January 8
Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to around 49 degrees in Charleston Harbor and the water is very clear.
Despite the cold the inshore fishing is pretty good around Charleston, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that in particular the redfish are grouped up in huge schools of 100 plus fish. At low tide you can find them on the mud flats and over oyster bars, and they will take both artificial lures as well as natural baits. In the very clear conditions you can look for them and then sight-fish.
There is also a good redfish bite around structure (docks, rocks, pilings, downed trees, etc.) in 5-6 feet of water on the outgoing tide (if you try to fish the flats on the outgoing you can get stuck, among other issues), with fish being caught on both blue crab chunks and shrimp. The bigger fish are coming on crab, while smaller ones as well as juvenile black drum are taking shrimp.
While Addison’s boat has caught a few trout on shrimp they seem to have mostly shut down with the cold.
At last report things were pretty slow on the Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516), but a few smaller sheepshead and black drum are being caught.
December 19
Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s around Charleston.
There’s a little bit of everything biting inshore around Charleston, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that on his last few trips they have caught redfish, trout, black drum, and sheepshead all on live shrimp. Windy conditions have kept them inside the creeks, and the best pattern has been fishing around trees and other structure. The tide has not mattered as long as it has been moving.
When conditions allow you to get on the bigger water there are also giant schools of redfish on the flats in just a foot or so of water, and in the clear conditions it’s the best time of the year for sight-fishing. Captain Addison has caught a lot of reds on the fly recently.
That’s consistent with the report from Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777), who has found the redfish extremely schooled up. On one spot they caught 35 fish in two hours last week, and everything came on mud minnows fished two feet under a float. Generally the fish want to be shallow along the grass lines and oysters, and when you locate one you are likely to find a bunch!
It's also a very good time to find sheepshead at the jetties and in the rivers, and while you pretty much have to buy fiddler crabs to target them they are feeding very well around deeper structure.
December 3
Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s around Charleston.
As expected the cold weather has only improved the inshore fishing for trout in the Charleston area, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that anglers are catching them from the small creeks to the rivers to the inlets, on every cast at times. They are generally congregating a little deeper in 6-8 feet of water, but the real key to catching them has been fishing clean, moving water. Live shrimp under a slip cork have been working very well, but Vudu shrimp have also been productive.
That’s consistent with the report from Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777), who is blistering the trout on live shrimp but points out that you aren’t able to easily catch your own shrimp now. One option is to buy them, but he also expects the artificial grub fishing to be very good for the next two to three weeks for trout.
At the same time both captains are catching limits of redfish (and a few black drum), and live shrimp have been working really well for the reds as well. The best action has been on shallow mud flats, around oyster beds, and near structure in the creeks. In general the flats and oysters have fished better on low tide, but docks and other structure have often been most productive on the high outgoing.
Nearshore, Captain Rob points out that there are now schools of giant 20-50 pound red drum following bait that you can locate by following the birds in 30-90 feet of water. There can be some incredible topwater action for these fish.
That make sense, because Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) reports that the bull red drum bite is finally slowing down off the pier as the fish head offshore with dropping December temperatures. At the same time they are catching lots of slot-sized black drum just beyond the surf as well as trout all over the pier.
November 20
Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid to upper 60s around Charleston and bait continues to be abundant.
The inshore fishing continues to be outstanding in the Charleston area, and Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures reports that they continue to catch a wider array of species including redfish, trout, black drum and more. As the water temperatures have dropped a few degrees the bait stealers have gotten a little less abundant, which is good because fish are on such a strong shrimp bite. However, yesterday they also caught fish on the fly as well as Spooks.
Both tides have been good as long as there is moving water, and even though Captain Addison hasn’t been targeting them specifically they are picking up more and more trout. The coming cold front should make them bite even better. The best action for all species has been in 2-5 feet of water around grass lines, oyster beds, and creek mouths. In general the red and black drum are feeding a little better shallower and on slacker tides, while once the tide gets up the trout become more prominent in the catch.
Additionally, the bite can’t go on forever, but for now the bull red drum bite at the jetties is still really good and Addison’s boat is still catching lots of big fish each time they can get out. Live or cut mullet (or other cut bait) will all work.
November 14
Morning surface water temperatures are still about 70 degrees around Charleston and bait continues to be abundant.
It’s hard to believe, but with inshore water temperatures this warm Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that they are still catching shrimp in the cast net like it’s August – 50-75 per throw. But the trout have been a little slower this week, perhaps because of the extreme high tides, but they also expect the cooler temperatures that are coming to really turn them on – particularly when water temperatures hit about the mid-60s. Captain Rob is still fishing in the rivers 4-5 feet off the grass around oyster beds. He is fishing in about 5 feet of water with live shrimp a few feet under a popping cork on moving tides.
As the trout have slacked off a bit the redfish have been very cooperative, and they continue to catch them a little shallower in 2-3 feet of water.
The creek bite has also been great for Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures, who reports that with live shrimp and finger mullet they are catching an outstanding variety of species including trout, redfish, black drum, occasional flounder, and even some random sheepshead. Tides moving in either direction have been productive and the only down-side to fishing right now is that water temperatures are so high that there still a lot of bait stealers around.
Warm temperatures have also extended the bull red drum bite at the jetties, and on one recent day when it was calm enough to fish out there they caught fourteen giant drum on frozen menhaden. This bite won’t last much longer once temperatures drop, but for now it is still pretty phenomenal.
October 30
Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 69 degrees around Charleston. Bait is abundant.
The inshore fishing is still outstanding around Charleston, and Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that with such a protracted, mild fall he expects it to stay that way for another month. In particular the trout fishing is still incredible, with Captain Rob’s boat catching 30-60 fish per day. He is still fishing in open water 4-5 feet off the grass about 5 feet deep around oyster beds, using shrimp a few feet under a popping cork. The slot redfish and flounder are generally shallower, but they have managed to pick up a monster redfish each of the last two days – one 33-incher and one 34-incher. Both times they wondered if it were a shark at first. Higher, moving tides have been the best.
Meanwhile Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures is on similar patterns inshore, and he is basically starting out in 2-4 feet of water over submerged shell beds fishing for reds but catching more trout as the tide gets up.
But the catch of the week came at the jetties, where fishing live shrimp will entice a smorgasbord of species. One of those was a 28-inch, 9-pound flounder!
Finally, in the Charleston Harbor the bite for bull red drum is still pretty outstanding. Captain Addison’s boat is fishing in 10-25 feet of water and having success with about any cut bait from mullet to whiting to bluefish and more. The fish aren’t very picky right now and they are around in strong numbers
Finally, manager Noah O’Brien reports that, perhaps because of the renourishment project, fishing on the Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) continues to be less than expected. Bull red drum are coming through but not like most years, and they get maybe four or five in the 35-40 inch range on a good day. They are also still seeing some trout in the 10-20 inch range in the surf or just behind it.
October 16
Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 71 degrees around Charleston.
The inshore fishing is nothing short of outstanding around Charleston, but Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that he has changed his target species from redfish to trout. While the reds are still around they are catching 30-60 trout per trip, with everything coming on live shrimp under popping corks. They are fishing the main river points in about 5 feet of water with the bait about 3 feet under a float, and even in 25 mile per hour winds today fish were practically jumping in the boat.
While fish can be caught around the tide cycle the best time has been the high outgoing tide.
Meanwhile Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures is finding a similarly outstanding bite for bull red drum in the harbor and at the jetties, and tide isn’t making too much of a difference. They are fishing in 10-25 feet of water and having success with about any cut bait from mullet to whiting to bluefish and more. The fish aren’t very picky right now and they are around in strong numbers – which is what is supposed to happen in October!
The tarpon seem to be pretty much gone, especially with the weather coming in.
Finally, manager Noah O’Brien reports that this week on the Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) the red drum in the 24-45 are coming through. So far the run hasn’t been quite as plentiful as last season, but they are definitely still around. Additionally, lots of trout are being caught in the surf including a five-pounder Tuesday! They are taking Gotcha plugs, live shrimp, and live mullet. Sheepshead in the 12-16 inch range are still abundant as well as the usual suspects of whiting, bluefish, etc.
October 3
Morning surface water temperatures are still about 77 degrees around Charleston.
There’s very little change with the inshore fishing around Charleston, and that’s a good thing because Captain Rob Bennett with Lowcountry Inshore Charters (843-367-3777) reports that the bite is still completely wide open. The trout numbers aren’t fantastic but they are still catching redfish on virtually every cast. The key is fishing moving water in either direction around docks, oysters and other structure with live shrimp a couple of feet under a popping cork. Slack water is the only time the bite slows.
Meanwhile Captain Addison Rupert (843-557-3476) with Lowcountry Outdoor Adventures is still chasing the bull reds in the Charleston Harbor, and the bite has been pretty outstanding. October is the very best month for them and so far it has not disappointed! The fish are taking cut menhaden and mullet in 10-25 feet around the jetties, sand bars, and structure.
While tarpon can still be found other places, the biggest concentrations are on the beaches this late in the season. Yesterday Captain Addison saw a bunch and jumped several on live menhaden.
At the same time the fishing off the Folly Beach Pier (843-762-9516) continues to disappoint, and manager Noah O’Brien reports that with the renourishment project right in front of the pier this week the fishing has been very, very slow. One angler did manage to catch 8 bull reds off the diamond right before the storm, but since then it has slowed to a crawl.
Finally, for something different Captain Rob reports that the nearshore bite for king mackerel has been pretty fantastic slow-trolling live baits over live bottom in 50 feet of water. On the last trip their biggest was 40 pounds!
