Edisto River Fishing Guides
The longest free-flowing blackwater river in the United States, running undammed through the Lowcountry below the forks at Branchville, famous for redbreast sunfish.
Guides on the Edisto River
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About the Edisto River
The Edisto is the longest free-flowing blackwater river in the country, and the absence of a dam anywhere on it is the single fact that shapes everything about fishing it. Below Branchville, where the North Fork and South Fork join, the main river runs unobstructed through cypress and tupelo bottomland all the way to the coast. The water is dark with tannin, the current is steady but unhurried, and sandbars build on the inside of every bend. Those sandbars are a large part of the river’s appeal, because they make it one of the best multi-day paddle and camp rivers in the Southeast as well as a fishery.
Redbreast sunfish are the signature fish and the one most local anglers are after, holding tight to cypress knees, logjams and undercut banks and hitting small spinners, crickets and popping bugs. Largemouth bass, bluegill, warmouth and black crappie fill out the panfish and bass water, and chain pickerel, bowfin and longnose gar provide the surprises. The catfishing is serious: channel, flathead and blue catfish all run the main river and the deeper holes hold good fish. In spring, American shad and striped bass push up from the coast, adding a seasonal run to a river that otherwise fishes much the same year-round.
Most trips here are float trips, by canoe, kayak or small johnboat, with shuttles arranged through the outfitters clustered along the river. Levels matter: high water after rain scatters fish into the flooded woods and makes the sandbars disappear, while low water concentrates fish in the bends and holes but exposes more deadfall to work around. The gauge near Branchville is the standard reference for planning a float on the upper main river.
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Access
Branchville - the gauge location just below the forks, the usual top of the main river.
Colleton State Park - a riverside state park with a landing, camping and the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail.
Givhans Ferry State Park - the main downstream state park, with high bluffs, a landing and cabins.
Mars Oldfield Landing - a public landing on the middle river.
Whetstone Crossroads - a road crossing and landing used to break up longer floats.
Canadys - a landing and bridge access on the lower middle river.
Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail - the marked trail system linking the landings along the river.
Seasons
Spring: the best stretch of the year, with redbreast on the beds and shad and striped bass running up from the coast.
Summer: hot and low, with sandbar camping at its best and the sunfish fishing holding up in the shade.
Fall: cooling water brings bass and catfish back onto the feed and the river traffic thins out.
Winter: slow and often high after rain, with catfish and the deeper holes the realistic targets.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Edisto River?
As of Nov 2, 7:45 am, the USGS gauge EDISTO RIVER NEAR BRANCHVILLE, SC reads 477 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Edisto River?
Anglers target American Shad, Black Crappie, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Bowfin, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, Redbreast Sunfish, Striped Bass, Warmouth on the Edisto River in South Carolina.
Where can you access the Edisto River?
Branchville - the gauge location just below the forks, the usual top of the main river. Colleton State Park - a riverside state park with a landing, camping and the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail. Givhans Ferry State Park - the main downstream state park, with high bluffs, a landing and cabins. Mars Oldfield Landing - a public landing on the middle river. Whetstone Crossroads - a road crossing and landing used to break up longer floats. Canadys - a landing and bridge access on the lower middle river. Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail - the marked trail system linking the landings along th...
When is the best time to fish the Edisto River?
Spring: the best stretch of the year, with redbreast on the beds and shad and striped bass running up from the coast. Summer: hot and low, with sandbar camping at its best and the sunfish fishing holding up in the shade. Fall: cooling water brings bass and catfish back onto the feed and the river traffic thins out. Winter: slow and often high after rain, with catfish and the deeper holes the realistic targets.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Edisto River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the South Carolina agency site: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/regulations.html