How To Fish A River

[Teaburner686]

Hi all.  I am taking a trip to North Myrtle Beach, SC and am planning to fish the Waccamaw River in my kayak.  Problem is, all the fishing I currently do is on ponds and lakes, so I have zero river experience.

 

So any help you guys could give me would be great.  Where to find fish, what lures/techniques to use, etc.

 

 

[the reel ess]

I think up that far is always freshwater, right? My guess would be all the same things you normally use. That's a slow, flat river. Find inside bends with some depth and current breaks. ie: Shoals, logs, pier pilings, trash, tires, junk, etc. I'd take a T-rig, a craw crankbait, spinnerbait for starters. That's how I started fishing a local river from the kayak. I have yet to be shut out. Cast to everything that breaks current. You might get a gar, pickerel or bowfin as a bonus.

 

Good luck and let us know how it went. I want to fish the Black R next time we stay at Pawley's.

[Teaburner686]

Yep it's all freshwater.  I'm excited to fish a different kind of water than I usually do.  I'll be sure to look for things breaking current. 

[the reel ess]

You could see a black bear and very likely a gator!

[Teaburner686]

The gator is definetly a possibility from what I understand.  I have been told they don't typically mess with people in kayaks but I admit I am a little nervous.  With my luck I'll end up foul hooking one.

[the reel ess]

The gator is definetly a possibility from what I understand.  I have been told they don't typically mess with people in kayaks but I admit I am a little nervous.  With my luck I'll end up foul hooking one.

They do like the Devil's Horse according to a friend of mine who's fished the Savannah R. I've fished 2 places that supposedly have them but I haven't seen one. Keep your clippers handy.

[bigbill]

If you have rocks sticking up fish the back side of the rocks, fish the pools, fish the backwashes. River fishing can be very productive. inline spinners, spinflys, crawfish cranks. Try to fish the edge of the moving current to where the edge of the backwash is. The fish wait for a easy snack at that moving transition point.

Remember I find river bass much stronger.

[roadwarrior]

Channel edges, especially on river/lakes like we have on the Tennessee River system,

can be VERY productive.

 

 

 

[Sam]

Tidal river?

[gulfcaptain]

One key thing everyone has left out, fish into the current.  The fish will face into it, so your bait must come down with the current to be most productive.  Yes you will catch fish the other way.  I tend to make my bait profiles a bit smaller, use a lot of compact  3/8oz football jigs with 3" craw trailers, spinnerbaits in the 1/4oz-3/8oz, and shallow wakebait style cranks.  Just remember, use the current to your advantage and fish up river back down to you if you can.