SOUTH CAROLINA'S LAKE JOCASSEE
Operated by Duke Energy, the manmade lake is formed by the Whitewater, Thompson, Toxaway, and Horsepasture rivers. It’s known for its mostly undeveloped shoreline, mountain views, waterfalls that cascade directly into the lake, fishing, scuba diving, and the Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area, where wildlife spottings from bald eagles and peregrine falcons to black bears are possible. Public access is through bustling Devils Fork State Park—which is ranked as one of the most popular state parks in the state‘s excellent network.
Originally published in American Boating Association Beacon
The 7,500-acre lake (with 75+ miles of shoreline) is tucked deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s reached by the rambling 115-mile Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway (SC 11), which is easily navigated by vehicles with boat trailers.
Native American names and influences can be seen throughout the area. Jocassee means “place of the lost ones,” referring to the legend of a Native American maiden who drowned herself in grief over the murder of a beau. Oconee is Cherokee for “land beside the water.”
Devils Fork State Park is simply one of South Carolina’s best park offerings (and there are dozens of good ones from which to choose, including many ideal for boaters). The state started leasing the 622 acres of the park from Duke Power in 1991.
Highlights of the park include an excellent campground, 20 modern rental villas (reservations highly recommended!), fishing, and hiking and nature trails. From rare Oconee bell spring flowers to fall colors, the park and lake are pretty in all seasons.
Fishing is particularly popular. The lake is managed as a stocked trout fishery, supporting trophy-sized rainbow and brown trout. It also features a self-sustaining population of large- and smallmouth bass, as well as other warm-water game fish species (including white bass, spotted bass, bluegill, catfish, carp, redeye bass, and more). Lake Jocassee also held a 5 ¼-pound redeye bass caught by Randy Dixon in 2001 for a still-standing world record (the lake also held state record catches for spotted bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout, and rainbow trout). Brook trout, the only species of trout native to the eastern United States, can also be found in the headwaters of several nearby streams. The area hosts several popular fishing tournaments each year.
Along with boating on the lake and enjoying Devils Fork State Park, other highlights of the area of particular interest to visiting boaters might include: the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery (150,000+ pounds of fish raised here annually); World of Energy (Duke Energy’s fascinating exploration of how electricity is created using water, coal, and uranium—with a great picnic spot overlooking Lake Keowee); Oconee Heritage Center (housed in an historic tobacco warehouse in quaint Walhalla); other charming towns, like West Union, Seneca, Clemson, Westminster, Newry, and Salem; Stumphouse Tunnel at Issaqueena Falls (an old railroad tunnel used by Clemson University to make the south’s first blue cheese); the South Carolina Botanical Garden; Seneca’s Blue Ridge Arts Center; Sumter National Forest (a 79,000-acre gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains); world-class golf; and several other lakes, waterfalls, and state parks all worth time on and off the water. Those who like to travel by foot as well as boat should ask about the Foothills National Recreation Trail, which used about 100 miles of spur and loop trails to link Oconee State Park with Table Rock State Park via Whitewater Falls.
Water lovers who also love the “boating” thrill of rafting a raging whitewater river will definitely want to head to the Chattooga River with an outfitter. The 19-mile stretch of the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River features serious whitewater through beautiful scenery. Located in Long Creek, Wildwater Ltd. (www.wildwaterrafting.com) offers a variety of rafting options and more. It’s yet another great way to get on the water in South Carolina.
For general information about Lake Jocassee and the Mountain Lakes region of South Carolina, visit www.scmountainlakes.com. For more information about Devils Fork State Park, visit www.southcarolinaparks.com. Boaters will also want to contact Jocassee Outdoor Center (www.jocasseeoutdoorcenter.com), while divers will definitely want to contact Lake Jocassee Dive Shop/Off the Wall Charters (www.offthewalldiving.com).