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Fishing Saluda River (Lower): what the data says
Lake Murray dam to the Broad River at Columbia. a cold southern tailwater: trout, plus summering stripers. The river tops out around 12 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Brown Trout fishing at Saluda River (Lower)
Spring brown trout on Saluda River (Lower) hold shallow, usually 1 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 12 ft. Quail Hollow Lake Number One Dam D-4009 tailrace is the standout, a dam tailrace at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring brown trout. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Saluda River (Lower)
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Quail Hollow Lake Number One Dam D-4009 tailrace: a dam tailrace around 10 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Striped Bass fishing at Saluda River (Lower)
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Quail Hollow Lake Number One Dam D-4009 tailrace: a dam tailrace around 10 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or a umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Notable structure
- Murray Dam tailrace: creek channel, around 10 ft
- Quail Hollow Lake Number One Dam D-4009 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Quail Hollow Lake Number Two Dam D-4010 tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Saluda Backup Berm tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Columbia Embankment and Canal Spillway tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 2.4): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 6.7): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 6.4): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 0.5): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 10.2): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 4.3): rock pile, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Saluda River (Lower)?
Saluda River (Lower) is about 12 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Saluda River (Lower)?
Anglers target rainbow trout, striped bass, brown trout on Saluda River (Lower).
Where is the best fishing spot on Saluda River (Lower)?
Quail Hollow Lake Number One Dam D-4009 tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Saluda River (Lower)?
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Congaree River · Neal Shoals Reservoir · Lake Marion · Stevens Creek Reservoir · Lake Moultrie · Lake Bowen
See how Saluda River (Lower) stacks up: best striped bass lakes in South Carolina
Browse all South Carolina fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.