Tucked away off Brown's Way Short-cut Road is a treat for campers looking for a "Hemmingwayesque" alternative to the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach-Big Cypress Lake RV Park and Fishing Retreat.

     Big Cypress is a 122-acre retreat centered on a one mile long spring-fed lake that offers great bass fishing, but we'll get to that a little later.

     Owned by Tim and Lou Jane Chestnut, the fishing retreat has been in the family for many years. Lou Jane's family (the Martin family) owned the land and operated it as a private fishing club and campimg retreat for some 50 years.

     Tim and Lou Jane now reside at the orginal fisjing lodge. The more the Chestnuts stayed there the more they grew to love it. Finally, they decided to move from their farm in Loris to Big Cypress Lake permanently.

     "We have something here that's different," says Tim Chestnut, owner of Big Cypress Lake. "A family friend said Timmy, I didn't know there was a place left like this in Horry County."

     The Chestnut's say that is the beauty of their retreat and the reason why they are working so hard to keep the environment of Big Cypress Lake as natural as possible. Fishing is allowed, but there are no gas powered boats permitted on the lake. Campfires are also permissible in selected areas, but campers must adhere to all South Carolina State burning regulations.

     There are 28 permanent sites available (those lease for a month or more). A site with a full hook-up in the summer goes for $45 dollars and $40 dollars in the winter.

     The Chestnuts are native residents of Horry County. Their families have lived in the county for more than 200 years. Both Chestnuts have other interests in the area. Tim Chestnut manages property. Lou Jane Chestnut owns the Magnolia Bridal Shop in Conway.

     Now back to the fishing. Chestnut says it's outstanding." We put bass in the lake from our farm in Loris and those originally came from Texas", says Chestnut. In fact its quite common, says Chestnut, to pull 10 pound large mouth bass from Big Cypress Lake and just recently one that weighed almost 16 pounds was taken from the lake.

     In March, a camper from Rochester, New York pulled a three-pound Spotted-Bass (more commonly known as a Kentucky Bass) out of the lake. According to the South Carolina Hunting and Fishing division, the Chestnuts may have actually created a new strain of lowcountry bass because of the variety of species of Large-Mouth bass that have been added into the lake from other lakes. Bream of all species and Crappie fishing is also very plentiful.

     In fact the fishing is so good the Chestnuts are known for throwing fish fry's on the weekend for their guests and the menu usually includes a southern favorite, chicken bog. The Chestnuts take pride in offering a slower pace of life for their guests plus a good helping of old fashioned southern hospitality. It's a winning recipe!