediate tip. First we tried the fly he tied (his first fly) but no luck. It was fun, however to watch him casting a size 2 conehead fly about 60 feet on his first outing. About 8:40 we moved then switched to a purple and black rainbow blingmaster. About 10 minutes later he hooked a nice striper in strong current  and had a great fight but broke it off when he had about 15 feet of line outside the tip. How do I know it was a striper you ask? Well if you have caught many nice stripers, you know usually there is a hard hit, then  strong runs and while the fish is running and you are frantically trying to get the excess running line on the reel, the rod moves up and down noticeably; I like to call it the "whump, whump."  No jumping but a lot of strong runs before you even get close to seeing the fish, especially at night. And it takes a big fish to break 15 pound Rio Fluoro 0x tippet. Does he wish he caught it, do I wish he caught it? Yes, but we still had fun, and he had the surreal experience of wet wading and being cold when the air temperature was 90 and doing everything in the dark. Give it a try, there are still a few stripers to caught up and down the Saluda and some big ones and my striper rods, reels lines and tippet are still on sale at 25% off. 

August 9, 2023

Stripers, whiskers, and a sale.

Fished below the zoo last night with my TFO 13'0  7 wt spey rod. Started around 7:35. Started with gray and white hairy legged blingmaster and then switched to chartreuse hairy legged blingmaster, no hits. Around 8:05 added lots of 0x Rio fluro tippet and switched to black hairy legged blingmaster. At 8:21 hooked a nice striper in the strong current, fought if for a while and it slipped the hook. At 8:28 hooked and landed 24 inch striper. At about 8:45 I hooked and landed a 20 incher. Both were on a black hairy legged blingmaster. 

That's the stripers, now for the whiskers . At about 9:15, I hooked and landed about an 18 inch catfish on the same fly. Once again the striper action was hot for about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, I spent too much of that time pulling fish up against the strong current and getting my hooks out of their mouths, since the hook went in one side of the mouth and out the other. Not bending down your barbs means you land more stripers, but it is much harder to get the hook out. Take your choice, but you should always bend the barb down on the hooks for trout. 

So that is the stripers, the whiskers and now for the sale. I decided last night before I went that how many stripers I caught I would reduce my 7and 8 weight rods, 7-9 wt reels, 7-8 wt lines, and striper leaders and tippet. So I am lucky the first one got off, as it saved me 10% and cost you 10%. Just to show you what a nice guy I am, I will let the catfish count as half a striper. What that means is that my 7and 8 weight rods, reels, lines, and striper leaders and tippet are 25% off. Limited to items in stock.

August 3, 2023

There are still stripers around to be caught, but I have been having trouble finding them. Not sure what the issue is, could be that water levels are dropping right during evening fishing (some of my friends swear that they do not catch as many fish when the water is falling), could be over fishing on the river walk (that is what another friend says). For what ever reason, it's slow and the weather is hot, so it is a good time to wet wade. I have wet waded a  couple  of nights and found it to be comfortable, wet but comfortable. Took a friend fishing tonight and caught a nice 16 inch rainbow on a black and green hairy legged blingmaster. Be careful as the water has been hovering between 1550 and 1400 cfs which is a little high for wading, so use a wading staff even if you are wet wading.  

July 18, 2023

Plenty of time to catch stripers as more move up in the Saluda to escape the heat. Striper  Special  buy a rod & reel get a free Rio mainstream fly line (39.99 value). 

July 11, 2023

If you read my post of July 8 about leaving your fly in the water, here is an update. Last night I took the 16 year old grandson of a friend of mine fishing. He was using a 7 weight spey rod for the second time and he was casting size 1 flies 70 feet - see what a spey rod can do for you. Well we tried for about an hour and a half with no hits or any action. I switched to a black blingmaster and told him we were going to move to the head of the pool and to leave about 25 feet of line and leader and fly in the water while we moved. Defying all odds, as we were wading upstream against 1420 cfs, he yells “Mr. Butler I’ve got a fish.” Despite the strong current and with a 23 inch striper on the other end, after an epic battle, I grabbed the line and hand wound it in. Living proof of the maxim “ keep your line in the water.”

July 8, 2023

So, here's the first rule, you cannot catch a fish unless your fly is in the water. Here is the first corollary to the rule, the longer you have your fly in the water, the greater the likelihood you'll catch a fish. Here is the second corollary to the rule, you should figure out how to keep your fly in the water as long as possible. This does not mean that you should keep your fly in the water if doing so may cause you to get hurt, break your rod, or unnecessarily distract you. I am guessing none of us liked logic class, so why all the talk about rules and corollaries. Last night while I was fishing, there was a little action in that there were a few half-hearted strikes but that's about all. I'm not sure if it was the front moving through or what, but it wasn't like normal striper fishing where you worry more about the fish pulling the rod out of your hand than just tapping the fly. I was getting ready to pack up and wade back in and call it a night. It has always been my practice that when I am doing things that allow me to keep the fly in the water, I do that. While I was getting out my headlamp, I left my fly in the water with about 15 feet of line out. Just as I had gotten my Fishpond waterproof pack unzipped and found my headlamp, the rod bent and line started flying out. I finished putting on my headlamp and started fighting the fish. It was a good fish, so I had to change the angle of the rod several times to put pressure on the fish. I finally landed it, and it was a nice 24 inch striper. Now for rule #2. Whenever you catch a fish, you need to remember what you were doing, rinse and repeat. While I was moving upstream, I did as I told my nephews, I left the fly in the water while I was walking, and landed a not so nice striper-a 10 incher. There you are, two rules that may help you land fish when nothing else is working.

June 28, 2023

Water levels fluctuating between 800-1120 cfs. If you are wading at 1120 cfs without a wading staff, use a rod you don't love too much, wear your swim trunks, and hope for the best. Well striper activity is picking up in the catch and release section of the Saluda. Picked up 6 last night, none over 22 inches but who cares, a 20 inch striper in strong current on a fly rod is still a blast. Even split, 2 each on salt slumpbuster, garner's white trash baitfish and articulated black and chartreuse hairy legged blingmaster. Activity was from 8-9. Try different retrieves. 2 were caught while letting the line out, 1 while holding the fly in the current for 30 seconds and the other 3 with your normal retrieve upstream. All 6 were caught between 40 to 100 feet downstream

June 21, 2023

Rain and thunderstorms and high water levels. What's a fly fisher supposed to do when it's the heart of striper season and you can't fish. Here are a few suggestions. Clean your fly line. Honestly when is the last time you cleaned your fly line? A clean line casts easier, shoots farther, lasts longer and floats better. You can strip off 30-50 feet of line in a sink with some dish soap in it, swish it around in the sink, rinse it off and then reel it back on to your reel while letting it run through an old rag. Then treat the line with line coditioner.  Replace your leader and or tippet. Who wants to lose a nice fish for $5. Gently sand your cork grip with fine sandpaper. Sharpen your hooks. If you are not using a Gamakatsu or Kona  hook, it's probably not sharp enough. Check your headlamps.  

June 15, 2023

Just a reminder, this is the last day you can attempt to catch stripers in the Congaree or the Broad. If you catch one in the Congaree or Broad, you must release. You may still attempt to catch stripers in the Lower Saluda, but you must release it. Some let me simplify this, you can only fish for stripers in the Saluda and if you catch one you must release it.

June 8, 2023

For Father’ Day only get 10% off any purchase by cash (sanitized preferred) or check of any in regularly priced in stock item. Sale ends Saturday June 17, so hurry up, come by and pick it up or tell them to let me know that you want a gift certificate. I have never enforced the expiration date on a gift certificate yet. The striper fishing is picking up on the Saluda. The river rocks are slick and there is algae in the river, so be careful wading, take your time and take a wading staff (we have those in stock). Lots of 8 weight rods, reels, lines, tippet, leaders and striper flies in stock and ready to go. Now for the harmonic convergence - Father’s Day and Striper Season on the Saluda. As a Father’s Day Special, buy a striper rod and reel from Fly South and get an 8 weight Rio Mainstream Fly line for FREE  (a $39.99 value). Heck, I will throw in the backing for free. We have the largest selection of 8 weight rods and reels in the area.

June 5, 2023

Well just when you think it will be a while before action picks up in the, this comes along. Not very often and hardly ever on a spey rod. I know some of you wonder "does he catch anything?" "Why doesn't he post pictures?" I usually fish alone, just as I did last night, and I usually don't even try to take a picture if it is less than a 24 inch striper. This fish was different, it peeled off 149 feet of running line, spey head, mow tip and leader and then 100 yards of 30 lb backing, all the while scorching my hand. After finally stopping it, I called my friend and neighbor Ron Tryon at about 9:35, and he came out in the river in the dark and filmed the final struggle, landing and release. Around  34 inches and heavier than my 20 lb dumbbell. Caught it on the Fly South original black hairy legged blingmaster tied on a size 1 Kona Xtra strong stinger hook.  To view a video of the release of the beast go to my facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/flysouthsc/videos/263938812982839

June 5, 2023

Remember as of June 15, you cannot attempt to catch stripers in the Congaree, and it is catch and release only in the Saluda. We have lots of 8 weight rods, reels, lines, tippet, leaders and striper flies in stock and ready to go. So get ready for the harmonic convergence - Father’s Day and Striper Season on the Saluda. As a Father’s Day Special, buy a striper rod and reel from Fly South and get an 8 weight Rio Mainstream Fly line for FREE  (a $39.99 value). Heck, I will throw in the backing for free. We have the largest selection of 8 weight rods and reels in the area.

June 3, 2023

Water level on Saluda has stabilized around 1060 cfs which is at the upper edge of wadeable levels. While most activity is still in Congaree and Broad Rivers, catchable numbers of stripers have moved into the catch and release section of the Saluda. The flies of choice are a Galloup's ... dungeon and a black hairy legged blingmaster.   

May 29, 2023

Water level has dropped in Saluda and is holding steady around 1,050 cfs. Striper action is slowly picking up in the Saluda. Tonight I was once again fishing a the lower section of the Saluda close to where the Broad comes in. Most action still seems to be in the Congaree as most of the boats are staying downstream which is fine with me. I was using my TFO Deer Creek 7 weight 13 foot spey rod with 2.5  foot sinking and 7.5  foot floating tip. Tried several different types and colors of flies. Finally after fishing for over an hour with no success, around 8:25 things started to heat up  just a little. Had one fish take the articulated hairy legged blingmaster and jump about 3 feet out of the water, not sure what it was since it threw the hook but it could have been a trout. Had another hit and then landed a schoolie, all in about 20 minutes. If you read my old fishing reports, you will see I repeatedly say that usually there is about a 30 minute    when the action picks up markedly, you have to be ready for it and make the most of it. The issue is when does it occur. If I knew I wouldn't be doing this. 

May 23, 2023

Water level in the Saluda is holding steady around  1950 cfs. While most of the action is still in the Congaree and Broad, the stripers are moving up the Saluda slowly. Stripers are being taken on the fly at the Millrace and pop up hole,   

May 16, 2023

Harbinger, precursor, forerunner, call it what you want. As you know (if you have been reading) I have been fishing for stripers below the zoo and thus far have caught nothing, nada, zilch, zippo. Well last night I changed that, I caught a striper - just one, an 18 incher, not worth a picture.  I know, I have heard it too - so and so caught 30 at Candi Lane (probably on a spinning rod), so and so caught 10 at Saluda Shoals, x caught 15 below the dam. I can only say what I have done, and it means stripers can now be caught on a fly in the lower Saluda. More will come, they always do, it's just a matter of how many and when. So if you have been waiting, here  you go, if I can do it so can you. We have lots of 8 weight rods, reels and lines, leaders and tippet for stripers  in stock and flies. BTW what fly was I using on my 13 foot TFO 7 weight spey rod, watch the video - a Fly South original, the articulated beastmaster. Plus note the loop in front of the fly, it allows more action than the clinch (improved or otherwise) knot - no extra charge for that tidbit.

May 13, 2023

Striper action is still slow in the Saluda with  most action still being in the Congaree and Broad. Some nice holdover trout are being caught in the catch and release section on copper johns and caddis pupae.

May 4, 2023

Well the river finally dropped from 10,000 to about 1,450 cfs which still a little high to wade in some areas. Some trout are being caught in the catch and release area on copper johns and black wooly buggers (always thought you could catch almost anything including a  coyote on a wooly bugger) with some holdover fish but not in the numbers as in past years. Went striper fishing below the zoo hoping against hope the dropping water would not put the fish off. Got skunked again. I am going to tell you when I do good and when I do bad.  Talked  to a spin fishermen who said he did well when the water was higher and caught fish below the zoo and at Candi Lane on white soft baits, so fish are moving into the lower parts of the Saluda and numbers should increase. Some stripers are still being caught in good numbers at Gervais Street bridge.  

April 22, 2023

Last night I fished the very lowest part of the Saluda below the zoo. I used my TFO Deer Creek 13.5 foot 8 weight spey rod with 10 foot t11 tip. No hits. I know it is still early for the majority of stripers, but thought I would try anyway. While I was fishing, a jon boat pulled up and anchored on the other side of the river and about 50 feet down from me and started fishing with his spinning rod. I was swinging flies but also letting out about 130 feet of line and stripping it back in. He cast across the river and downstream from me and hooked my line; I had to tell him he did. Finally he reels his line almost all the way back in and my line is free. No apology. As Sergeant  Joe Friday would say on Dragnet "Just the facts sir." So why I am telling you this. Well the number of fishermen wading and using boats has greatly increased over just  the past few years and with it more incidents like this. So my question is what should the protocol be when wading fishermen and fishermen in jet boat,  motor boats, kayaks, rafts, etc. intersect?  Go to my facebook page and weigh in. Please be civil, after all in the age of PETA and changing water management, all fishermen, kayakers, etc. need to stick together.

April 21, 2023

Waters is fluctuating between 2,000 - 2,200 cfs in the Saluda. Striper action is still slow in the Saluda and mostly centered in the Congaree around the 77 bridge and in the Broad. Unfortunately,  live bait (not mine) seems to be  the choice of the stripers. It is time to gear up for stripers now, as all they will do is  move upstream. Lots of flies leaders, lines, rods and reels in stock with a whole bunch  of new trout flies just in. If you are in the market for a Fishpond vest or pack, even a waterproof bag, then we are here to help you. Fishpond is not inexpensive but it is not cheap, it is well made and priced fairly. If you have ever taken a swim and had to later empty your entire vest or bag and then still have hundreds of dollars worth of flies rust like I did, then the Fishpond  submersible collection is the answer https://fishpondusa.com/collections/submersible. Wade with confidence with the submersible products (especially if you use a wading staff like I suggest) in the sure knowledge that if you keep the submersible properly sealed, your stuff is safe even if you place last in the 50 meter freestyle.   

April 12, 2023

Are we ready for striper season here at Fly South? What do you think? Look at the picture on the left. We have all kinds of flies that you can actually cast on an 8 weight rod without hurting yourself and that catch fish on the Congaree and Saluda. We have Rio lines, floating and sinking for stripers and striper leaders and tippet. Striper reels and more reels. Unlike your trout reel which usually does not need to have a good drag, your striper reel needs a good drag. Imagine a 10 pound fish in strong current running downstream peeling off line. Don't cheap out on your striper reel. You really need to spend at least $120 to get a good striper reel that has a good drag and holds enough backing for those long runs downstream. We have TFO bvk sd reels, TFO ntr reels, TFO nxt black label reels, Redington Rise reels, Redington Behemoth reels and Redington Run reels in striper size. We also have 6 models of 7 and 8 weight rods to choose from including a 7 weight 12'6" spey rod you can cast. Rods run from $160 up to $349. Most places around here only have one or two 8 weight rods, and you don't get to cast them, and you certainly don't get to cast a spey rod if anyone around here has one. You can walk in cast a rod and leave with an outfit you can fish for stripers with the next day. Want to tie your own striper flies, you can do that, and we can help. We have all types of hooks, materials, flash, eyes, cones, and we will even help you get started.

April 11, 2023

Not to pat myself on the back, but if you are new to striper fishing and want to read some down to earth real tips, then I suggest you read through all all the fishing reports including the continued ones (Cont. 1,2,3). These are my experiences going back to 2019 - the things I did right and the things I did wrong. It may be a little stream of consciousness but I think you will find it helpful.

April 8, 2023

A report from a friend. "Water is high from rain and off color especially below construction sites. Congaree was around 6,900 cfs which is above safe wading range. Some stripers were seen feeding on or below surface at Gervais Street bridge and birds were active.  What they were actually feeding on is a different story. Many sightings but no success." Getting near spawning time which makes fishing more difficult at least for a little while. If you have any fishing reports, feel free to contact me with any details you are willing to share.

April 2, 2023 

Saluda River is holding steady at 1720 cfs which is a little high for wading. Fishing is picking up despite turbidity problems in the Lower Saluda. Trout are being caught in increasing numbers in the catch and release section with a few nice holdovers like we used to have before the no oxygen numbers (not low but no) in September 2020. Size 12 copper johns have been the fly of choice. As to stripers there is good action below the I 77 bridge even down to Sandy Run with the small males leading the way and some over 30 inch fish being caught. Chartreuse and white clouser, lunch box fly and gamechangers (tm) producing. 

March 28, 2023 

I have been affiliated with Saluda TU since I started fly fishing in 1992. During that time, in my personal capacity, and as the owner of Fly South since 1996, I have donated and solicited thousands of dollars worth of stuff to SRTU. Some businesses donate 1-3% of their net profits to charity. Fly South will donate prizes equal to 10% of its gross sales between now and April 21 to the SRTU banquet. So if SRTU members spend $500, Fly South will donate gifts with a value equal to $50;  $1,000 = $100;  $1,500 = $150; $2,000 = you get the picture. The SRTU Banquet is April 28 from 6:30 - 10:00 p.m. here is the link

March 28, 2023

Just in time for tying flies for the upcoming trout and striper season, a new shipment of fly tying stuff from Hareline, Wapsi and Montana Fly. Bucktails, ostrich herl. Hooks by Gamakatsu, Lightning Strike, Kona, Tiemco from size 22 to size 4/0. Eyes - dumbbell, bead chain, mirage 3d stick on eyes. Beads - tungsten and tungsten slotted in all sizes.  Rabbit strips and pine squirrel zonker strips in regular and mini. Marabou and other stuff you have to see to want. 

March 27, 2023

Well it's that time of year again - not what you think - it's tax time ugh. I did my taxes, and lo and behold, in its 26 year history, Fly South  had its best year ever. Thanks! To reward my customers (don't all good businesses do that ?) , I am doing 2 things. First, if you bought anything from Fly South in 2022 and to quote Billy Crystal "you know who you are," come by between now and April 30 and get 15% off your purchase and if you spend $30 or more, you are entered for the big game fly selection pictured at left. There are 14 flies for big game fish and a Morell (not morel that's a mushroom) salt water fly box with magnet closure, all together a retail value of $82. Second, if you did not buy anything from Fly South in 2022,  see what you are missing. You can still come by between now and April 30 and make a purchase of $30 or more and you are eligible to win the big game fly selection and box. I will post the winner's name on the website after April 30. Is this shameless self promotion to get you to come by and see all we have here- sure but do you really  care; you get a great deal and on all our fly tying and fly fishing stuff and a chance to win a nice prize for doing what you were going to do any way - buy stuff for the upcoming trout and striper season. We take cash, check, bitcoin (not really), venmo, visa, mastercard. If you pay by cash or check you get a cash discount, and I don't have to pay the outrageous credit card charge fee.   

March 23, 2023

Water is still low but trout fishing is still slow. Stripers are moving up and are being caught in the upper reaches of the Congaree.

March 22, 2023

As one of the few authorized Rio dealers in Columbia, we have access to all Rio lines including specialty lines and direct access to the Rio inventory records to see what is available and what is out of stock. If you want  any Rio line,  leader or tippet, just let us know and we can get it.       

March 21, 2023

Water is still low and clearing after periodic rain. A few stockers are being taken on size 10 gray wet fly fished dead drift.

March 17, 2023

A few rising fish spotted, not sure what was hatching but maybe spring has sprung. 

March 5, 2023

Still not a lot stocking being done, so action is slow. Some sz 24 gray midges and sz 16 brown caddis were hatching pm, but no rising fish 

December 20, 2022

DNR stocked some fishable trout in the Lower Saluda. Not many holdover fish being caught. Streamers are a good bet. Cover some water and when you catch a fish stay there a while, because if there is one stocker there are probably others. As conditions stabilize, more fish will be stocked.

December 14, 2022

Season Greetings fly fishermen and fly tiers, 

Here are some suggestions of things Fly South has available and in stock (at least 1) and able to be in your hand or your spouse’s hand by Christmas if you are willing to pick it up. It is hard to get a lot of things due to Covid and supply chain problems, and that does not even address the rapid increase of prices due to inflation. But we recently stocked up on lots of fishing and tying items. Fly South has lots of flies, leaders, tippet, rubber nets,  tools, rods, reels, Fishpond vests and waterproof sling packs, and fly tying materials in stock. We sold out of all our TFO Blue Ribbon  rods, but more are in. As one customer of mine who is an engineer said after casting several rods and buying the Blue Ribbon, "It punches well above its weight." Another customer who guided in Wyoming said he preferred the Blue Ribbon's feel to more expensive rods. This year for the first time, Fly South is selling a Saluda Trout Fly Selection. I talked to several people who fish the Saluda and got their suggestions and added my own. The selection comes with 4 dry flies, 3 streamers,  5 nymphs, and a Redington WATERPROOF fly box ($14.99 value). The retail value is $40.77. The price is $31.99.  There is also a 10 fly Saluda Striper selection including Gervais Gray, various other clousers, Goblin, beastmasters, a hairy legged blingmaster, and others, along with a Redington WATERPROOF fly box ($14.99 value). The retail value is  $49.00. The price is $40.99. BTW striper flies use more expensive hooks, materials and take longer to tie = more money$$. First come first served. We also have beginner kits with the rod, reel, case, line, leader and backing from TFO and Redington. It may be too late to get some items sent via ups fedex or whoever, but you can still get it in time from me.  See picture for an idea of just part of our inventory. 

Please do not get a rod for Christmas without casting it first. That is the number one mistake I see people make. Believe it or not even beginners can tell the difference between what they like and what they do not with a rod. The only true way to tell if a rod is best for you is to cast it and to cast some other ones.   

We are pleased to be selling Temple Fork and Redington rods and reels. These are two of the premier names in value fly rods. The painstaking craftsmanship is revered among knowledgeable fly fishermen. Each rod and blank comes with a great warranty for repair or replacement, for the original owner regardless of cause. I really like the number of models offered at a reasonable price and their warranty service is superb, based on my own experience and that of my customers!

Visit Temple Fork at https://tforods.com/product-category/fly-fishing

Visit Redington at https://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-rods

I have to tell you, the most fun I have had fly fishing in a long time is spey fishing. It is not well known around here, but you are missing out! I have caught over 400 fish (including smallies, a catfish and garfish) on my spey rods over the last few years and it is a blast! If you are not a good traditional caster, well get lessons from Dermon, but you can also try spey casting. Spey casting lets you throw large flies a long way, fish with trees close behind you, and let out lots of line to cover lots of water, if you are a little foolhardy like I am, you can cast a 1/0 fly with a size 6 dropper. You can be fishing with a spey rod in a lot less time than you think and casting 40-60 feet quicker than you thought. Order and buy a TFO or Redington spey or switch rod from me and get 10% off and I’ll throw in a 30 minute free spey casting lesson. I have a couple of spey rods myself, so you can try before you buy, who else lets you do that with spey rods?? Spey rods will be special order and will not be in time for Christmas. 

  Check out our Montana Fly Co. products 

We are also an authorized Rio Dealer, so we have Rio products in stock and can order anything Rio makes if you need something specialized. Visit Rio at https://farbank.com/pages/rio and prepare to be overwhelmed.  Also because we are a Rio Dealer, we are selling all out Scientific Angler and Cortland Fly lines, leaders and tippet at 30% off. First come first served.

Lots of fly tying materials you can’t find anywhere else in Columbia including Hareline products www.hareline.com 

Download the Hareline app on Apple App Store or Google Play it is great!!

Wapsi products together with the expertise to tell you how to use them.

Speaking of fly tying, you know the worst part about tying flies with beads - it’s tying flies with beads. Really the beads can be frustrating. If you drop them they roll who knows where, you need to find the small hole to thread through the hook point first, etc. etc. Well say hello to my little friend - the Beadzer. The Beadzer is a pair of tweezers but tweezers like you probably don’t have. I know I did not until recently and the Beadzer has made tying with beads so much easier. With the reverse action, you just squeeze the Beadzer and the arms open up you just put the open arms around the bead and release the tension and the bead is held in the two round indentions in the arms. Hint: If you put your beads in a shallow jar top or top of a round fly container or similar flat top with sides, then usually the bead will roll so that either the small hole or the larger hole is upright. Just put the Beadzer on each side of the bead and pick it up by letting tension off and there you are. The bead is held with the holes on the bottom and top. Just thread the hook through while the bead is secured in the Beadzer then squeeze and the bead is released. It sounds complicated but it is not.  Speaking of beads - we have lots of brass, tungsten, and tungsten slotted beads in stock in the traditional gold, silver and copper colors as well as other colors too!

We have Kona hooks, mustad hooks, tiemco hooks, daiichi hooks, Gamakatsu hooks, lightning strike hooks in sz 24 to 3/0 including some 100 packs that no one wants to sell any more, because they save you too much money.  

We have loon uv in stock. If you want to see what uv can do for you, come on by.  You can even look at some perdigon nymphs. Perdigon nymphs are a great place to start tying flies, there are not many materials in each fly and the techniques are easy and they catch so many fish some people think they are unfair!

If you are thinking about taking up fly tying this year and want to get started with a Christmas gift, go to FAQ on my website and read about taking up fly tying. It is a good primer even if I say so myself. 

We also have local and traditional striper flies in stock and the materials necessary to tie striper flies along with free advice on how to catch stripers on the fly. 

Come see fly patterns that really work on the Saluda, the South Holston and in N.C. We have Coffey flies (that’s right Coffey flies in Columbia), slumpbusters, hairy legged blingmasters, beastmasters, goblins, squirmy wormies, Navy Diver, mop flies, the Disjointed Stone, the evil weevil (had 2 big Saluda rainbows break me off on evil weevils in 20 minutes), galloup streamers, micro gamechangers, the top producing fly here and almost everywhere the Higa' s SOS,  and others which are not available anywhere else (cause some are local patterns). 

Selection of Kelly Galloup streamers in stock 30% off - You never see Galloup flies on sale 

Selection of Micro Gamechngers in stock 20% off - You never see these on sale either

https://flymenfishingcompany.com/collections/the-blane-chocklett-signature-fly-collection

Why we even have a Flymen Fly tester so you can see how the streamers work under water.

Just for the Christmas 20% off any Fishpond item in stock, you never see Fishpond stuff on sale, especially the waterproof bags. https://fishpondusa.com/product

Why buy local? Let me tell you a story. I was at a SRTU cookout, and Keith sent a guy over to me with a problem (Keith does that a lot for some reason, but that’s ok). Well this guy bought a rod, reel and line outfit from Orvis, and the reel was the wrong hand retrieve (he did not know that). Well it was not my problem, but I felt sorry for him. I changed the retrieve, pulled out all the fly line and backing and then reeled it all back on the reel and gave it back to him. Don’t know his name, but he was lucky someone was willing to help him with a problem an online retailer caused and at no charge. You might not be so lucky. It does not really cost much more to buy local, especially if you are getting the TU discount below and only paying 7% sales tax with me in West Columbia. I’ve been focusing on customer service and courtesy since 1996! 

One last suggestion. A lot of times your wife, children call me and ask what I think you want for Christmas or Father’s Day or your birthday. Call me at 803-466-8162 or e mail me and let me know what you really want for Christmas, so I can give your loved ones an informed recommendation and you can get what you really want!!! Don’t wait too late or if you do then ask for a gift certificate instead. One guy sheepishly brought in a gift certificate one year after the expiration date and I honored it. Why not?

Cash, personal check, Credit cards and venmo accepted. TU Members get 5% off total purchase excluding sale items if paying by cash or check.  Call 803- 466-8162 and set up a time to come by or e mail johnbbutleriii-flysouth@yahoo.com for more information.

Johnny Butler

Fly South, LLC

1722 McSwain Drive

West Columbia, S.C. 29169

December 6, 2022

Well the water is still high and we are all waiting on the lake to turn over and DNR to stock. In the meantime, Christmas is on its way. A  few notes. Fly South has lots of flies, leaders, tippet, rubber nets,  tools, rods, reels Fishpond vests and waterproof sling packs, and fly tying materials in stock. We sold out of all our TFO Blue Ribbon  rods , but more are on the way. As one customer of mine who is an engineer said after casting several rods and buying the Blue Ribbon, "It punches well above its weight."  Another customer who guided in Wyoming said he preferred the Blue Ribbon's feel to more expensive rods. This year for the first time, Fly South is selling a Saluda Trout Fly Selection. I talked to several people who fish the Saluda and got their suggestions and added my own. The selection comes with 4 dry flies, 3 streamers,  5 nymphs, and a Redington WATERPROOF fly box ($14.99 value). The retail value is $40.77.  The price is $31.99.  There is also a 10 fly Saluda Striper selection including Gervais Gray, Goblin, beastmasters and a hairy legged blingmaster along with a Redington WATERPROOF fly box ($14.99 value). The retail value is  $49.00. the price is $40.99.  First come first served. 

November 12, 2022

Winter doldrums (even if it is still fall). I guess that is what it is. People are calling me and texting me and e mailing me asking: "Is anyone catching anything around here?" My answer, "Not really." Striper season is essentially over. It  has been a long time since trout were stocked and with the mortality rate for trout so high with striper predation, poaching, high water temperatures and low oxygen, the numbers of trout are at the lowest point of the year. Everyone is waiting for the thermocline in the lake to turn over, so DNR can stock hopefully sometime in December as in  years past. So if you are not doing well on  the Saluda don't feel bad, many people are in the same driftboat. What can you do? Go to the mountains or the coast, learn to tie flies and start tying for when things pick up,  order the fly tying materials you need i.e. want, work on your casting, get your gear ready, spend time with your fishing widow, etc. If you want to learn to tie flies, perdigon trout patterns are a great place to start. There are not a lot of materials, the techniques are not complicated, the uv glue covers up a lot of mistakes, and the perdigon flies catch  fish everywhere including the Saluda.

September 3, 2022

There are still a few stripers to be caught, focus on places with current dropping into deeper water. Black hairy legged blingmaster and size 4-6 purple and white clouser have been the best flies. Some trout being caught on sz 16 olive caddis emerger, just make sure to land your fish asap and revive them as quickly as possible.

August 15, 2022

Well, hot weather, low water levels, low dissolved oxygen, high water temps, I guess that is what the problem is. The striper and trout action has been SLOW. Don't get me wrong, there are still trout and stripers to be caught, just look to your left, it's just you get skunked more often and you catch fewer fish. A gray and white hairy legged blingmaster has been best for the time before dark and then a black beastmaster or black hairy legged blingmaster after dark. Vary your retrieve as you do not know what will work and when. Don't leave too early, almost all the action is after 8 p.m.