December 3
Morning surface water temperatures are about 56 degrees around Beaufort and water conditions are gin clear.
While other action is good the best thing going has been the redfish bite in Beaufort, and Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that the only time the fishing has been tougher recently is right after a cold snap. Stable weather or warming trends have produced excellent fishing, and so this weekend should be lights-out after a couple of really good days.
The best fishing has come on the dropping tide with large shrimp under a popping cork, as fish are still chasing shrimp when they can find them. Mud minnows or cut mullet are also working. It’s already apparent that the fish are more condensed than just a few weeks ago, which means there are more areas with no fish but also better concentrations when you do find them. The bottom of the tide cycle has also been good, especially for sight fishing, including the beginning of the rising tide. However, the toughest time to catch fish has been on the later rising tide. If you are forced to fish the rising tide it’s a good idea to fish deeper because fish are staying deep in the warmer areas when water is just starting to hit cooler mud flats.
The trout fishing has also been good a little deeper in 4-6 feet of water off points when there is moving water. Trolling the edges at the same depth is a good pattern, and the outgoing tide is fishing the best. Trout will also eat live shrimp but they seem to want smaller ones, and mud minnows and grubs on a ¼ ounce jighead are also working.
While Tuck is not targeting them specifically, there are lots of nice sheepshead around fallen trees in the creeks. And at times he has seen big groups of black drum feeding on the low tide mud flats.
November 19
Morning surface water temperatures are still about 60 degrees around Beaufort and water conditions are clear.
Without the benefit of very high tides it’s hard to say if the tailing action for redfish is done for the year, but Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) can report one major change this week. The fish are starting to get podded up in bigger groups, with the upside that if you catch one in an area you are likely to get a lot more. At the same time, there are more dead areas with no fish and so if you aren’t getting bit you need to keep looking.
The best fishing is still on the low tide flats where you can look for birds chasing shrimp where fish are kicking them up. Live shrimp is good, DOA shrimp are working well, and on the fly small, natural-colored shrimp patterns are working well.
You can also catch fish with cut mullet on the bottom.
The dropping tide is probably fishing a little better, but the incoming is also good where water is flooding into pockets.
The trout fishing is still on fire around Beaufort, with lots of big trout still around. While artificial lures will work live shrimp (available at Atkins on Lady’s Island) are hard to beat, and the key is to fish them 3-4 feet down over shell bars where there is water moving over the shell. They are also around major points.
The dropping tide is a little better because bait is more disoriented and easier to ambush, but moving tides in either direction will work.
Another great way to catch trout right now is to troll in 4-5 feet of water with a Gulp! bait on a jighead. If you catch a fish there are almost certainly more around and so you should circle back through the area, or anchor and cast at it hard.
November 12
Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees around Beaufort and water conditions are pretty clear.
It may be mid-November, but Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that the for the last few days they have found outstanding redfish tailing activity on high tides around Beaufort. In the same vein, right around daybreak anglers are having really good success throwing Top Dogs and other topwater plugs in areas with bait.
Still, these patterns can’t last forever with cooler weather on the way and on lower tides Tuck is seeing signs of the future. Fish are schooled up tight, and with shrimp still around you can look for birds chasing shrimp on the flats where fish are kicking them up. Live shrimp is good, DOA shrimp are working well, and on the fly small, natural—colored shrimp patterns are working well.
You can also catch fish with cut mullet on the bottom.
The dropping tide is probably fishing a little better, but the incoming is also good where water is flooding into pockets.
Most of the year trout can be caught in Beaufort, but right now the fishing is really good. And the big trout are really showing up. While artificial lures will work live shrimp (available at Atkins on Lady’s Island) are hard to beat, and the key is to fish them 3-4 feet down over shell bars where there is water moving over the shell. The dropping tide is a little better because bait is more disoriented and easier to ambush, but moving tides in either direction will work.
Another great way to catch trout right now is to troll in 4-5 feet of water with a Gulp! bait on a jighead. If you catch a fish there are almost certainly more around and so you should circle back through the area, or anchor and cast at it hard.
November 4
Morning surface water temperatures are about 67 degrees around Beaufort and water conditions are pretty clear.
For the last couple of weeks the redfish have been pretty happy to eat in Beaufort, but Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) wonders if patterns are about to change with this cold front. They were already seeing fish starting to get into more wintertime patterns. Tailing activity is still going on but it has been limited to high tides that fall later in the day when the water has time to warm and fiddler crabs are more likely to come out of their holes.
One of the best ways to locate reds right now is to look for terns and gulls that are hovering and trying to pick up shrimp that redfish are chasing on the flats.
But perhaps the easiest way to catch redfish is to fish cut mullet on the bottom outside of feeder creeks in about 4-5 feet of water on the bottom. You can also catch them with live bait under a popping cork, but this has been a little less productive.
The trout fishing has been pretty good recently, and for right now there has been a really good bite at first light or even pre-dark throwing Pop-Rs or Spooks where fish are chasing finger mullet. This bite is over as soon as the sun comes up.
During the day you can also catch fish on moving water in either direction when the tide is only somewhat up in the grass by throwing grubs or even floating live shrimp or mud minnows around shell bars that have some water over them.
Finally, our apologies for the long hiatus in this fishing report, which was the fault of our site, not the guides. We will do our best not to let it happen again.
October 7
Morning surface water temperatures are about 79 degrees around Beaufort and there has been a ton of rain recently after a dry couple of weeks.
It’s been a clear if not easy pattern for redfish in Beaufort, and Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that on high tide the tailing activity has been pretty good and fish are definitely eating crabs inside the grass. On spinning tackle Gulp! peeler crabs are a good option, and on the fly they seem to want darker crab patterns.
On low tide the fishing has been more difficult, and perhaps because they are feeding so well on high tide the fish are just kind of laying around and not eating very much. However, when they do feed they are showing a strong preference for shrimp.
The trout bite has been decent, and again the trout are very much on a shrimp pattern. They are biting the best any time that there is water moving across oyster beds or coming in or out of feeder creeks. The trout are also holding a bit deeper and you want to be sure there are a couple of feet of water.
There are still some tripletail around and so anglers should keep their eyes open along grass edges.
September 29
Morning surface water temperatures are about 81-82 degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
Back on the water in Beaufort, Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that it’s a little bit of a mystery what is coming up on these big redfish tailing tides. Traditionally October is about the best tailing month of the year, but the tailing activity has been so good all year they aren’t sure how it could get any better. It will either stay the same or fall off.
Outside of high tide fishing, on dropping tides the action for redfish has also been very good with live shrimp or cut mullet fished under a popping cork around oyster bars and points where creeks are draining. Gulp! baits have also been working well.
The numbers of young-of-they-year fish seem to be dropping off a little but there are still some fish under the slot around.
The trout bite is also picking up, with live shrimp under a cork as well as paddletail grubs on a ¼ ounce jighead both working. The best fishing has been found on the incoming tide as the water gets into the grass around creek mouths. Right now they are catching mostly smaller trout but some bigger migratory fish should show up soon, and based upon current numbers they expect a very good fall bite.
There are still some tripletail around and so anglers should keep their eyes open along grass edges.
September 2
Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid-80s degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
Our regular correspondent Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) is out of the country on a fishing trip, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) of Hilton Head made it up to Fripp Inlet today and reports that there are a bunch of tarpon in the inlet right now. There are also some big redfish around the Fripp rocks which they managed to jig up on artificial lures.
August 25
Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid-80s degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
It’s been another strong period for fishing on the high tide around Beaufort, and Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that the redfish have really been tailing well. Getting a shot at a dozen or more fish is common, and there are some very big fish around.
However, the downside has been that outside of high water the fishing has been really tough. The exception that proves the rule is that fishing on the rising tide has been good if you can find a creek where redfish want to move in to feed on high tide, but they get held up partway in because of a shell bar or some other obstruction that blocks the fish from getting further back.
Even though cleaning fish you find lots of minnows, live shrimp and cut mullet seem to be working much better as baits.
One optimistic sign is that this year there are tons of small redfish around in all the estuaries and inlets, a good indicator for the future.
The trout bite is still fair, with live shrimp again being the ticket. Fish are being caught around seams that have some water movement where the trout can ambush bait.
While the numbers of flounder are good, getting 16 plus inch keepers is pretty rare right now. Larger baits seem to be working the best.
Note that effective July 1 flounder regulations changed, with a new limit of 5 fish per person (from 10) and 10 per boat(from 20). The minimum size moved to 16 inches (from 15).
Around heavy structure there are tons of sheepshead around, especially on lower tides, but about 90% of the fish seem to be undersized. Fiddler crabs are out-fishing everything.
August 6
Morning surface water temperatures are still about 84 degrees around Beaufort, and from mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
As we get into another cycle of good tailing tides, Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that they expect to continue to see excellent tailing activity for redfish on high tide. Already the bite is better at high tide even when fish are not feeding in the short grass, and they are still chasing shrimp almost to the exclusion of other baits.
On low tide the fishing is still a little tough, perhaps because of the heat, but with shrimp you stand a better chance of getting bit around ambush points where reds are tucked out of the current at the mouth of feeder creeks, around points, and near oyster bars. At dead low the fishing is extremely tough.
The trout bite picked up a little this week, with live shrimp again being the ticket. Fish are being caught around seams that have some water movement where the trout can ambush bait.
It’s far too soon for the new regulations to be responsible, but Tuck notes that recently the flounder fishing has been much improved. They are catching lots of flounder as a by-catch while fishing shrimp for other species.
Note that effective July 1 flounder regulations changed, with a new limit of 5 fish per person (from 10) and 10 per boat(from 20). The minimum size moved to 16 inches (from 15).
There are better numbers of jack crevalle and tarpon around this week, with both species in the rivers as well as out front on the beaches.
July 29
Morning surface water temperatures are still about 83 degrees around Beaufort, but with a ton of rain and freshwater inflow the water is a muddy mess. From mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
Even though the tailing tides aren’t as high as last week, Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that on the flood tide there are still a pretty good number of redfish up on the short grass flats – even when there isn’t a lot of water up there. Still, the tailing activity isn’t as strong as last week, when it was phenomenal, but the low tide bite has picked up to compensate. Fish are in their usual ambush points tucked out of the current around feeder creeks, points, and oyster bars, and they are also chasing shrimp on shallow flats.
Fishing with cut mullet and mud minnows is very slow, and the fish almost exclusively seem to be feeding on shrimp right now. Shrimp imitations like Vudu shrimp are better than fish baits.
Shrimp is also still the bait of choice for trout, and even though the water is dirty the fishing is still pretty good. On the outgoing tide they have caught some trout around seams that have some water movement where the trout can ambush bait.
There are still a fair number of jack crevalle and ladyfish around, although the tripletail have been a little absent lately. They expect to see more when water temperatures start to cool.
There also continue to be more tarpon off the beaches than inshore right now.
July 23
Morning surface water temperatures are about 83 degrees around Beaufort and the water is dirty. From mullet to menhaden to shrimp there is tons of bait in the area.
It’s still the case that an abundance of food means that that the redfish aren’t feeding especially well at lower stages of the tide, but Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that on the flood tide the fishing has been nothing short of phenomenal. Whether because of a preference for crabs, because the water temperatures are more favorable, or for some other reason the tailing action has been outstanding in the short grass. Last night Tuck’s boat caught 14 redfish on the fly.
Fish can still be caught at lower stages of the tide around oysters and ambush points tucked out of the current, particularly if you can find relatively large groups of fish which makes them more aggressive. Singles or small packs are more selective. Shrimp is the bait of choice for redfish.
Shrimp is also the bait of choice for trout and pretty much everything else right now, and Tuck classifies the trout bite as decent. Even though the water is dirty, on the outgoing tide they have caught some trout around seams that have some water movement where the trout can ambush bait. They also caught some trout on mud minnows yesterday morning.
There are a fair number of jack crevalle, ladyfish and tripletail around right now, and there are also a few tarponinshore. However, much better numbers of tarpon are off the beaches right now.
July 9
Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s around Beaufort. There are tons of bait present from shrimp to mullet of all size to menhaden in the Broad River.
The abundance of bait in the area means that the redfish are very well fed, and perhaps as a result Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) reports that it can be really hard to get the reds to eat a fly or artificial lure, particularly at low tide. However, they are pretty happy to eat cut mullet or live shrimp in the usual places around oyster shells and ambush spots near current.
While tailing tides have been hard to come by, when the water has gotten up in the short grass then the tailing action has also been really good.
The trout fishing has been slow to non-existent, but there have been quite a few tripletail around. There are also a fair number of tarpon in the area, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for jacks. Interestingly, Tuck is seeing very few ladyfishrecently.
Overall it seems like the cobia are close to gone, although in perfect conditions you can still see the occasional fish. It seems to have been a fair year for cobia, and perhaps the biggest surprise is that even though they arrived late they didn’t stay longer on the back end. This is likely the result of water temperatures rising slowly early but then getting hotter fast.
June 23
Morning surface water temperatures are about 80 degrees around Beaufort.
There are still some scattered cobia being caught in the Broad River, but as delayed as this season was Captain Tuck Scott with Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) expected more fish to still be around. Some cobia are always present through the end of June, but it doesn’t seem that there are any more than usual.
However, there are a ton of tarpon present in the Beaufort area, and Tuck notes that he has seen them in the Harbor River, the Broad and the Chechessee – all over! The most effective way to target them is usually putting baits on the bottom since they are typically in deep water, and the few people who cast flies at them are usually blind casting in areas where they have seen tarpon roll.
The redfish bite has picked up a little bit, and on both the high and low tide the action has been good. On low and moving tides the fish have been around the usual spots near oyster beds and hanging in calmer water near ambush points, and at high tide they have been tailing well. The next few days should have some excellent flood tides.
Overall the best action is coming on live shrimp, but the finger mullet are big enough to use as bait.
While the trout have been pretty inactive in this heat, more and more tripletail are showing up. While it still may not be worth planning a trip around them inshore, you should definitely pay attention for them around floating debris, buoy markers, etc. Tuck has not seen any on grass edges yet, but they will get there.
If you really want to target tripletail then heading to the nearshore reefs and getting elevated to spot them may be the best bet.
June 11
Morning surface water temperatures are about 80 degrees around Beaufort.
The cobia are presumably still around, and Bay Street Outfitters (843-524-5250) notes that some scattered reports from anchored-up bait fishermen indicate that they are still feeding. However, conditions have been so wretched for almost a week that it’s been impossible to get out and look for them with the clouds and rain.
However, there has been better news with other inshore species and the redfish have been tailing really well in areas like the Harbor River. Captain Tuck Scott even saw some sheepshead up in the grass tailing!
Outside of high tide the reds are also feeding pretty well on shrimp and cut mullet, and they are in the usual spots near current where they can sit in a slower ambush spot and pick off bait.
The trout fishing has also been very strong at times, with the best fishing coming an hour after high tide for a couple of hours on the dropping tide. Areas with clean water hold more trout. Mud minnows under a popping cork have been working the best, and grubs are also catching some fish.
The flounder fishing has been a little down recently, and even though a few big fish have been caught in areas like Fripp Inlet overall the keeper ratio is unusually low. Bigger mud minnows seem to be getting bigger bites.
