Bronzebacks on the Broad River

Lots of options for smallmouth anglers

June is one of the best months of the year to chase smallmouth bass on South Carolina’s Broad River, especially along the stretch from the river’s upper reaches down to Columbia where rocky shoals, cool current and aggressive bronzebacks combine to create one of the state’s most underrated summer fisheries. While many Midlands anglers spend early summer targeting largemouth bass on reservoirs, experienced river fishermen know the Broad River becomes a prime destination once summer settles in and water levels stabilize.

The Broad River offers a completely different style of bass fishing than nearby lakes. Instead of docks, hydrilla beds and flooded timber, anglers encounter long rocky shoals, scattered boulders, swift current seams and deep runs carved through shallow stretches. Smallmouth bass thrive in these moving-water environments, using the current to ambush baitfish and crayfish while conserving energy behind rocks and ledges.

Broad River Smallmouth guide Mike McSwain, who has spent years fishing the Broad River, said river anglers must learn to read current instead of simply casting toward the bank. Current breaks created by submerged rocks, shoals and ledges become feeding stations for smallmouth bass. Fish position themselves in calmer pockets just outside the strongest flow, waiting for food to drift past naturally.

Water levels are key

Throughout the Broad River, anglers find countless examples of ideal smallmouth habitat. Long shoals spill into deep pools, and nearly every rapid creates feeding opportunities. During June, smallmouth often gather around these transitions because baitfish and crayfish are swept through the current continuously. Anglers frequently discover fish stacked behind exposed rocks, beside eddies and along submerged ledges where the flow softens enough for bass to hold comfortably.

Water level plays a major role in determining fishing success on the Broad River. Moderate or low water conditions generally provide the best fishing because they concentrate fish around predictable structure and make the river easier to navigate safely.

McSwain likes clear, stable water. He said it produces the most consistent action because anglers can identify current seams and rocky structure more effectively. After heavy rain, however, the Broad can rise quickly and become muddy, making both navigation and fishing more difficult.

June typically delivers favorable river conditions unless thunderstorms dump excessive rainfall upstream. Many anglers monitor river gauges closely before planning trips because water levels on the Broad can change rapidly during summer. When flows remain stable for several days, fishing can be exceptional.

Get wet

Because of the rocky shoals and shallow stretches, lightweight watercraft are ideal for fishing the Broad River. Canoes, kayaks and small jon boats allow anglers to navigate areas inaccessible to larger boats.

Wading is also extremely popular during June because the water remains comfortable even during hot weather. Many anglers combine floating and wading, stopping around promising shoals and deeper runs to thoroughly work productive stretches.

Smallmouth bass on the Broad River are aggressive feeders this month, and anglers can catch them on a variety of lures. Inline spinners remain one of the most effective options because they imitate small baitfish while producing vibrations that fish can detect in moving water. McSwain (843-763-3805) is a big fan of Mepps Aglia and Black Fury spinners for smallmouth here, particularly when anglers cast upstream at a 45-degree angle, then retrieve as the current naturally sweeps the lure downstream.

Switch it up

Soft plastics are equally productive around rocky structure and current seams. Crawfish-style baits rigged Texas-style excel because crayfish make up a major portion of a river smallmouth’s diet. Weighted soft plastics can also be retrieved quickly across shallow shoals, producing reaction strikes from aggressive fish. According to McSwain, many anglers fish too slowly in moving water and fail to take advantage of the aggressive nature of Broad River smallmouth during warmer months.

Topwater action can be especially exciting throughout June. Early mornings and late evenings often produce explosive strikes around shoals and current breaks. Walking baits, poppers and prop baits all draw aggressive surface attacks from smallmouth feeding in shallow current.

Unlike largemouth bass in lakes, Broad River smallmouth often remain active on topwater lures well after sunrise because the flowing water stays oxygen-rich and relatively cool despite the summer heat. McSwain said anglers should not be afraid to retrieve topwater baits quickly in current because aggressive fish will easily chase them down.

One of the biggest attractions of the Broad River is the setting itself. The farther anglers travel through the upper reaches of the river, the more remote the landscape begins to feel. Hardwood forests line the banks while herons and osprey patrol overhead. Long shoals roar through rocky channels before flattening into calm pools where schools of baitfish scatter across the surface. Even as the river approaches Columbia, large stretches still maintain the character of a wild Piedmont river.

Trophy waters

South Carolina is not usually mentioned alongside famous smallmouth destinations like Tennessee or North Carolina mountain streams, but the Broad River has quietly developed a strong reputation among serious river anglers. Fisheries biologists have documented healthy populations of naturally-reproducing smallmouth bass throughout the system, and anglers regularly catch fish weighing between 2 and 4 pounds with larger fish possible every season.

For fishermen willing to navigate moving water and rocky shoals, June on the Broad River offers some of the most exciting freshwater action in South Carolina. Throughout this river the combination of current, structure and hard-fighting smallmouth bass creates a unique fishery that rewards anglers who embrace the challenge and rhythm of river fishing. ■