July 27

Lake Jocassee is at 98.6% of full pool and clarity is very high. Morning surface water temperatures are 78 or more at the dam.    

With surface water temperatures at the dam reaching 84 degrees during the day, Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that this is about as hot as Jocassee typically gets. As a result it’s no surprise that the trout have gone deep, and from dropping a sensor down Sam knows that you have to get to 95 feet to hit 65 degrees!  The thermocline is about 100 feet deep and the most productive band seems to be right around that. Their biggest fish this week came at 105, but they are putting baits out from 65-75 feet all the way down to 120. There hasn’t been a lot of action at either extreme except nuisance very small catfish. 

Most trips they are picking up a fish or two, and the best action is coming at the dam and in the main channel of the Toxaway and Whitewater rivers. It’s impossible to keep bait alive for very long and so pretty much everyone is pulling hardware. Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been their best pattern.

There certainly should be some bass that have made their way out deep, and last year by now tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley had noticed that most of the fish had transitioned out to main lake points and humps in 30 or more feet of water. However, perhaps because it got warm so late in the season for now Joe and his tournament partner Greg Glouse are still finding more fish shallow. Fishing a buzzbait and spybait up the rivers is still their most productive pattern.   

July 14

Lake Jocassee is at 98.3% of full pool and clarity is very high. Morning surface water temperatures have moved up to 75-76 degrees.  

Surface temperatures in the morning are in the mid-70s, but during the day it’s not uncommon to see 80 degrees, and so Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) isn’t surprised that fish are getting down 70-100 feet. Most trips they are picking up two or three fish, and the best action is coming at the dam and in the main channel of the Toxaway and Whitewater rivers. It’s impossible to keep bait alive for very long and so pretty much everyone is pulling hardware. Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been their best pattern.

They have also caught catfish up to about ten pounds, and they are also picking up occasional spotted bass. 

There are certainly some bass that have made their way out deep, and last year at this time tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley had noticed that that most of the fish had transitioned out to main lake points and humps in 30 or more feet of water. However, perhaps because it got warm so late in the season for now Joe and his tournament partner Greg Glouse are still finding more fish shallow. They won the last Thursday night tournament with 17 pounds and caught all their fish on a buzzbait and spybait up the rivers. 

June 29

Lake Jocassee is at 98.1% of full pool and, while there is lots of debris including pine needles and limbs floating after last week’s rain, the main lake is still clear although the rivers are a bit dirty. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 71-72 degrees on the big water. 

Surface temperatures haven’t moved a lot this week, but Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that you have to go a lot deeper to find cool water. They are still catching fish mostly in 50-70 feet, but the bite is slowing down a little and very soon they are going to be fishing in 90 feet. Already they are starting to put some baits down that far. 

Even without a lot of big fish this week, they are still getting decent numbers of trout including some pretty rainbows.  Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel around the dam has been the best pattern.

While they are mostly picking up tiny catfish, they have also gotten some better ones in the 5-pound range. 

New bass report to follow from tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley after the holiday. 

June 22

Lake Jocassee is at 98.4% of full pool and there is lots of debris after the storms but the main lake is still clear while the rivers are dingy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 70-73 degrees.   

The numbers of fish haven’t been off-the-charts this week (when they could fish), but Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that they are still picking up some really big trout on Lake Jocassee. They had a 6 plus and a 7 plus brown caught on their boats this week, and they are also catching some smaller rainbows and browns. Both of the big fish were caught in about 68 feet of water, and with 63-65 degree water at about 60 feet 50-70 is the best trolling range. The bait is generally holding in about 40-60 and the trout are right under it. Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been working the best.  The dam has been good but they have also caught fish where the Whitewater River comes into the lake. 

They are picking up a very few bass and even one tiny catfish trolling, but with water temperatures still not very hot it seems that the bass are generally shallower. 

Consistent with that, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley still believes the best depth to concentrate on for bass is about 10-30 feet of water. They are feeding on points and swimbaits, Alabama rigs, and topwater walking baits are all good. The best section to target is the upper end of the lake around the mouth of the rivers. 

Late June and July is generally one of the more fun periods to bass fish Lake Jocassee, but with so much wind it’s been hard to fish recently since Jocassee white caps so easily. 

June 16

Lake Jocassee is at 98.8% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 71-73 degrees.   

Slowly but surely, Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that the trout on Lake Jocassee are making their way slightly deeper each week as core water temperatures continue to rise. Right now the most productive depth range is about 50-70 feet, and they did land one at 73.  Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been working the best. The big water within sight of the dam has been the most productive area. 

Remember that as of June 1 after each person catches three trout (of any size) you have to quit fishing. 

They are also starting to pick up the occasional catfish trolling, but interestingly bass have been totally absent for a while now. 

That’s consistent with the report from tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley, who believes the best depth to concentrate on for bass is still 10-30 feet of water. They are feeding on points where shad are spawning, and swimbaits, Alabama rigs, and topwater walking baits are all good. That bite can’t last too much longer, but with moderate temperatures and a shad spawn even in warmer South Carolina lakes away from the Upstate it’s no surprise that it's still going on at Jocassee. 

The best section to target is the upper end of the lake around the mouth of the rivers. 

June 8

Lake Jocassee is at 98.4% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 71-72 degrees.   

The trout catches keep getting more and more notable on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that this week his son and guiding partner Casey caught a 10-pound, 26-inch brown trout. The fish came out of the big water, where most of the more impressive fish and numbers seem to be coming right now. They are also catching good numbers right now. 

With temperatures still relatively cool fish are still mostly in the 30-60 foot range, and the most productive depth this week has been 45 feet. Trolling Apex and Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been working the best. 

Remember that as of June 1 after each person catches three trout (of any size) you have to quit fishing. 

While there may be some deeper fish to be caught, particularly spotted bass, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that the best depth to concentrate on is 10-30 feet of water. The bass are feeding on points where shad are spawning, and swimbaits, Alabama rigs, and topwater walking baits are all good. 

The best section to target is the upper end of the lake around the mouth of the rivers. 

June 2

Lake Jocassee is at 97.7% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 70 degrees.   

The trout fishing continues to be wide open on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that on one memorable trip this week his son and guiding partner Casey caught 7 keeper trout, some catfish and bass. That doesn’t mean that every fish you put a bait in front of will eat, and Sam reports that it’s been fascinating to watch on LiveScope how fish react to the baits. Sometimes they will follow them for five minutes without ever striking, sometimes a change in speed or color will trigger a strike, sometimes they want more Pautzke Fire Gel, and sometimes they show no interest. At other times they are plain aggressive. 

With temperatures still relatively cool fish are still mostly in the 30-60 foot range, and the most productive depth this week has been 45 feet. The big water is still producing the most big fish for Jocassee Charters, and the Whitewater River area has also been good. Trolling Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been working the best. 

While the bass spawn will likely extend into June on Lake Jocassee, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that it’s the shad spawn which is still creating excitement for bass fishermen on the lake right now. Early in the morning the bass are around points feeding on shad, and they will take topwater lures, swimbaits, Alabama rigs, jerkbaits and most anything that looks like a baitfish. After the sun gets up the fishing gets a lot tougher, but Ned rigs, swimbaits and Alabama rigs will all work in 5 to 45 feet. A frog can also be really good in June. 

May 26

Lake Jocassee is at 99.1% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 68 degrees.   

It continues to be an excellent late spring on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that in addition to the 9 plus pound trout his son Casey caught last week they have continued to catch fish up to more than 6 pounds this week. With temperatures still relatively cool fish are still in the 30-65 foot range, although Sam did hear of a fish caught in 71 feet. The dam is producing the most big fish for Jocassee Charters, and the Whitewater River area has also been good. They have mainly been getting smaller fish further up the rivers, but that isn’t to say there aren’t still some good ones back there. Trolling Sutton spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel has been working the best. 

Fish should go deep any time, but it will take a few warm days to push them that way. 

While the bass spawn will likely extend into June on Lake Jocassee, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that it’s the shad spawn which is creating excitement for bass fishermen on the lake right now. Early in the morning the bass are around points feeding on shad, and they will take topwater lures, swimbaits, Alabama rigs, jerkbaits and most anything that looks like a baitfish. After the sun gets up the fishing gets a lot tougher, but Ned rigs, swimbaits and Alabama rigs will all work in 5 to 45 feet. A frog can also be really good in late May and June. 

May 11

Lake Jocassee is at 97.8% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 65-68 degrees and should continue to shoot up. 

It sounds like a broken record, but Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that it’s a really good trout bite on Lake Jocassee. His son Casey caught a monster 7 ½ pound brown this week (pictured below) and the rainbow trout continue to turn on. Very occasionally they will get a sub-keeper fish, but those are rare.

The dam is really starting to heat up, but there are also a lot of fish still up the rivers. Around the three-river split has been a good area, there are fish up the Toxaway, and generally they are still scattered. Water temperatures are still cool enough that fish can live a lot of different places, and 30-65 feet is still the key depth range. Sutton and Apex spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel still seem to be working the best. 

Finally, there is also starting to be a night bite. 

The bass spawn is still going on at Lake Jocassee, and will continue into June, but tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that fishing for spawning fish is not good enough to try to do that instead of targeting post-spawn fish. He recommends throwing topwater lures and jerkbaits from the bank out to 30 feet, especially around points. He also advises fishing the areas where waterfalls flow in. Glide baits have also been picking up a few fish, and when there is wind spinnerbaits can be very effective.  

May 4

Lake Jocassee is at 97.2% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees on the big water, with the rivers in the mid-60s.   

It’s still a really good bite for trout on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that in the benefit tournament last weekend his son and guiding partner Casey got second place with a trout just under 5 pounds. A 5 ½ pound fish took first, and there were a good number of fish caught. 

Fish seem to be getting slightly deeper, and the best depth range is now 30-60 feet.  Even with nights in the 40s there have already been some fish caught in the 60-65 foot range. 

Overall fish are still being caught all over from the rivers to the dam, and spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel still seem to be working the best. 

The bass spawn is still going on at Lake Jocassee, and will continue into June, but tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that fishing for spawning fish is not good enough to try to do that instead of targeting post-spawn fish. He recommends throwing topwater lures and jerkbaits from the bank out to 30 feet, especially around points. He also advises fishing the areas where waterfalls flow in, and in addition to catching them on hard baits they are getting them on spinnerbaits when there is some wind. Glide baits have also been picking up a few fish. 

April 21

Lake Jocassee is at 98.6% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees on the big water, but the rivers can be much warmer and hitting the big water can feel like running into air conditioning.   

It’s still a really good bite for trout on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that they are getting good numbers as well as big fish this week. Someone caught almost a nine pounder, there have been a lot of 5s, and slower growing rainbows have also turned on this week to round out numbers.  Of course, they are so acrobatic that more of them jump off. 

Overall fish are still being caught all over from the rivers to the dam, where the bite is improving, in 20-60 feet of water. Sam did land a nice fish at 58 feet the other day. Spoons coated with Pautzke Fire Gel still seem to be working the best. 

Bass report to follow from tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley.

April 11

Lake Jocassee is at 97.2% of full pool and the main lake and major rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58-60 degrees. 

The trout fishing remains good on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that in the brutal conditions at this weekend’s tournament they still had a handful of boats, everyone caught fish, and a 5 ½ pounder took the day. Overall Sam’s boat is still catching fish in both the rivers and at the dam, and 30-50 feet remains the peak depth range. He has had the best luck at about 38 feet.  It seems like the best action is coming trolling spoons right now.  

It’s still a pretty tough bass bite on Lake Jocassee, but tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that once we get through the last cold front and into the warm weather this week things should improve fast. 

Right now one good way to catch fish is with a spinnerbait around rocks, especially when there is wind, and glide baits and big swimbaits will also work. As they move towards the spawn look around any clay banks or sand, and note that when they bed on Jocassee it’s usually in groups. 

The best reports have come from the Toxaway and Horse Pasture. 

March 30

Lake Jocassee is at 98.2% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are back to about 58 degrees on the main lake. 

The trout fishing is still pretty good on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that this week they have caught a few solid 4-pound fish but there have also been a ton of borderline fish just over and under the 15-inch limit. A 14 7/8 inch fish was particularly memorable!  The best fishing continues to be in Toxaway River, while in the Horse Pasture more of the fish have been too small to keep. 

Once again the best catches are coming on spoons, and 30-60 feet has been the best depth range. They did catch a nice fish in 28 feet. 

It’s a pretty tough bass bite on Lake Jocassee, and tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that Jocassee is typically behind other lakes and the fish are very much still pre-spawn. However, over the next month they should move into spawning mode.

One good way to catch fish right now is to fish a spinnerbait around rocks, especially when there is wind, and glide baits and big swimbaits will also work. As they move towards the spawn look around any clay banks or sand, and note than when they bed on Jocassee it’s usually in groups. 

The best reports have come from the Toxaway and Horse Pasture. 

March 16

Lake Jocassee is at 97.3% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are still around 58 degrees on the main lake. 

It continues to be a good bite for trout on Lake Jocassee, and even no monsters were caught in the last trout tournament Guide Sam Jones of Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that the rivers continue to produce well. He has found the best action midway up the Toxaway River in the area they call Jumping Off Rock. 

The best catches are coming in about 20-60 feet of water, with 30 feet the best depth. Because of the abundance of very small threadfin shad that the trout seem to be eating small 1.5 inch lures as well as the bigger spoons they customarily fish. Herring is also working.

There are also reports of some monster bass being caught at the dam tied up to the yellow pipe. These fish are generally being caught on live bait, and there have been some spotted bass and smallmouth in the 6-pound range!

Since Lake Jocassee warms more slowly than other lakes bass get into spring mode there later, and tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that – consistent with the report from Sam - the fish have still not really moved up. Bass are still in the rivers hanging under schools of bait and also eating trout.  They are suspended from 20-90 feet down and moving a lot. 

The best bait is still an Alabama rig, but they will also take spinnerbaits, single swimbaits, and more. 

 

March 9

Lake Jocassee is at 98.7% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 58 degrees on the main lake. 

Some really big trout have been pulled out of Lake Jocassee this week, with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reporting that two more 7 pounders were caught. Both came partly up the rivers, while the big water near the dam has not been producing the big fish recently. The best action is now in 30-60 feet, although you could still catch one on the surface. A mix of live bait and spoons is producing the best. 

Since Lake Jocassee warms more slowly than other lakes bass get into spring mode later, and tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that the fish are still in the rivers hanging under schools of bait and also eating trout.  They are suspended from 20-90 feet down and moving a lot. 

The best bait is still an Alabama rig, but they will also take spinnerbaits, single swimbaits, and more. 

February 23

Lake Jocassee is at 98.9% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 55 degrees on the main lake. 

Good trout continue to come out of Jocassee, and in the mini-tournament this weekend Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that two fish weighing nearly 7 pounds were landed. One came up the rivers, while another was caught near the dam; and one was caught on live bait, while another was caught on a spoon – confirming much of what has been reported recently. 

Basically fish are still very spread out and they can be caught anywhere on the lake from the dam to the rivers, although the best catches have generally come in 25-55 feet.   Occasionally one will come as deep as 60, and bass fishermen sometimes catch them near the surface. 

While live bait and other artificial lures will also work, Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring scent. 

In the tournament two weeks ago one angler went up the river and fished live herring, catching a number of big bass but no trout. That is consistent with the report from tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley, who says that the bass are in the rivers hanging under schools of bait and also eating trout.  They are suspended from 20-90 feet down and moving a lot. 

The best bait is still an Alabama rig, but they will also take spinnerbaits. 

February 15

Lake Jocassee is at 98.7% of full pool and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 54 degrees on the main lake. 

Good trout continue to come out of Jocassee, and in the JOC tournament this weekend Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that a 6.25 pound fish was caught trolling in the big water. This week Sam caught a 5-pounder in the same area.

Still, the bite has not totally turned on and the fishing is still a little hit-or-miss. Fish are very spread out because they can be caught anywhere on the lake from the dam to the rivers, although the best catches have generally come in 25-55 feet.   Occasionally one will come as deep as 60, and bass fishermen sometimes catch them near the surface. 

While live bait and other artificial lures will also work, Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring scent. 

One interesting note is that in the tournament one angler went up the river and fished live herring, catching a number of big bass but no trout. That is consistent with the report from tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley, who says that the bass are in the rivers hanging under schools of bait and eating trout.  They are suspended from 20-90 feet down and moving a lot. 

The best bait is still an Alabama rig, but they will also take spinnerbaits. 

February 2

Lake Jocassee is at 98.9% of full pool and the lake has cleared a little.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 53 or 54 degrees. 

They continue to pull some good trout out of Lake Jocassee, but Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that the bite has been a little hit-or-miss. Some days the fish cooperate, while other days are tougher. 

Most of the fish are still from the surface to about 50 feet down, and they can be caught anywhere on the lake from the dam to the rivers. Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring or shad scents, but you can also catch fish on live bait or casting bass lures. 

In fact, one of the best catches on the lake recently came when Captain Steve Pietrykowski with Fishski Business got into big trout and bass up a river and dropped live herring down onto them. 

The bass patterns are still about the same, and tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that they are still catching fish by looking for them in the rivers on Active Target, and they seem to be hanging under schools of bait.   They are also eating trout.  

Fish are suspended from 20-90 feet down and moving a lot, and it appears that some of the biggest fish get out there with the giant lake trout and suspend very deep. These are the same groups of fish that Steve got into. 

The best bait is still an Alabama rig, but they will also take spinnerbaits. 

January 26

Lake Jocassee is at 98.9% of full pool and the water is stained in the creeks but clear on the big water. Morning surface water temperatures are around 53 or 54 degrees.  

They continue to pull some good trout out of Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that on his last trip he had a couple of browns. One was skinny but one was fat, weighing about ¾ of a pound more than his same-length brother. Maybe some of the fish are starting to be better fed again? 

Most of the fish are from the surface to about 50 feet down, and they can be caught anywhere on the lake from the dam to the rivers. Sam caught the last two in the big water, but people are truly fishing all over the lakes. 

Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring or shad scents, but you can also catch fish on live bait or casting bass lures. 

January 25

Lake Jocassee is at 99.3% of full pool and the water is stained in the creeks but clear on the big water. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-50s.  

With the CATT final and a strong second place finish behind him, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley is ready to give a little more information about how they are catching them. Nothing was different Saturday than in practice but they didn’t win because they couldn’t find the monsters again. Instead of a couple of spots approaching 6 pounds, their big fish was a 4.52. 

They caught the fish by looking for them in the rivers on Active Target, and they seem to be hanging under schools of bait. The Toxaway and Horse Pasture had the most fish, but they did seem to be in every river they checked. Fish were suspended from 20-90 (!) feet down, and it appears that some of the biggest fish get out there with the giant lake trout and suspend very deep. 

The best bait was an Alabama rig, but they also caught fish on a big one-ounce spinnerbait. 

In addition to bait, Joe also finds that fish are eating trout.

January 19

Lake Jocassee is at 98.9% of full pool and the water is stained in the creeks but clear on the big water. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low to mid-50s.  

After a few weeks away, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley finally got up to Lake Jocassee yesterday and what a day it was! He caught an incredible 22 pounds of spotted bass, including the pigs pictured below. The fish were in 15-45 feet of water up the rivers and in big pockets, while there doesn’t seem to be much going on out on the main body. He caught everything on a big one-ounce spinnerbait and an Alabama rig. 

The key to catching fish right now is locating their food source, and Joe reports that they are feeding on two main things. One is the herring, but the other is the stocked trout. If you find either that’s where the fish will be!

Full-grown trout continue to be caught on Lake Jocassee, and Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that in the tournament this weekend a nice 5-pounder won. Each trip he seems to get about a 20-inch fish, and it was only a week ago that a near 7-pounder came to the scales.

However, while they continue to catch fish they are so scattered that numbers usually aren’t that impressive. Most of the fish are from the surface to about 40 feet down, and they can be caught anywhere on the lake from the dam to the rivers. A new front every couple of days probably isn’t helping, either. 

Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring or shad scents, but you can also catch fish on live bait or casting bass lures. 

January 12

Lake Jocassee is at 98.7% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 55 degrees.  Unlike the rest of the state’s lakes, Jocassee is still clear!

While it’s still a good time to catch trout on Lake Jocassee the fish have been a bit more temperamental this week, and Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that they have caught some nice fish but there have been other days when it’s tricky to get them to bite. They are still seeing a ton of spotted bass, but those have also been a little more finicky about eating this week. But the most exciting news is that the trout being caught have generally been big, and one of Sam’s buddies caught a 6-12 fish yesterday!

Water temperatures are still in the range where fish can be anywhere, and most of the action is coming from the surface to 50 feet. Good fish can be caught from the back of the rivers to the dam, and the big fish yesterday was caught relatively shallow by the dam. Sam is still trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring or shad scents, and his best fish this week came in 27 and 37 feet.

  

Sam has not been hearing as much about anglers catching recently stocked sub-keeper trout, but they should still be grouped up at the waterfalls.  Casting or even trolling with small Rooster Tails works well for these fish, but be sure to handle them as little as possible and release them with care. 

While they aren’t getting as many bass as a by-catch, if you want to target spots then heading to the flats in the back of the Toxaway where bait is stacked up and casting minnows into the schools is hard to beat. Diving loons and gulls will let you know when you are in the right area. 

January 5

Lake Jocassee is up to 98.9% of full pool and morning surface water temperatures are around 56 degrees. 

There has been some pretty outstanding fishing on Lake Jocassee recently, and Guide Sam Jones with Jocassee Charters (864-280-9056) reports that it continues to be a really good time for trout. With water temperatures in the mid-50s the trout can be anywhere, and the best pattern for catching keepers is trolling Sutton spoons slathered with Pautzke Fire Gel in herring or shad scents from the surface to about 50 feet.  Some of the better fish are still coming out of the big water, but the rivers and creeks are also productive and fish are everywhere. 

With recently stocked trout now in the lake there are also still a ton of sub-keeper fish around, and they are grouped up around the waterfalls. It’s almost like they are trying to get out of the lake and so they run way up the creeks and congregate. Casting or even trolling with small Rooster Tails is working well for these fish. Be sure to handle them as little as possible and release them with care. 

As always at this time of year they continue to catch a lot of spotted bass, and the yellow perch fishing continues to be very good. Sam’s boat is just picking them up as a by-catch while trolling spoons, but if you head way up the Toxaway and fish minnows 40-50 feet down over timber you can wear them out.  They make excellent table fare.