congaree & wateree rivers info request

[deviljohn]

Anybody out there have any experience on the Congaree & Wateree rivers in SC?? Fellow Sandlapper planning on outings this spring, especially curious about 601 bridge area and the confluence of the Congaree & Wateree... took a 2 night trip up the Wateree , north from Sumter Hwy Ramp 3 weeks ago, water in the 57 degree range...no stripers, but some cats caught, still a little early then....

Any info appreciated, the dogwoods starting to bloom in the lowcountry, time to get on it......

JD

[giacommin]

Tried posting a reply but not successful. If this works will try again.

[giacommin]

Well ok then.

My buddy and I fished it for the first time last thursday. There were about a dozen trailers at the landing. We went upstream dragging deep diving plugs per our experience on the Wateree in the Lugoff area last year. We went as far as a railroad trestle, saw no one upstream, picked up one small largemouth on the way. Marked an occasional fish on the way. Turned around and went down to the confluence where we spoke to a few other anglers. Fishing was slow. Looks like we're too early. Saw that everyone was fishing bait. We did run up the Wateree exploring and marked some fish in several of the s-turns but had no bait and could not troll due to narrow tight conditions. Have heard that most of the spawners go up the Congaree, but again, we had some good days on the Wateree upstream of the 601 bridge in Lugoff last year on plugs. The difference in the river at Lugoff this year is water level. So far it"s being held at about 6 ft instead of 8 - 9 ft making passage through some of the rock fields a bit bumpy.

Will try the Congaree again toward the end of this week. Will bring some bait this time.

[Striperjim]

Hi Guys welcome. I moved your posts to the Carolina forum. Hopefully it will get some chatter going there.

[BigJohn]

anybody having any luck yet with em....still too low? I been catching some decent cats on wateree river last few weeks, but no stripers for weeks now...somebody do the rain dance

[BradleyBelanger]

Big John have you tried trolling up to cedar creek dam?