Clio, SC Fishing: Rural Lake and River Fishing in a Historic Town

Clio is a small community located in Marlboro County in eastern South Carolina near its border with North Carolina. Less than a thousand people reside in the rural community. Clio was settled by Joe Ivey in the 19th century and was initially referred to as Ivey’s Crossroad. It was also a militia drilling field site called McLaurins’ Muster Ground. In 1825, it became a polling place, and a post office was established for the community in 1836. Half a century later, in 1882, Clio was officially incorporated into the state. Clio became the economic and population center of northeastern Marlboro County cotton county in 1895 when the Florence Railroad company extended its Latta Branch line. The community grew during the early 20th century to support stores, doctor’s offices, grocery stores, and post offices. 

Despite its size, Clio is a place full of charm and rich history. Its most notable attraction is the Clio Historic District which possesses an unusually intact collection of late 19th and early 20th-century vernacular architecture, including homes, commercial structures, religious sites, and public buildings. Most of the designs were influenced by Queen Anne, Victorian, Classical Revival, and Colonial Revival styles — with most homes reportedly constructed without the aid of an architect. Anglers who want to see what the fishing scene looks like in Clio will find plenty of access to surrounding lakes, ponds, and rivers that will elevate fishing tours in a unique part of the United States.

Clio Fishing

Clio provides anglers the opportunity to fish in serene, uncrowded lakes but also have access to fish in a renowned State Scenic River. Both inshore and offshore fishing is possible in Clio’s local waters, so any angler is welcome to see what the area offers.

The Red Bluff Fishery can be found northeast of Clio. An angler can fish at the site from Red Bluff Lake, Red Bluff Pond, and Beaverdam Creek. The area is spotless and picturesque, making it a great place for those who want to fish with relaxing views, spend time with family, or those who want to take their kids fishing. Anglers can do bank fishing from the lakeside, where benches and chairs are available. Those who wish to fish from the lake and pond need to pay $5 to have a full day of fishing access. Fish species found in the waterways include largemouth bass, rock bass, spotted bass, striped bass, white bass, black crappie, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, warmouth, chain pickerel, and European perch. Most anglers use baitcasting and spinning gear to catch fish from the lake. Popular baits to use in the fishery are crickets and worms. There is a bait and tackle shop found nearby, as well as a seafood restaurant. Beaverdam Creek has piers and docks from which anglers can launch small boats and vessels.

In nearby Bennettsville, an angler can fish from Lake Paul Wallace. The 300-acre fertilized man-made lake that the SC Department of Natural Resources maintains is an excellent place to catch catfish, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie, redear sunfish, white crappie, and yellow perch. Largemouth bass can also be found in the lake, but people are not permitted to harvest them. There are also populations of black bullhead, bowfin, cutthroat trout, green sunfish, chain pickerel, and warmouth. The fishing side of Lake Wallace is only open to motorized boats that have ten horsepower or less. Boat anglers should only travel counter-clockwise. There is also a fishing pier available for public use. The lake is open all week, 24 hours a day. People can also go swimming on the lake’s boating side.

A couple of miles west of Clio is the Great Pee Dee River. It’s the perfect place for recreational fishing and boating because of its favorable natural conditions and composition. Commercial fishing is prevalent in winter because of the annual shad run. The free-flowing, coastal plain river system houses freshwater and saltwater fish species. Anglers can catch blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, black bullhead, bowfin, common carp, longnose gar, red drum, black drum, sea trout, mullet, southern flounder, striped bass, white bass, yellowtail amberjack, and southern stingray. Multiple public access and boat ramp sites are available so anglers can launch their small boats and vessels. Bank fishing is viable along the river, especially around its narrow channels and oxbow lakes. The Great Pee Dee River is the state’s catfish fishing paradise. The best places to find fish in the river are in its marshy areas. A ton of flatheads and monster blues can be spotted in drop-offs, steep banks, and rocky areas. Night fishing is a great way to catch flathead catfish because they’re most active in the dark. 

On the other hand, the daytime is the best time to hook some blue catfish. Catfish anglers mostly use eel, bream, gizzard shad, and mullet as bait. The Great Pee Dee River’s saltwater section sees a lot of anglers fly fishing for red drum and striped bass fishing charters because of its healthy populations of redfish and stripers.

Top 10 Fish Species in Clio, SC

The top 10 fish species found in Clio, SC, are largemouth bass, rock bass, spotted bass, striped bass, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish.

Seasonal Fishing

May to September is the best period to catch bass, catfish, red drum, and flounder mass species. South Carolina’s worst fishing season is in the winter, but anglers can still target red drum and chain pickerel because they can withstand cold temperatures. Bream species such as bluegill, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, and pumpkinseed sunfish are best caught when they spawn, mostly from May through August, sometimes lasting until September. March and April are the best months for catching crappie. Warmouth are best targeted in late spring through the summer when they spawn. Carp fishing is best from April to June. March to early June is when bowfin are most active. Longnose gar and black bullhead are most active when they spawn from May to early June. Trout can be caught any time of the year in the state. Perch species are active from April to June when they migrate from estuarine waters into large rivers and lakes.

Explore Clio’s Historical Sites

Clio may be a small community, but it is filled with numerous sites on the National Register of Historic Places that tell the story of its interesting culture and heritage.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Plenty of fishing charters are based in and around Clio and South Carolina. Some of the closest services one can find include Captain Leroy’s Striper Charters, Hooked Up On Striper Guide Service, Fishin’ Adventures, and Catfishing with Capt. Mark Lawson. A fishing charter will provide anglers with a boat ride, fishing gear and equipment, bait and tackle, and other things anglers need for a fun fishing trip. Make sure to have a South Carolina fishing license before casting your line anywhere in the state.

2. Head to a Historic Home

The McLaurin House, also referred to as the Lamar McLaurin House, was built around 1880. It is a two-story clapboard Italianate-style frame residence with a truncated hip roof and a balustraded deck. The dwelling’s front facade features a one-story porch with decorative brackets and a railing. The property also possesses three contributing outbuildings.

3. Visit a Historic Farmstead

The McLaurin-Roper-McColl Farmstead home was built around 1826 as a four-bay side gable cottage. It is also known as Broad Oaks and can be found at 1104 Laurin Willis Road. At around 1850 and 1899, additions were made to the structure. In the 1920s, American Craftsman style modifications were made to the building. One can also find an early outbuilding, African American cemetery, farm roads, and built landscape features such as drainage ditches on the farmstead’s 420-acre property.