That’s enough secrets and tips (after all, a fellow has to retain some information, especially if it pertains to small streams which simply can’t persevere under the spotlight of publicity) when it comes to destinations, but I will add that there are what my Grandpa Joe loved to call “secret holes” or “glory hideaways” waiting to be found.

Turning from terrain to tactics, here it’s possible to be completely straightforward. Any of the many approaches that will take trout up and down the spine of the Appalachians can be productive in South Carolina. For flat-out effectiveness, it’s hard to beat natural baits, and that’s doubly true if the water has a hint of color or if there’s been a recent rain shower. The flyfisherman can certainly do well, especially on smaller streams and those sections of larger ones characterized by relatively flat water with glides and runs as opposed to deep pools. He can, of course, adjust in big, deep plunge pools, where dry flies are seldom the ticket, with a nymph sunk with a couple of split shot or a weighted streamer. The spin-fisherman using ultralight gear has the trout world as his oyster, although offerings like Panther Martins, beetlespins or Mepps Aglias seem to do better when streams are in full spate than in low water conditions, such as those typical of late summer and early fall.

In conclusion, South Carolina has more wild trout water than is generally realized. The process of finding wild trout and unraveling their secrets, both in terms of how to catch them and the hideaways holding them, is an experience to cherish. (Editor’s Note: Jim Casada is a full-time freelancer who has fished for trout in the southern Appalachians all his life. He is the author of two books on fly-fishing and some two dozen other volumes. To learn more about these books or to sign up for a free subscription to his monthly newsletter, visit his Web site at www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com.)