Jones Gap State Park
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On The Fly Freshwater
January 2026
By Jimmy Jacobs
Banner photo by Polly Dean
On the one hand, a lot of fly casters are aware that trout can be caught in South Carolina. Mostly that is based on the Chattooga River, with a nod to the nearby Chauga River as well. Though the Chattooga has wild, stream-bred brown trout in its upper reaches near the North Carolina border, that is where most folk’s knowledge of wild trout also ends with regard to the Palmetto State.
Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
South Carolina does have some smaller streams that harbor wild rainbow, brown or even native brook trout. Those are just few and far between. However, there is one such stream running through Jones Gap State Park in the upcountry’s Greenville County. That stream is the Middle Saluda River. The park also provides the jumping-off point for fishing far into the 10,000-acre Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area that links Jones Gap to Caesars Head State Park to the west.
The breeding pond of the old Cleveland Fish Hatchery.
The water of the Middle Saluda is so cold, clear and clean that it led to the construction of the first state-owned trout hatchery in South Carolina. That Cleveland Fish Hatchery site is within Jones Gap State Park, and the breeding pond has been restored to its original condition. Informational signs on its shore track the history of the hatchery that operated from 1931 to 1963.
Wild rainbows are the most common catch on the Middle Saluda in the park. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Today the waters of the river and its tributaries upstream have no need for the hatchery. Wild brown and rainbow trout are the most prevalent species in the river, while native brook trout are found in some of its tributaries.
Access to the river in the lower reaches of the park where catch-and-release fishing is enforced is fairly easy by walking downstream from the parking lot at the visitor center. On the other hand, getting to the wilderness area of the flow in the Mountain Bridge portion requires walking the 5.3-mile Jones Gap Trail that follows much of the river’s course
Wading is not particularly easy in the rock-strewn streambed, and residual damage caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024 still presents obstacles both on the stream and the trails. Additional problems on weekends and holidays are the popularity of this park for hiking and its limited parking area. You are required to call in advance and reserve a parking space on those days, if you are arriving between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. That call will guarantee that you will be allowed into the park. During all other times parking is first-come, first-served.
Once you do get onto the river, it is actually a fairly small mountain creek. According to the South Carolina Trout Fishing booklet produced by the Department of Natural Resources, the Middle Saluda averages 40 feet wide. In most places that may be the width of the streambed, but except during spring, not all of it will have water flowing. As noted, the streambed is filled with rocks of all sizes, creating a lot of drops with plunge pools.
Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
If you are only interested in bigger fish, the catch-and-release section downstream of the foot bridge in the park is probably your best bet. Upstream of the bridge, the rainbow that make up most of the trout population are most likely to be in the 8-inch or smaller range, though occasionally bigger ones are possible.
According to most local angler, nymphs will produce the most action on the Middle Saluda, either by high-sticking them through pools and deeper runs or quartering them downstream and across the current in wet fly fashion. Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail or Prince patterns are often recommended in sizes 12 to 16.
If you do see some rises, especially during the spring months, or just prefer testing the water with a dry fly, a couple of local favorites are the Adams and Elk-hair Caddis. For these the best sizes are 12 to 18.
The trout those flies attract may not be huge, but they are colorful, wild critters are a pleasure to pursue, especially in the upstream wilderness setting of the Mountain Bridge region.
