Lake Jocassee

Overview

Lake Jocassee lies in the mountains of Oconee and Pickens counties. In 1973 Duke Energy dammed four rivers, the Horsepasture, Toxaway, Thompson and Whitewater, for a pumped storage project, creating a 7,565 acre lake with a mean depth around 154 feet and a maximum of 351 feet. That cold, deep, clear water supports trout as well as black bass, and the South Carolina state records for brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and redeye bass all came from Jocassee. About 43,000 acres of public land surround the lake, Devils Fork State Park provides the only public access to the lake, with boat ramps. Kayaking, wildlife watching and waterfall tours are popular here too, and the lake has about 75 miles of shoreline. Anglers after trout should read the lake's special rules before heading out.

Regulations

Lake Jocassee has a combined trout possession limit, a seasonal trout minimum length with a limit on larger fish, a ban on using or possessing corn, cheese, fish eggs or anything made to imitate them, and a largemouth bass minimum length limit. See the South Carolina rules for Lake Jocassee: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/lakes/jocassee/regs.html

Nearby waters

• Lake Keowee · 20.8 km (SC)

More in Oconee

• Hartwell Lake (GA)
• Lake Keowee (SC)