The 30-mile stretch of the Catawba River from the base of the Lake Wylie Dam to the SC 9 bridge is designated as a State Scenic River, a classification given to only nine sections of rivers throughout the Palmetto State.
Along this section, 93 percent of the river is free of human development, and other than the few parks that offer access and a couple of bridges that cross it, anglers aren’t likely to see any sign of development while on a fishing trip. This gives anglers that true “getting-away-from-it-all” feeling that can be just as important to an angling excursion as catching fish.
Recent studies by fisheries biologists have found over 31 species of fish in this stretch of the river, and largemouth bass is one of the more prominent ones. It is the only black bass species in this stretch, so unlike similar rivers, the largemouth bass does not have to compete with any other bass for habitat or forage.
While access is limited, four boat landings do offer launch points. The Fort Mill Access area off of SC 49 is at the base of the Lake Wylie Dam, and is commonly referred to as the Lake Wylie Dam landing. South of that, River Park and Riverwalk Park (open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) are recreation complexes in Rock Hill with launch points. Further down is Landsford Canal State Park, which has two access points.
The Catawba has many shoals that create riffles, but when the water level is at its normal stage, anglers don’t need to worry about encountering anything more than a Class I rapid; some become Class II when the river is higher than normal. During periods of low rainfall and flow, boaters may find areas that will require them to pull there vessels through shallow rocks.
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