October 12

Morning surface water temperatures are around 73-74 degrees in Charleston Harbor. Bait is still prolific, and with one throw of the net you can get more creek shrimp than you need.   

Last week Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) predicted that the king mackerel fishing was about to be on fire, and yesterday he confirmed that. They went offshore to about 50 feet of water and fished over live bottom, and in two hours they caught 8 kings and lost another 5. They couldn’t keep a bait in the water! Everything came slow-trolling live menhaden on a live bait rig. 

This pattern should hold up for at least a couple more weeks, and Rob reiterates that the last two weeks of October are the peak of the whole year for kings. 

With more pleasant fishing conditions (until today) Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that he had a really good week at the jetties and in the Charleston Harbor fishing for red drum. While you can certainly find them deeper he prefers to target fish in 10-20 feet to reduce the amount of stress on the breeding population, and he is finding them around the rocks, sand bars, other structure and various places off the shipping channel. Surf fishermen can also catch them. Cut mullet and menhaden will both work. 

And while Addison is not targeting them anymore, yesterday he saw a tarpon!

It’s still a blistering good bite inshore for redfish and trout, and Captain Rob reports that they are catching fish on any tide (now that the extreme high tides are behind us) as long as they are fishing around oysters. The redfish never slowed down and they are catching fifty plus most days, and now the trout have really picked up.  Live shrimp under a popping cork are working extremely well, and in general the reds are a little shallower than the trout – although there are times when both are mixed together. 

The report from Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) is that they are still catching lots of big reds, but it seems that the action is just starting to slow down. Most of the fish are still being caught on the deeper side. There are still lots of black drum in the 14-28 inch range being caught in the shallow breakers, and a few Spanish mackerel have showed up again. They are generally on the diamond or about 20 feet behind the breakers.  Within the week they expect king mackerel to arrive, and whiting and croaker are still around. 

October 5

Morning surface water temperatures are around 75-76 degrees in Charleston Harbor. You can get all the shrimp you need for bait throwing a net once or twice at the mouths of gutter creeks on lower tides. 

Conditions have been so windy that it has been hard to fish at the jetties, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that it will be tomorrow before they will finally have a day without howling winds out of the Northeast. While they know the bull red drum are still out there, they just haven’t been able to get there. And while they are pretty sure the tarpon are still around, the same is true. Once conditions allow then Addison will be fishing cut and live mullet, particularly around the big pods of mullet. 

But luckily the fishing inside the creeks has been pretty incredible, and both Addison and Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) report that redfish, trout, black drum and even the occasional flounderhave all been showing up. Both guides are fishing exclusively with live shrimp, with Rob only fishing under a popping cork and Addison also fishing live shrimp on a bottom rig. Yesterday Rob estimates that they caught 40 reds, a dozen trout and 8 black drum around oyster beds. He has mostly been fishing the low-incoming tide, and has noticed that by about mid-tide the bite slows down. With the effects of the full moon still prevalent there’s just so much water that higher tides are tough.

Addison is also having the best luck outside of high tide, concentrating on the low incoming and also the whole outgoing. In addition to oyster beds he is finding fish around docks, rocks and downed trees. 

Generally redfish are closer to the grass, while trout are further off it. Clean water also greatly increases your chances of locating trout. 

Rob also notes that in the surf it’s the best time of the year to catch bull reds on cut bait, and to that point Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that they are still catching tons of them off the pier. Almost all of them have been off the diamond at the end.  And while the Spanish mackerel have been absent this week, in their place lots of black drum in the 14-28 inch range are showing up in the shallow breakers. Whiting and croaker are also being caught.

Finally, Rob notes that the fall king mackerel run should peak over the next three weeks.  Instead of having to go way offshore they will be in 40-50 feet of water and so smaller boats can target them.

September 28

Morning surface water temperatures are around 77 degrees in Charleston Harbor and the mullet run is well underway. 

With crappy weather off-and-on in Charleston this week fishing opportunities have been a bit more limited, but Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that they are still catching a bunch of bull red drum. They are relating to the mullet pods, and in the inlet tide does not seem to matter as long as there is some moving water. 

There are also plenty of tarpon still around, although with the dropping temperatures some of the fish have clearly started to migrate south. Fish are busting mullet pods off the beaches, and there are also fish at the inlets and jetties. Again, Addison has historically caught them through mid-October and so we should have good fishing a little longer.  

Inside the creeks the redfish bite is still pretty fantastic. There are tons of puppy drum around which are just getting into the slot, and there are also bigger slot-sized (and over) fish. All you need to catch them is live shrimp or finger mullet under a cork or on the bottom. They are biting around the tide cycle near oysters, grass lines, creek mouths, docks and about anywhere you can put a bait. 

Addison will be fishing for trout more once the water cools down a few more degrees.

Were it not for one species the fishing on Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) would be a little slow, but fortunately it’s a good one. For almost the last week it has been bull red after bull red, and on Saturday alone they caught almost 40! Most of the fish are coming off the diamond, but a few were caught just behind the breakers. There have also been a few legal Spanish mackerel caught by red drum fishermen, mostly off the diamond. 

Finally, Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) is in Africa right now catching tiger fish on the Crocodile River! However, from experience he expects the next 3-4 weeks of fishing to be the best inshore time of the entire year. He always finds it gets a little better once we get past the huge full moon tides, though. 

September 21

Morning surface water temperatures are around 81 degrees in Charleston Harbor and the creeks are full of bait. 

It’s still peak tarpon time in the Lowcountry, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that even though there have been some really windy days when it’s tough sledding there have also been some really good days to get after them. With the mullet run going on there are now lots of fish busting on mullet pods off the beaches, but there are also fish at the inlets and jetties. They are virtually everywhere right now. The latest Addison can remember catching one is mid-October, and so we should have at least a couple more weeks of good fishing.

While they have not been targeting bull red drum, with big baits on the bottom fishing for tarpon they have been catching a ton around the jetties, inlets and other areas. 

But with the wind predicted for the next couple of days it may be more about the inshore fishing, and inside the creeks the redfish bite is still pretty fantastic. There are tons of puppy drum around as well as slot-sized (and over) fish, and all you need to catch them is live shrimp or finger mullet under a cork or on the bottom. They are biting around the tide cycle near oysters, grass lines, creek mouths, docks and about anywhere you can put a bait. 

The trout fishing has slowed down a little in the last few days, but should come back soon. 

In addition to the usual suspects of whiting and croaker, Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that they had a nice king mackerel run when they had a couple of perfect days last week.  All the fish ranged from 20-28 pounds.  Now they are catching 13-18 inch Spanish mackerel off the diamond at the end of the pier, and in the breakers just-undersized trout are being caught. There are also some nice schools of bluefish ranging from 10-20 inches being caught from one end of the pier to the other. The fishing is a little inconsistent from day to day right now, but with some really good days it’s certainly worth getting out there and trying!

September 7

Morning surface water temperatures are around 83 degrees in Charleston Harbor and the creeks are full of bait. 

While many of our coastal contacts have reported a tougher tarpon bite the last few days, Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that by yesterday the fishing had improved and even though they had to work hard to get bites they did manage to hook four. While they all eventually jumped off, atypically, they did fight them for a while. It seems that conditions are normalizing after the storms and more menhaden are off the beaches again.

Soon the mullet run will also be getting underway, and that should concentrate fish around mullet pods in the inlets and the oceans.

It’s been tough to get to the jetties with recent winds, but inside the harbor Addison reports that they have also managed to hook into some bull red drum. They have been about 20 feet deep off the shipping channel, and they have wanted cut mullet and menhaden. 

Inside the creeks it’s been a fantastic bite, and Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that they are smoking the redfish of every size.  Live shrimp are so thick you can get 50 in a throw of the cast net, and under a popping cork live shrimp are catching fish when the tide is moving in both directions. The key is fishing around oysters, and Rob says it would be a challenge to find an oyster bed that didn’t hold reds right now.

They are also picking up some trout and black drum on the same rig in the same areas. 

Addison is also finding a great redfish bite back in the creeks, and he’s mixing up float rigs and bottom rigs. As long as the tide is out of the grass then the fishing is wide open. 

In addition to the usual suspects of whiting and croaker (less pompano this week), Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that speckled sea trout just under 14 inches are being caught in the breakers. A variety of sizes of redfish from over the slot to just under are being caught all over the pier, and bull red drum are being caught off the diamond. 

August 24

Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s in Charleston Harbor and the creeks are full of bait. 

We knew that Captain Addison Rupert with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures was a good tarpon fisherman when we started to talking to him, but Addison’s results in last weekend’s Holy City tarpon tournament exceed everyone’s expectations – including his own!  Any day you catch a tarpon in South Carolina is a good day, but on Day 1 they brought an incredible 7(!) fish alongside the boat. The second day they had two.  It was good for the win with partners Robbie Fishcher and his girlfriend Carson. 

Almost all of their fish came on live menhaden, with maybe one on a pinfish, and they were fishing the inlets and ocean to the north of Charleston. As always they put bait at the top, middle and bottom of the water column. While the fishing hasn’t been quite as good this week they did hook a big one Monday on the incoming, although crazy northeast winds have limited their ability to fish comfortably on charters since then. 

They are also picking up some over-slot redfish and sharks fishing for tarpon in the inlets. There are also bull reds at the jetties.   

It’s still a fantastic inshore bite as well, and Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that he is catching a mixed bag of reds, trout and flounder. Again, through October he will be fishing pretty much exclusively with live shrimp under a popping cork. For redfish and flounder the tide isn’t making a huge difference as long as you are fishing around oysters, although the lower stages have been a little better when the fish are more concentrated. Trout are feeding better along the grass at high tide. 

They have also caught a few black drum mixed in with the redfish.

In addition to the usual suspects of whiting and croaker, Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports speckled sea trout and some Spanish mackerel are coming through at the moment. They are being caught right behind the breakers, mostly on Carolina rigs with live bait fished near the pilings. 

August 17

Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 in Charleston Harbor and the creeks are full of bait. 

While there are plenty of other fish swimming around Charleston, August and September are the best two months of the year for tarpon fishing in South Carolina – and so that’s what Captain Addison Rupert with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures is spending the most time and energy targeting. Already this week they have landed some good fish, and he is hoping for more of the same in the tournament coming up this weekend. 

Tarpon will be found in the surf, inlets, around the jetties and more – particularly near big bait schools. When Captain Addison’s boat is targeting them he will put out mullet or menhaden baits on the top, middle and bottom of the water column. They are also catching sharks while pursuing tarpon. 

When not chasing silver kings they have been spending some time on the redfish, catching some nice quality fish inshore in the creeks on cut finger mullet. While lower stages of the tide have generally fished better, as long as the water has been moving the bite has been good. Meanwhile, for bull reds at the jetties the tide has not mattered as much – unlike creek redfish that can spread out in the grass, higher water doesn’t expand their habitat much at the jetties.

While mullet, mud minnows and even artificials will all work, Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that he won’t be fishing with anything but live shrimp under a popping cork for inshore redfish for some time. They are still catching excellent numbers and a wide variety of sizes to the south of Charleston, and there have even been a few nice black drum mixed in. 

A week or two ago Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that they had a flurry of activity from some bigger fish including king mackerel and tarpon, but for the past week things have been a little slower and it’s been mainly smaller pompano and black drum as well as the occasional 10-14 inch bluefish. And as always they are still catching lots of whiting and croaker. 

August 4

Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 inshore around Charleston and the creeks are full of bait. 

It’s still an awesome bite for redfish around Charleston, but Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that this week the trout have joined the party.  Some nice ones have been included in the mix, and they are catching them in 3-6 feet of water off the banks in the inlets and around the bigger water closer to the ocean. Everything is coming on live shrimp fished under a popping cork. 

Redfish are still practically jumping in the boat on the same rig, and Rob reports that they are still running from 10 inches up to the slot and above. It’s not unusual to catch 100 in four hours. The key is still fishing around oysters as well as grass banks, and fish are biting around the tide cycle. 

With the recent full moon the tarpon fishing has been excellent, and fishing around sandbars with two live baits on the top about six feet deep as well as two on the bottom has been the ticket. Menhaden are the best choice, but mullet will also work. Even though the bite drops off between moon phases, you can still catch them all of this month. And expect a few days before until a few days after the September full moon to be perhaps the best fishing of the year. 

Additionally, they are still picking up a surprisingly large number of flounder while chasing redfish and trout inshore.  

Rob hasn’t been nearshore much with such good inshore fishing, but the Spanish mackerel bite has been strong. 

Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that they continue to get a good number of black drum off the pier, and the pompano have also showed up this week. They are also catching Spanish mackerel here and there, whiting, and stingrays.  

July 27

Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 inshore around Charleston.

Last year about this same time the redfish turned on like crazy around Charleston, and Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that this year is more of the same! He’s been out every day and they are finding incredible action, catching over 100 fish the last two trips. They are running from 10 inches up to the slot and above, and everything is coming on popping corks with live shrimp. The shrimp are so thick in the creeks that you could walk on them!  All they are doing is fishing around oysters, and they are catching fish around the tide cycle.

Yesterday they also caught a few black drum in the same areas, while trout have been harder to locate. You have to fish very early to have any luck with the trout.  

Finally, they are picking up a surprisingly large number of flounder while chasing redfish.

Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that fishing off the pier has been good despite the heat, and just today there were six 15-18 inch trout caught. About eight 14-16 inch black drum were also landed, as well as tons of smaller spadefish. Sheepshead and pompano have also been around. 

July 13

With our regular correspondents out of town for ICAST and on vacation in Canada, we sincerely apologize for the lack of new fishing report for Charleston. That it follows our vacation last week makes the break even longer. We promise an updated report next week.

For now, the reopened Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that before the Fourth they had a couple of nice king mackerel caught, weighing in at 24 and 21 pounds, respectively. They also had a 130-pound tarpon landed! 

Perhaps because of the heat this week has been a little slower, but they have been seeing a lot of whiting and black drum.