TRIP INTEL: Working Hard for Brook Trout in Upstate South Carolina

Learning to fly fish isn’t always easy. With the Trip Intel series, you can learn from the collective failures of the No Kype team.

We’ll be talking about trips we’ve taken (no specific spots will be named), the conditions on the water, and the knowledge we gained while fishing throughout the day.

Come learn with us! Together, we’ll all figure this shit out eventually.

Conditions

MONTH: April

LOCATION: Unnamed blue lines, Upstate South Carolina

WEATHER: Mild but humid. Typical spring weather in the South. The morning was overcast by cleared off by noon, resulting in one of the most perfect spring days in my fishing career. Really don’t know how else to describe it… Upstate SC is pure magic during the spring.

BUG ACTIVITY: Sporadic & minimal. BWO’s during the morning, but they cleared out with the afternoon sunshine. Small hoppers and beetles emerging from the pinestraw, with activity picking up more and more as the day went on. Catepillars and inchworms are falling into the water from overhanging tree branches. Armies of crickets can be heard chirping, with the chorus usually ramping up at dusk. Gnats are abundant and can be seen skittering on the surface of still water.

KEY TACTIC

Strategic Approaches & Stealthy Presentations

When fishing the tiny creeks at the top of the Palmetto State, the requirement for stealth is non-negotiable. These trout are living in super shallow water that only offers a limited amount of protection. Blue line brookies are always on the lookout for predators. In this part of the state, that means birds of prey, otters, raccoons, bears, & the occasional bobcat.

If it were physically possible for the resident brook trout to have their heads on swivels, they would.

To catch fish in the SC highcountry, every move you make has to be accounted for. Every step, every cast, every drift… hell, every time you turn your head. Because the wary trout you’re targeting are on high alert for any movement that could be deemed a threat.

Remember: Because these fish live in an environment that is not insect-rich and not heavily pressured by anglers, they will be willing to eat patterns that do not look natural. However, they will notice movement that is unnatural. Leave the strike indicators in the truck - any drag whatsoever will send the brookies swimming away in terror.

The dry/dropper rig is the ideal fly setup on the Palmetto State blue lines. Depending on the depth of the creek, you’ll be able to cover the bottom and the surface simultaneously; the only two places the trout will be looking for meals.

Look for deep pools, cutbanks, and underwater log structures. The fish in skinny water do not have as much room to spread out as their big water brethren, which results in higher concentrations of brook trout in fewer places. The trout’s holding patterns will also result in a slim margin for error, as a small mistake can quickly blow a good pool and create a need to find a new spot.

Fly Box

Dry Flies

Chubby Chernobyl: tan or purple, size 12-16

CFO Ant: black or red, size 14-16

Japanese Beetle: size 12-14

Stimulator: orange, size 12-16

Elk Hair Caddis: olive or tan, size 14-18

Parachute BWO: size 14-18

Parachute Adams: size 14-18

Nymphs

CDC Pheasant Tail: jig hook, size 14-16

BWO Barr’s Emerger: size 16-18

BWO BH Emerger: size 14-16

Egan’s Frenchie: size 16-20

Rainbow Warrior: size 14-18

Birds of Prey: size 14-16

Lesson Learned

Fishing Southeastern blue lines requires a certain level of grit. Some of the best creeks I’ve ever fished have been unnamed trickles that have no real trails or maintenance. You have to do your homework to find spots. Specific brookie stream intel is worth its weight in gold and is usually kept close to the chests of the anglers that did put in the work.

Sometimes, it feels like a game for masochists. There’s a good chance you’ll lose more than a few flies, pick up a handful of cuts and bruises, and spend more time retying or hiking than actually fishing. If you don’t accept the fact that you won’t catch a huge fish (if you catch anything at all), you’re in for a bad day. Anything above 10” is big by blue line standards.

But other times, it’s one of the best adrenaline rushes you can find in fishing. It’s like being the QB for a trailing Super Bowl team - with your team in scoring position and one last play to capture the Lombardi trophy. Except in this case, a native brook trout is the trophy. And you’ll usually only have one opportunity at any one of these elusive fish.

Nail the drift and get the eat; the trophy is yours. Blow it; you’re moving on to the next spot.

Fly FishLarkin WilsonTactics1 Comment