Jocassee, which produced South Carolina's state-record brown trout, no longer yields giant browns like the 17-pound, 9 1/2-ounce fish that Larry Edwards pulled from the lake in 1987. In fact, double-digit weight fish, which were once common, are virtually unheard of in the lake's modern era. Concerned anglers like Sloan are seeking to learn what has changed between then and now. Sloan recently helped establish the Jocassee Trout Club with the goal of enhancing opportunities, especially for trophy-class fish.

Rankin believes simple exploitation is the major culprit. Far more fishermen target Jocassee's trout than once was the case, and anglers are far more skilled at specialized deep-water summer fishing with downriggers and leadlines. Rankin doesn't believe special regulations would help unless deep-water fishing were made illegal, because fish pulled from 100 feet deep during midsummer are very difficult to release alive.

Jocassee trout favor water temperatures in the 50- to 65-degree range, according to Sloan. During the cool months, they can find suitable temperatures high in the water column, so they spend the bulk of their time swimming between the surface and 40 feet deep. Sometime in May, as the surface temperature warms, the cooler water begins settling deeper in the water column, and the trout go down with it. While summer offers consistent fishing for anglers who know how to troll deep, many fishermen favor winter and spring, when the fish tend to be shallower.

Many anglers consider April the best month of the year for Lake Jocassee brown trout, according to Sloan. The fish are active, and they haven't gone deep yet. Anglers fish by day and by night -- trolling during the day and dropping live bait in the moonlight.

The challenging part about daytime fishing during April is that the fish can be virtually anywhere on the lake. They follow roving schools of blueback herring all over the lake and won't be over any particular depth or type of structure. Anglers begin by looking for baitfish with their electronics, or they simply begin working in areas where trout have been found in recent days. Many troll spoons or minnow-imitating plugs. They'll set spreads similar to what striper fishermen use, employing planer boards to get their baits away from the boat and to broaden the swath of water they are able to cover. They'll also use downriggers to get lures down to the 20- to 40-foot range.

At night, the baitfish and the trout congregate near Jocassee Dam. Anglers tie up to the dam, put down lights to attract baitfish and fish live bait straight down. The baitfish often will come all the way to the surface, but most trout will linger below the bait, generally staying 20 to 40 feet beneath the surface.

The trout limit on Lake Jocassee is five fish, with a 15-inch minimum size. Corn, cheese, fish eggs and imitations of any of the above may not be used as bait. Cast nets are not permitted on the lake. A small portion of Lake Jocassee is located in North Carolina, and there is no reciprocal agreement between the two states. The North Carolina portion is up the Horsepasture River and Toxaway River arms of the lake.

For much more about fishing Lake Jocassee, including information about guided fishing, contact the Jocassee Outdoor Center at (864) 944-9016 or check them out online at www.jocasseeoutdoorcenter.comThe Web site also contains a link to the Jocassee Trout Club homepage.