September 26, 2021
Well perhaps due to a drop in ambient temperature or better do levels in the Saluda over the last several days, the trout fishing has picked up a little. As always the Higa's SOS is working and so are caddis dries at around a half hour before sunset. Green mayfly nymphs are also good searching patterns along with rainbow micro gamechanger (tm). Water is holding steady at around 1090-1120 cfs.
August 11, 2021
Water has been low (around 750 cfs) for a few days. If you have not read earlier posts in the fishing reports, you may pick up some helpful hints by doing. For example, in an earlier post I told you about a technique to remember. When you are getting ready to reel in for the last time, don't just mindlessly reel it in as fast as you can. Reel, wiggle the rod, stop, reel wiggle the rod, stop, rinse and repeat. This only works about 5% of the time. However it worked like a charm tonight. About half way in I hooked and landed an approximately 15 pound striper on an olive articulated slumpbuster tied on a size 4 Kona super strong stinger hook. Quite a tussle on my 8 weight rod but worth it! So remember to make that last reeling in one with a purpose and be ready to set the hook before you call it a day or night or what ever.
July 31, 2021
Rain is still sporadic with thunderstorms. Water is around 880 cfs on Saluda, clarity is variable, and there is still a lot of algae in the water making it hard to keep the fly clean. Striper action is still slow. My records show a 45% decrease from last year at this time. Articulated slumpbusters tied on saltwater or big game hooks in sizes 4 and 6 with weedguards have been the best flies. Fog has been bad at night so be careful.
July 27, 2021
Rain has been sporadic and so have the thunderstorms. Water clarity has suffered due to runoff, algae is still bad. The moisture has caused a lot of fog on the Saluda. Picked up 3 small stripers during the 35 minute window between 7:50 and 8:25. Two on articulated slumpbuster and one on black beastmaster. Glad I had my wading staff, since the fog made seeing anything difficult even with a headlamp.July 26, 2021Striper fishing is slow but steady in the Saluda with water holding 875-900 cfs. Black beastmaster is the best fly right now and activity is slow until the 30 minute window. When is the window - well that is the question isn't it? Could be any time from late afternoon until the early a.m. The trick is to be there and be ready when it comes. For me it has been between 7:30 and 9 and for about 20-30 minutes sometime during that span.
July 15, 2021
Water is holding around 875-930 cfs, water clarity is average, but there is still algae in the water. Landed a 23 inch striper with algae on his head, and algae on the leader knots. This is a good time to use a leader with as few knots as possible. Striper activity is still a little slow, and you have to watch for evening thunderstorms. The flies which are working are a size 6 gervais gray , a size 6 purple and white clouser and best of all a black beastmaster at dark.July 10, 2021Striper activity is picking up in the Saluda, even though most activity is in the lower parts of the river. Size 6 purple and white clouser, size 4 island girl clouser and size 4 black beastmaster are the most productive flies. Some insect activity and a few rising trout around dark.
July 1, 2021
Fished last night in between the rain and during the surreal fog. Striper activity has picked up a little but still is not up to the levels of past years. Size 2 Island Girl Clouser and size 4 black hairy legged blingmaster flies worked with the blingmaster getting the most action. Still having to put out a lot of line to get bites which makes it harder to get a good hook set. Algae has picked up significantly probably due to warmer weather and more fertilization of yards on Lake Murray. Dumbbell eyed patterns like Clousers and larger hooks pick up more algae than conehead flies and smaller hooks. Also if your flies have fragile materials like fine rubber legs of thin flash materials, it is easier to tear up those parts of the fly while removing the algae. Still a pain no matter what you use. Best action started around 8:45 to 9:10 p.m. A few more holdover trout are being taken during the day.
June 23, 2021
Water was around 1400 but later dropped to 950 where it has stayed. Water clarity is excellent. Striper and trout activity is still a little slow. Picked up 2 stripers 1 on white circus peanut and 1 on black blingmaster along with another hookup on the blingmaster. Only action was while line was going out or being held still and swinging June 16, 2021A little more trout and striper activity in the Saluda. Blue wing olives and black streamers are working on trout (a little) and White Circus pnut variation and chartreuse and white clousers are producing a little action on stripers.
June 1, 2021
People call, text and e mail asking where are the stripers in the Saluda? I was wondering the same and asked a DNR biologist. He said there are stripers spread out in the Saluda, but the water is still cold in the lower reaches of the Saluda and the Congaree, so there is not the same urgency for the stripers to move up from warmer water in the usual numbers yet. Take a look at the attached usgs temperature chart for April 15, 2020 - May 31, 2020 and the chart for the same period in 2021. In May 2020 the water was never below 55 and was as high as 58.9. In May 2021 water was often below 55 and no higher than 57. Maybe that is it. There are also a lot more boats on the Saluda - covid? Be patient, get your gear ready and pick up fish in the Saluda and the Congaree (until 6/15) and I will keep you posted.
May 27, 2021Water is cold!! Picked up 3 small stripers on black beastmaster below zoo.
May 23, 2021
Saluda at 850 cfs. Water clarity has diminished a bit. Striper activity is abnormally slow in the Saluda for this time of year. Maybe low flows? Picked up 1 18 inch schoolie on olive articulated slumpbuster tied on saltwater hook.
May 18, 2021
Water dropped to 850 cfs on Saluda and water clarity is great. Picked up 2 stockers euro nymphing with sz 6 caddis larvae and the always reliable Higa's SOS. Still not many fishing rising to insects and not much striper activity in Saluda yet.
May 15,2021
Water up to 2,700 cfs - hard wading. Trout (including a few holdovers) being caught on tungsten flash nymphs and bwo emergers. While some fish are taking insects on top, no real dry fly action yet. If you want to try dries use a sz 14 light cahill or a size 18 parachute adams.
May 13, 2021
Water has been around 4,000 cfs since rain on Wednesday. Levels dropped rapidly this afternoon but it took a while for the water levels to drop downstream (a reading of 1,000 cfs at the usgs station below the dam does not mean it is 1,000 where you are fishing right away, so be careful). Water clarity good but water was 54 degrees and no wet wading going on. Fished with TFO Deer Creek 13'0 7 wt spey rod due to limited back cast room. Used intermediate mow tip. Started around 7 pm and tried blue and whiter beastmaster with mini gamechanger dropper, tried purple and white island girl clouser, tried white circus pnut. No hits. Switched to black non-articulated hairy legged blingmaster at around 8 and hooked fish at 8:32. Landed 27 inch striper (see pic) Stripers are in the Saluda even as high up as I-20 bridge but no large numbers yet. Stripers are still being caught in Congaree on tutti fruitti clousers.
April 23, 2021
Water back to wadeable levels and clarity is good. Very few holdover fish being caught or found during electroshock procedures. Tight line nymphing and streamers are producing stocked fish which are increasing in size at a good rate. Some sparse size 18 blue quill, caddis and size 14 light cahill hatches have been observed but no rising fish. Stripers are at least as high as Gervais Street, but still very little action in the Saluda for stripers. We have 8 weight rods, reels and fly lines in stock along with 0x leaders and tippet and striper flies so you can be ready. April 8, 2021Water level on Saluda is around 990 cfs and water clarity is good. Sparse blue quill and caddis hatches have been observed. Stockers are being taken on mini gamechangers (tm), soft hackle pheasant tails and hare's ear nymphs. Stripers are being taken on the Congaree below 77 bridge and have been seen above that. Lots of baitfish in the water. March 24, 2021Finally Saluda dropped over night. Water level is around 805 cfs (lower than it has been for a while) and water clarity is good if you ignore the pollen on the water. Stockers still constitute most of the action with holdovers being scarce. Best fly so far is a olive slumpbuster. If you catch one stocker try a few more casts before moving on. Also the takes are pretty subtle so be alert. March 10, 2021
Water dropping from 1070 cfs to 890 cfs, water clarity is still good, perhaps due to lack of fertilization of lawns around houses on Lake Murray at this time of year. Olive slumpbuster still working on stockers but no holdover fish, and stockers are not stacked up in one spot like before. March 9, 2021Water holding around 1070 cfs. Water clarity is very good. A little bit of midge activity but no real dry fly rises. Stockers being taken on olive slumpbuster. Keep moving around until you locate fish and then see if there are other fish in the area. I took several fish while lifting the fly downstream in the current. The takes can be subtle, so using a stripping guard can be helpful to feel the fish bump the fly. Still no reports of holdover fish.
March 6, 2021Water conditions remain unchanged. Stockers still being taken on black streamers
March 4, 2021
Water levels are holding 1100 cfs, a little high for wading but doable especially with a wading staff. Stockers are being taken on black streamers.
February 3, 2021
While the water level is holding around 930 cfs, stocking is taking place on the Saluda, water clarity is still poor, so be careful wading.
January 23, 2021
Well finally the Lake Murray drawdown is done, and the water level hovering around 980 cfs, still a little high for wading but doable. Water clarity is excellent for a change. Stockers are being taken on squirmy wormies, chartreuse and black streamers and other small to mid-size streamers. Some short and sparse blue quill hatches are occurrin
September 26, 2021
Well perhaps due to a drop in ambient temperature or better do levels in the Saluda over the last several days, the trout fishing has picked up a little. As always the Higa's SOS is working and so are caddis dries at around a half hour before sunset. Green mayfly nymphs are also good searching patterns along with rainbow micro gamechanger (tm). Water is holding steady at around 1090-1120 cfs.
August 11, 2021
Water has been low (around 750 cfs) for a few days. If you have not read earlier posts in the fishing reports, you may pick up some helpful hints by doing. For example, in an earlier post I told you about a technique to remember. When you are getting ready to reel in for the last time, don't just mindlessly reel it in as fast as you can. Reel, wiggle the rod, stop, reel wiggle the rod, stop, rinse and repeat. This only works about 5% of the time. However it worked like a charm tonight. About half way in I hooked and landed an approximately 15 pound striper on an olive articulated slumpbuster tied on a size 4 Kona super strong stinger hook. Quite a tussle on my 8 weight rod but worth it! So remember to make that last reeling in one with a purpose and be ready to set the hook before you call it a day or night or what ever.
July 31, 2021
Rain is still sporadic with thunderstorms. Water is around 880 cfs on Saluda, clarity is variable, and there is still a lot of algae in the water making it hard to keep the fly clean. Striper action is still slow. My records show a 45% decrease from last year at this time. Articulated slumpbusters tied on saltwater or big game hooks in sizes 4 and 6 with weedguards have been the best flies. Fog has been bad at night so be careful.
July 27, 2021
Rain has been sporadic and so have the thunderstorms. Water clarity has suffered due to runoff, algae is still bad. The moisture has caused a lot of fog on the Saluda. Picked up 3 small stripers during the 35 minute window between 7:50 and 8:25. Two on articulated slumpbuster and one on black beastmaster. Glad I had my wading staff, since the fog made seeing anything difficult even with a headlamp.
July 26, 2021
Striper fishing is slow but steady in the Saluda with water holding 875-900 cfs. Black beastmaster is the best fly right now and activity is slow until the 30 minute window. When is the window - well that is the question isn't it? Could be any time from late afternoon until the early a.m. The trick is to be there and be ready when it comes. For me it has been between 7:30 and 9 and for about 20-30 minutes sometime during that span.
July 15, 2021
Water is holding around 875-930 cfs, water clarity is average, but there is still algae in the water. Landed a 23 inch striper with algae on his head, and algae on the leader knots. This is a good time to use a leader with as few knots as possible. Striper activity is still a little slow, and you have to watch for evening thunderstorms. The flies which are working are a size 6 gervais gray , a size 6 purple and white clouser and best of all a black beastmaster at dark.
July 10, 2021
Striper activity is picking up in the Saluda, even though most activity is in the lower parts of the river. Size 6 purple and white clouser, size 4 island girl clouser and size 4 black beastmaster are the most productive flies. Some insect activity and a few rising trout around dark.
July 1, 2021
Fished last night in between the rain and during the surreal fog. Striper activity has picked up a little but still is not up to the levels of past years. Size 2 Island Girl Clouser and size 4 black hairy legged blingmaster flies worked with the blingmaster getting the most action. Still having to put out a lot of line to get bites which makes it harder to get a good hook set. Algae has picked up significantly probably due to warmer weather and more fertilization of yards on Lake Murray. Dumbbell eyed patterns like Clousers and larger hooks pick up more algae than conehead flies and smaller hooks. Also if your flies have fragile materials like fine rubber legs of thin flash materials, it is easier to tear up those parts of the fly while removing the algae. Still a pain no matter what you use. Best action started around 8:45 to 9:10 p.m. A few more holdover trout are being taken during the day.
June 23, 2021
Water was around 1400 but later dropped to 950 where it has stayed. Water clarity is excellent. Striper and trout activity is still a little slow. Picked up 2 stripers 1 on white circus peanut and 1 on black blingmaster along with another hookup on the blingmaster. Only action was while line was going out or being held still and swinging
June 16, 2021
A little more trout and striper activity in the Saluda. Blue wing olives and black streamers are working on trout (a little) and White Circus pnut variation and chartreuse and white clousers are producing a little action on stripers.
June 1, 2021
People call, text and e mail asking where are the stripers in the Saluda? I was wondering the same and asked a DNR biologist. He said there are stripers spread out in the Saluda, but the water is still cold in the lower reaches of the Saluda and the Congaree, so there is not the same urgency for the stripers to move up from warmer water in the usual numbers yet. Take a look at the attached usgs temperature chart for April 15, 2020 - May 31, 2020 and the chart for the same period in 2021. In May 2020 the water was never below 55 and was as high as 58.9. In May 2021 water was often below 55 and no higher than 57. Maybe that is it. There are also a lot more boats on the Saluda - covid? Be patient, get your gear ready and pick up fish in the Saluda and the Congaree (until 6/15) and I will keep you posted.
May 27, 2021
Water is cold!! Picked up 3 small stripers on black beastmaster below zoo.
May 23, 2021
Saluda at 850 cfs. Water clarity has diminished a bit. Striper activity is abnormally slow in the Saluda for this time of year. Maybe low flows? Picked up 1 18 inch schoolie on olive articulated slumpbuster tied on saltwater hook.
May 18, 2021
Water dropped to 850 cfs on Saluda and water clarity is great. Picked up 2 stockers euro nymphing with sz 6 caddis larvae and the always reliable Higa's SOS. Still not many fishing rising to insects and not much striper activity in Saluda yet.
May 15,2021
Water up to 2,700 cfs - hard wading. Trout (including a few holdovers) being caught on tungsten flash nymphs and bwo emergers. While some fish are taking insects on top, no real dry fly action yet. If you want to try dries use a sz 14 light cahill or a size 18 parachute adams.
May 13, 2021
Water has been around 4,000 cfs since rain on Wednesday. Levels dropped rapidly this afternoon but it took a while for the water levels to drop downstream (a reading of 1,000 cfs at the usgs station below the dam does not mean it is 1,000 where you are fishing right away, so be careful). Water clarity good but water was 54 degrees and no wet wading going on. Fished with TFO Deer Creek 13'0 7 wt spey rod due to limited back cast room. Used intermediate mow tip. Started around 7 pm and tried blue and whiter beastmaster with mini gamechanger dropper, tried purple and white island girl clouser, tried white circus pnut. No hits. Switched to black non-articulated hairy legged blingmaster at around 8 and hooked fish at 8:32. Landed 27 inch striper (see pic) Stripers are in the Saluda even as high up as I-20 bridge but no large numbers yet. Stripers are still being caught in Congaree on tutti fruitti clousers.
April 23, 2021
Water back to wadeable levels and clarity is good. Very few holdover fish being caught or found during electroshock procedures. Tight line nymphing and streamers are producing stocked fish which are increasing in size at a good rate. Some sparse size 18 blue quill, caddis and size 14 light cahill hatches have been observed but no rising fish. Stripers are at least as high as Gervais Street, but still very little action in the Saluda for stripers. We have 8 weight rods, reels and fly lines in stock along with 0x leaders and tippet and striper flies so you can be ready.
April 8, 2021
Water level on Saluda is around 990 cfs and water clarity is good. Sparse blue quill and caddis hatches have been observed. Stockers are being taken on mini gamechangers (tm), soft hackle pheasant tails and hare's ear nymphs. Stripers are being taken on the Congaree below 77 bridge and have been seen above that. Lots of baitfish in the water.
March 24, 2021
Finally Saluda dropped over night. Water level is around 805 cfs (lower than it has been for a while) and water clarity is good if you ignore the pollen on the water. Stockers still constitute most of the action with holdovers being scarce. Best fly so far is a olive slumpbuster. If you catch one stocker try a few more casts before moving on. Also the takes are pretty subtle so be alert.
March 10, 2021
Water dropping from 1070 cfs to 890 cfs, water clarity is still good, perhaps due to lack of fertilization of lawns around houses on Lake Murray at this time of year. Olive slumpbuster still working on stockers but no holdover fish, and stockers are not stacked up in one spot like before.
March 9, 2021
Water holding around 1070 cfs. Water clarity is very good. A little bit of midge activity but no real dry fly rises. Stockers being taken on olive slumpbuster. Keep moving around until you locate fish and then see if there are other fish in the area. I took several fish while lifting the fly downstream in the current. The takes can be subtle, so using a stripping guard can be helpful to feel the fish bump the fly. Still no reports of holdover fish.
March 6, 2021
Water conditions remain unchanged. Stockers still being taken on black streamers
March 4, 2021
Water levels are holding 1100 cfs, a little high for wading but doable especially with a wading staff. Stockers are being taken on black streamers.
February 3, 2021
While the water level is holding around 930 cfs, stocking is taking place on the Saluda, water clarity is still poor, so be careful wading.
January 23, 2021
Well finally the Lake Murray drawdown is done, and the water level hovering around 980 cfs, still a little high for wading but doable. Water clarity is excellent for a change. Stockers are being taken on squirmy wormies, chartreuse and black streamers and other small to mid-size streamers. Some short and sparse blue quill hatches are occurring, and fish are being taken on a size 18 extended body parachute adams. Have fun while it lasts!
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