Ashepoo River Fishing Guides
The middle river of the ACE Basin, a tidal Lowcountry estuary of spartina marsh, oyster bars and old rice fields, best known for sight-fishing red drum.
Guides on the Ashepoo River
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About the Ashepoo River
The Ashepoo is the A in the ACE Basin, the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto estuary that forms one of the largest undeveloped estuarine systems on the East Coast. It is the smallest of the three rivers and the least travelled, which is much of its appeal. Below the US 17 crossing near Green Pond the river is pure Lowcountry tidal water: spartina marsh running to the horizon, oyster bars exposed at low tide, mud banks, tidal creeks branching off in every direction, and the remnant dikes and trunks of the old rice plantations still visible along the edges. Development pressure here is low and the marsh is largely protected.
Red drum are the fish people come for. The Ashepoo offers the full range of ways to catch them, from working oyster bars and creek mouths on a falling tide to sight-fishing tailing fish on the flooded spartina flats around the higher spring tides, which is the most prized fishing in the basin. Spotted seatrout hold in the deeper creeks and around structure, black drum and sheepshead work the oyster and the dock pilings, and southern flounder lie on the sand edges. Striped bass run the upper brackish reach, and further up where the water freshens, bowfin and largemouth bass appear.
Tide governs everything. The range here is substantial, and a creek that floats a skiff at high water is a mud bank three hours later, so trips are planned around the stage rather than the clock. The gauge at US 17 is useful mainly as a freshwater-input reference after heavy rain, which can push salinity down and move fish. Guided work is almost entirely skiff-based light tackle and fly, and local knowledge of the creek network matters more here than on most water.
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Access
US 17 at Green Pond - the gauge location and the main highway crossing of the river.
Bennetts Point - the road end and public landing deep in the basin, the primary access.
Ashepoo River Landing - a public ramp giving access to the middle river.
Fenwick Island - landing and marsh access on the lower river.
ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge - protected marsh and upland along the river corridor.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area - managed former rice fields with public access.
Edisto Beach - the nearest coastal town, with lodging, guides and full services.
Seasons
Spring: water warms and red drum spread onto the flats as the first good sight-fishing of the year begins.
Summer: the peak of the flood-tide season, with tailing redfish on the spartina around the big tides.
Fall: the strongest all-round stretch, with redfish schooling and trout fishing at its best.
Winter: clear water and large schools of redfish in the deeper creeks, with trout holding in the warmest holes.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Ashepoo River?
As of Nov 2, 7:15 am, the USGS gauge ASHEPOO RIVER AT US17 NR GREENPOND, SC reads 488 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Ashepoo River?
Anglers target American Eel, Black Drum, Blue Crab, Bowfin, Ladyfish, Largemouth Bass, Red Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder, Spotted Seatrout, Striped Bass, Striped Mullet on the Ashepoo River in South Carolina.
Where can you access the Ashepoo River?
US 17 at Green Pond - the gauge location and the main highway crossing of the river. Bennetts Point - the road end and public landing deep in the basin, the primary access. Ashepoo River Landing - a public ramp giving access to the middle river. Fenwick Island - landing and marsh access on the lower river. ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge - protected marsh and upland along the river corridor. Donnelley Wildlife Management Area - managed former rice fields with public access. Edisto Beach - the nearest coastal town, with lodging, guides and full services.
When is the best time to fish the Ashepoo River?
Spring: water warms and red drum spread onto the flats as the first good sight-fishing of the year begins. Summer: the peak of the flood-tide season, with tailing redfish on the spartina around the big tides. Fall: the strongest all-round stretch, with redfish schooling and trout fishing at its best. Winter: clear water and large schools of redfish in the deeper creeks, with trout holding in the warmest holes.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Ashepoo River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the South Carolina agency site: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/regulations.html