JOCASSEE HEADWATERS
With Lake Jocassee being bounded by mountains, it isn't surprising that the streams that tumble into the lake are trout waters. The trout are wild or semi-wild (some fingerling trout are stocked) and include both rainbows and browns, with each stream containing a little different mix and having its own personality.

A couple of major tributaries are fully in North Carolina. Others offer marginal trout fishing or are dominated by rainbows. However, two streams in the Jocassee Gorges region -- the Thompson and Whitewater rivers -- offer quality brown trout fishing.

The Thompson River is strictly a brown trout stream. Few, if any, rainbows, call this ultra-rugged stream home, and brown trout grow large in the river's massive pools. The Thompson, of which only a mile or so in the river's lower reaches is in South Carolina, is actually only of medium size. However, it fishes much larger because abundant rapids and waterfalls create broad and deep plunge pools.

Beyond being exceptionally rugged, the Thompson is extremely remote. The only access is by foot, either by hiking a few miles along the Foothills Trail or by fishing up the river from the lake and climbing around waterfalls. Access through some portions of the river gorge is very difficult and requires extreme caution. When the river is high, some spots become impassible.

The Foothills Trail crosses the Thompson very close to the North Carolina border, so anglers either need to fish downstream only or they need to possess both states' licenses. The latter option is the best for backpacking anglers, because the most accessible portion of the Whitewater is likewise split between the two states, and other tributaries that the Foothills Trail crosses, including the Horsepasture and Toxaway rivers, are located fully in North Carolina.

The Whitewater River, which is fairly large for a mountain stream, supports an excellent brown trout population and a good population of wild rainbows, according to Rankin. The fishable section of the Whitewater is located between upper and lower Whitewater Falls, each of which plunges more than 400 feet. The section between the falls is about two miles long and is about evenly split between the Carolinas.

Access to the Whitewater begins at the Bad Creek Project parking lot off state Highway 130. A gate blocks the entry road, but it is automated and will open after a car pulls up to it. The gate is used to bring attention to a sign that lists basic rules and hours. A spur trail to the Foothills Trail crosses the Whitewater via a footbridge less than one-half mile from a parking lot within the Bad Creek Project area.

Near the bridge, the river is modest in grade and fairly open, making it well suited for fly-fishing. Farther upstream, the river eventually becomes more rugged, with more rapids and plunge pools. Anglers opting to travel downstream from the bridge need to be keenly aware of Lower Whitewater Falls.