October 9

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 75-76 degrees. The water clarity is good without much rain.   

It’s a strange week to report on inshore fishing around Edisto, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that on the one hand it should be approaching the peak fishing time of the year. But in reality the weather and conditions have been close to unfishable for the last ten days, with strong wind from the northeast and king full moon tides.

The upside is that the fish are almost totally unpressured and so, after three or four more days of wind, calmer conditions and mild tides should make the fishing absolutely incredible for the next 2-3 weeks. A downward bump in temperatures will also turn on the bite – for the next month or two every time temperatures drop the fish will feel an increasing urgency to feed.

Redfish, trout, flounder and sheepshead should all peak for the year in the near future, and the bull reds that are almost certainly still nearshore and just off the beaches will actually get into the surf zone where anglers can cast for them from the sand. 

Offshore no one has able to get out, but the sailfish, wahoo and tuna should be on fire as well.  And the best bottom fishing of the year should kick off.

The bottom line is that if you can see past the immediate conditions very, very exciting times beckon. 

Our apologies for the sporadic fishing reports in recent weeks. We will do everything we can to get back on track with weekly updates, but one of our children is getting through a significant health challenge which has occupied a great deal of our time and kept us out of work.  

September 25

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 78-80 degrees. Despite big moon tides clarity is good in both rivers. 

The inshore fishing is very strong around Edisto Island, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that the tailing activity for redfish on this last new moon was about at its peak. Barring a major cold front the next full moon should again offer excellent tailing on the short grass flats.

Outside of high tide the fishing is basically good on every stage of the tide – the whole incoming tide, low outgoing, high outgoing – except for the mid-outgoing. That’s when the water is moving its fastest and is the dirtiest. 

There are lots of little fish around as well as better ones and basically if you put a bait in front of them most of the time they will bite.  The main rivers and creeks are both productive.

The trout fishing is also good, but Captain Ron sees catches down at least 40-50% from last year. That is almost certainly related to the winter kill. The fish will bite shrimp under a popping cork any time the water is clear and moving.  Ron notes that currently the shrimp in the South Edisto are bigger and better for bait than in the closed North Edisto system. 

Main river shell points are still the best areas, but fish are also starting to move back into the creeks where they can be caught around riprap banks and other structure.

Flounder are almost exclusively on the main rivers around oyster bars. 

The next four weeks will be the absolute peak for sheepshead fishing, and fishing two hours either side of low tide around structure in 6-8 feet of water is the best bet. Bait is pretty much limited to crabs with so many picker fish around, but in addition to fiddler crabs small sections of blue crabs including the legs will work. 

Tarpon are still around, but they are in the early stages of migrating away. 

Bull red drum are starting to make their way closer in, and while they are not yet to the beaches they are showing up on nearshore reefs. There also lots of bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and ladyfish around.

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet right now. The fishing is good but will get better at the next cold front.  

It’s a very good time for offshore trolling at the ledge in 155-185 feet for tuna and wahoo. Additionally, in very deep water the swordfish bite is excellent.

September 11

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 77-78 degrees. 

Regular readers of the Edisto fishing report know that Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) is a straight-shooter, and so when he says the fall inshore fishing is in full swing and that it’s “time to roll” if you want to catch fish – you better listen!

After the blowout from all the freshwater a few weeks ago the shrimp have finally gotten bigger again and make a consistent source of bait, and while the patterns haven’t changed much (main river points for trout, oyster beds and creek holes for reds) they are just biting much better. However, with big tides the window is narrower for catching fish – especially trout – and you pretty much have to fish when the water is clear in both the creeks and main rivers. High tide is very good. You can get away with soaking cut bait for redfish when the water is stained, but for trout there is basically no pattern in dirty water. With the big moon waning the feeding window will expand and the bite will get better overall. 

Tarpon are still around, but this year Captain Ron has learned just how much they move from day to day. 

Perhaps the best thing going is the sheepshead bite, and a friend of Ron’s caught 50 a couple of days ago fishing at low tide around structure. About a third were large keepers. This time of year you basically have to fish fiddler crabs or mud crabs. The bite will likely stay strong through the end of October. 

The nearshore reefs are at in-between time, and the bull redfish have not showed up yet and there aren’t a ton of Spanish around. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet right now. 

It’s a very good time for offshore trolling, and the wahoo and tuna have both started at the ledge and you can also get 5-7 chances at a sailfish on an average trip.   There are also peanut dolphin around at the weedlines.   

August 28

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 82 degrees and freshwater inflow is playing havoc with the fishery. 

While some inshore species like redfish, which can tolerate virtually freshwater, are less affected by low salinity levels than others, Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that 12-14 inches of rain have overall had a tremendous effect on virtually everything. This is especially true when the freshwater has made for darker water with lower visibility. And even redfish are affected when bait moves, and the sizes of shrimp have noticeably changed in the creeks with bait-sized shrimp harder to find and only very small shrimp easily available. 

The net result is that right now everything is harder to catch, and numbers are down. The better fishing is closer to the ocean (or in it) where salinity levels are higher. 

At the same time there are some positives, especially coming in the near-term, and if we have a dry period then water conditions will normalize and a traditional fall bite will take off. The mullet run has already started, with “daisy chains” of mullet of all sizes swimming around everywhere, which makes for peak tarpon conditions, and as the water cools fish will feed more with each bump downwards.  We are also getting into a period where tides are more important than time of day, and you don’t have to fish early to get bites.

Overall trout patterns are still about the same, and if you can get them fishing larger 3-4 inch shrimp around main river shell points close to the ocean is the best way to target them. At half moon phases the better fishing is at high and low water when water is clearer, while at quarter moon phases that window expands. 

Redfish are pretty easy to catch if you can find them, and right now the best action is also in the main rivers closer to the ocean.  But there will still be some in the creeks as long as there is bait around.  

Flounder are present in decent numbers, but there are just very few keepers.

At the nearshore reefs there are some bluefish and above-average numbers of black drum, and the Spanish mackerel are pretty thick right now. And if you locate the Spanish then king mackerel are in the same areas. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet right now but you can start catching fish in 60-70 feet. 

Wind and offshore storms have made for a tough offshore trolling bite, but when boats can get out the sailfish action is strong. Wahoo should be really good in September, especially once the water cools a bit more.

August 21

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 81-82 degrees and there is a tremendous amount of freshwater coming into the South Edisto after over a foot of rain. Menhaden are prolific but most of the larger shrimp have been blown out of the creeks. 

A massive influx of freshwater has left mostly smaller shrimp in the creeks, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that this has coincided with a worsened inshore trout bite. The numbers are way down from last August, and it’s a little hard to know what’s responsible. It could be related to all the freshwater, the winter kill, or fish may just not have migrated into the area – or they may just not be biting. The pattern is still the same, and if you can get them fishing larger 3-4 inch shrimp around main river shell points close to the ocean is the best way to target them. 

Redfish are pretty easy to catch if you can find them, and the easiest place to look for them is up the creeks around structure with live finger mullet on a Carolina rig. They will also take cut bait of any kind, particularly menhaden right now, but shrimp are hard to fish because of so many picker fish around. 

In the main rivers the best pattern for catching redfish is fishing big shrimp a couple of feet under a cork around oyster bars. There continue to be lots and lots of little fish around. 

Flounder are present in decent numbers, but there are just very few keepers.

Tarpon are prolific by now, and the key to finding them seems to be locating areas where bait collides with a current rip. If there is a water color change in the same area then tarpon are almost guaranteed to be there. Sharks are also very, very prolific right now. 

The sheepshead bite is picking up around docks at low tide with fiddler crabs, and already a few bigger fish are starting to be mixed in with smaller ones. However, once water temperatures bump below 80 the bite should really take off. 

At the nearshore reefs there are some bluefish and above-average numbers of black drum, and the Spanish mackerel are pretty thick right now. And if you locate the Spanish then king mackerel are in the same areas. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet right now but you can start catching fish in 60-70 feet. 

Wind and offshore storms have made for a tough offshore trolling bite, but when boats can get out the sailfish action is strong. Wahoo should be really good in late August and September, especially once the water cools a bit from the storms and the fish have time to adjust. 

August 1

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 85-86 degrees and both the North and South Edisto are clear. Menhaden and mullet of every size as well as shrimp are abundant. 

It’s hard to explain after the very cold winter, but Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that he has been seeing more shrimp than ever before in the creeks. Despite that it has not translated into an unusually good inshore bite. The numbers sound gaudy, and on a typical trip like yesterday they catch 40 redfish and 20 trout. However, 39 of those reds were rat reds below the slot and only 4 trout were keepers. That it’s been the hottest late June and July Captain Ron can remember could have something to do with the smaller-than-usual (and lower numbers) of trout, or it could be the lingering effects of whatever winter kills took place. Regardless, on next week’s full moon more big trout should show again – but the slow days have been much slower this summer than usual. 

With low tide falling early this week the pattern has been very simple, and on the main river live or white shell points they are floating live shrimp under a cork for both species against the grass on rising water. There are also plenty of redfish back in the creeks, and with water temperatures this warm their metabolism is so fast that they will eat if you put bait in front of them. Fishing around structure at low water is the best creek pattern for this tide cycle.  

Because they have been fishing so much shrimp on corks this week they aren’t picking up as many flounder, but they are still there. To increase numbers pull finger mullet on Carolina rigs, but they are still mostly shorts. 

They are still seeing tons of sheepshead on high tide feeding on the underside of docks, but they are extremely difficult to catch. If there is a tropical system that bumps the temperatures down a few degrees they should turn on, but for now the best action is for smaller fish around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is down this season, but they are seeing more big croaker. 

Tarpon are around in droves, and at the mouths of the inlets and deep holes inside the rivers at the mouths of all the major creeks they are abundant. You often won’t catch the fish you see rolling on the surface, but they will show where the tarpon are and let anglers know where to put out baits at multiple depths. There are also fish at sand bars and current rips, and they seem to be gravitating more to mullet schools than menhaden right now. Additionally, while some people prefer menhaden Captain Ron prefers mullet for bait because they are heartier.

At the nearshore reefs there are Spanish mackerel – and kings moving in close when the Spanish are around. There are also some black drum and a few bull reds, but you can usually only catch one bull before they sound. Two- to three-pound bluefish and ladyfish are also abundant. Spadefish are still there at the Edisto 60 and 90 but hard to catch, and particularly at the 90 they are very spread out. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet right now.  

In offshore trolling the sailfish action is very good, and there are some marlin around. The wahoo bite should kick off at the August full moon, while temperatures will have to drop a bit before the tuna get good. A very few dolphin are still being picked up.  

Our family is travelling next week for the last week of the summer before our children go back to school, but we will resume weekly fishing reports the following week. Hopefully some cooler weather will give us some exciting changes to relay – although it will still be August in South Carolina!     

July 22

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 84 degrees and both the North and South Edisto are clear. Menhaden and mullet of every size as well as shrimp are abundant. 

It’s mostly about the morning bite right now, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that inshore the fishing gets pretty slow after lunch. With the new moon coming more small male trout are now showing up, then there will be a few days of more big females, and then it will slow down again.  Overall numbers of 15-17 inch fish are pretty far down this year.  

For now the key is fishing with live shrimp around main river grass lines and white shell points at high tide and on the high outgoing. Once we get back to lower tides first thing then the best bet will be fishing deeper shell rakes in 7-10 feet of water – where most anglers traditionally have their boat.

Redfish will bite throughout the day but the action is better in the morning before it gets choppy, and on the flats the high outgoing tide has been good around oysters. Low tide in the creeks is tough because it’s in the heat of the day. 

Flounder are a common by-catch on live bait but they are running pretty small this year. 

The sheepshead bite is still tough, not because the big fish are not around but because in the summer they seem to feed up on the bottom of docks and become extremely hard to catch. You can still see them, which makes it even more frustrating. The best action is for smaller fish around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Tarpon have really arrived in the last couple of weeks, and at the mouths of the inlets and deep holes inside the rivers at the mouths of all the major creeks they are abundant. You often won’t catch the fish you see rolling on the surface, but they will show where the tarpon are and let anglers know where to put out baits at multiple depths. While a lot of people prefer menhaden Captain Ron prefers mullet because they are heartier.

At the nearshore reefs there are lots of juvenile cobia around, and the Spanish mackerel fishing has gotten a little better. The best Spanish action is just outside the color change where the rivers meet the ocean. Spadefish have been pretty deep and hard to catch recently, but even though there are not jellyballs around on calm days you can catch them on clam strips and shrimp. 

The best bottom fishing is in 80-100 feet right now.  

In offshore trolling the sailfish action is good, and there are some marlin around. There are a few big wahoo being caught and a very few dolphin. 

We apologize that these reports are running a few days behind – the author had some unexpected issues in his other job arise. 

July 10

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 84-85 degrees and both the North and South Edisto are clear. 

With high tides in the morning this week, Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that inshore they have caught more big trout this week. However, the numbers have not improved much and catches are still down about 30-40% from last year. The best area to fish is still main river shell points close to the ocean, and finger mullet and shrimp will both catch fish. 

Because of the tide cycle they have had better success with flats redfish than creek redfish this week, as the creeks usually fish better at low tide but not in the heat of the day. But the high outgoing tide on the flats has been very good, and one day they relocated a school and wore them out. The next day the same fish were more cautious, showing the influence of fishing pressure, but it has still been a good week for redfish.  

The sheepshead bite is tough, not because the big fish are not around but because in the summer they seem to feed up on the bottom of docks and become extremely hard to catch. You can still see them, which makes it even more frustrating. The best action is for smaller fish around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Tarpon have really arrived in the last couple of weeks, and at the mouths of the inlets and deep holes inside the rivers at the mouths of all the major creeks they are abundant. You often won’t catch the fish you see rolling on the surface, but they will show where the tarpon are and let anglers know where to put out baits at multiple depths. While a lot of people prefer menhaden Captain Ron prefers mullet because they are heartier. 

Probably the best thing going right now is trolling nearshore for king mackerel in 40-90 feet, and until about 10 or 11 am trolling drone spoons behind planer boards or slow trolling menhaden is working very well for kings (and big Spanish). Basically the key to locating the king mackerel is to look for the bait and Spanish mackerel, which they also eat, and follow the birds. Small cobia are also abundant. Spadefish are still plentiful at the reefs but very finicky, although it should get easier to catch them in mid- to late July when young-of-the-year jellyballs appear. 

Unbelievably the best bottom fishing is still in 60-70 feet right now, and in 50-70 feet the red snapper are moving onto live bottom and seemingly displacing the black sea bass. They can also be caught in 80-100 feet.   

In offshore trolling it is very good fishing for billfish and particularly sailfish right now. They are also picking up a few dolphin on each trip, typical for this time of year, while tuna and wahoo have slowed way down. Wahoo will turn on again at the full moon in August.

July 2

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 85 degrees and both the North and South Edisto are clear. 

Away from a new or full moon this week, even with moderate tides for fishing Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that the effects of the winter’s cold spell seem to be really apparent with the inshore trout fishing. They have certainly picked up some keepers fishing around main river shall points close to the ocean, but most of the fish have been 12-13 inches. While low tide coincides with cool morning temperatures the water has been clear enough that the fishing should be strong, but catches are down significantly from last year. It may not be helping that shrimp are hard to come by as they are seemingly between hatches, but finger mullet are abundant even though the trout aren’t devouring them. 

This week the redfish on the flats have been a little hard to locate, although they are starting to see tens of 10-inch fish. The better action has been in the creeks where catching fish around low tide structure on finger mullet has been pretty reliable. 

There are also a fair number of small flounder around, but less than last year, and still the number of keepers is down as well. 

The sheepshead bite is tough, not because the big fish are not around but because in the summer they seem to feed up on the bottom of docks and become extremely hard to catch. You can still see them, which makes it even more frustrating. The best action is for smaller fish around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Tarpon have really arrived in the last couple of weeks, and at the mouths of the inlets and deep holes inside the rivers at the mouths of all the major creeks they are abundant. You often won’t catch the fish you see rolling on the surface, but they will show where the fish are and let anglers know where to put out baits at multiple depths. While a lot of people prefer menhaden Captain Ron prefers mullet because they are heartier. 

Probably the best thing going right now is trolling nearshore for king mackerel in 40-90 feet, and until about 10 or 11 am trolling drone spoons behind planer boards or slow trolling menhaden is working very well for kings (and big Spanish). Basically the key to locating the king mackerel is to look for the bait and Spanish mackerel, which they also eat, and follow the birds.  Small cobia are also abundant. Spadefish are still plentiful at the reefs but very finicky, although it should get easier to catch them in mid- to late July when young-of-the-year jellyballs appear. 

Unbelievably the best bottom fishing is in 60-70 feet right now, and in 50-70 feet the red snapper are moving onto live bottom and seemingly displacing the black sea bass. They can also be caught in 80-100 feet.   

In offshore trolling it is very good fishing for billfish and particularly sailfish right now. They are also picking up a few dolphin on each trip, typical for this time of year, while tuna and wahoo have slowed way down. Wahoo will turn on again at the full moon in August.

June 27

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 83 degrees and both rivers are clear besides boat traffic and tidal influence. 

Once again this week we are in a cycle of extremely low and then high afternoon tides, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that in addition to the extremely strong currents the timing of the morning high tides makes it difficult to catch bait. You can still catch finger mullet even on higher tides but shrimp are not easy to come by. 

Overall the inshore trout fishing is still good and there are plenty of 17-18 inch roe trout around, although Ron notes that catches seem to be down about 30-40% from last year and some spots that usually produce are fishless. But it is still much, much better than was feared this winter. While you can certainly pick up a trout or two back in the creeks, the much better fishing is around the big spawning aggregations at main river shell points near the ocean. Finger mullet have been working well in the absence of shrimp. 

The redfish action is pretty normal, and if you can get a finger mullet in front of a redfish’s face he will eat it. Ron is pretty much fishing four or five schools on the flats, and the best tide is mid-tide in either direction. Dead high and dead low are no good, but when there is a couple of feet of water moving over oyster bars that makes for the best fishing. The creeks are tough to fish this week because low occurs in the heat of the day and it’s just so hot. When low tide cycles through to the morning again fishing will improve. 

At this point there are less young of the year redfish around than usual.

There are a fair number of small flounder around, but less than last year, and still the number of keepers is down as well. 

The sheepshead bite is tough, not because the big fish are not around but because in the summer they seem to feed up on the bottom of docks and become extremely hard to catch. You can still see them, which makes it even more frustrating. The best action is for smaller fish around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Tarpon have really arrived in the last couple of weeks, and at the mouths of the inlets and deep holes inside the rivers at the mouths of all the major creeks they are abundant. You often won’t catch the fish you see rolling on the surface, but they will show where the fish are and let anglers know where to put out baits at multiple depths. While a lot of people prefer menhaden Ron prefers mullet because they are heartier. 

Nearshore the small cobia are thick and there are tons of spadefish around, although they have been very finicky. King mackerel and Spanish are both abundant, and trolling spoons or slow trolling live bait for kings is working. To locate the Spanish mackerel look for the birds, and so far this whole summer they have been in a pattern of feeding best early. Usually they follow the tide cycles more. 

Unbelievably the best bottom fishing is in 60-70 feet right now, and in 50-70 feet the red snapper are moving onto live bottom and seemingly displacing the black sea bass. They can also be caught in 80-100 feet.   

In offshore trolling it is very good fishing for billfish and particularly sailfish right now. They are also picking up a few dolphin on each trip, typical for this time of year, while tuna and wahoo have slowed way down. Wahoo will turn on again at the full moon in August.

June 19

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 81 degrees and both rivers are clear this week. 

With the new moon next week tides will start to creep towards greater variance between high and low, but Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that this week milder tides have made for much better fishing. Shrimp remain the bait of choice as finger mullet still slip through a cast net, but with so many picker fish soon mullet on a Carolina rig will be the best bait for trout, redfish and flounder. 

In both the creeks and on the river flats the redfish bite has been good – when you can locate fish. There are a lot of 8-10 inch rat redfish around by now. 

The bite is better on lower tides when the fish are more concentrated, and in the creeks they are around holes and structure while they hold around oyster bars and creek mouths in the rivers. Mud minnows are working well but cut menhaden and mullet are also effective. Shrimp is good as long as there are not too many bait stealers around.  

There are a bunch of small flounder around but still very few keepers. 

The sheepshead bite is still fair but dropping off each week, with fish getting smaller. The best action is around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Nearshore there are spadefish and black drum can be caught on shrimp, and there are also some bull reds around. But if you catch one they usually take off. The better whiting are also at the nearshore reefs, or more specifically on the sand nearby. 

Spanish mackerel are also around and whenever they are found king mackerel will be close, and they can be caught trolling plugs early or after 9 am slow-trolling live bait. There are lots of small cobia in 40-90 feet but catching one over 36 inches is pretty rare. 

The best bottom fishing is in 70 feet right now, while 80-90 feet is slow. 

In offshore trolling the dolphin fishing has dropped way off, tuna are slowing as it warms, occasional wahoo are being caught, and billfish are doing well.   

June 11

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 78-80 degrees and water conditions have been muddier than usual this week. Bait is getting bigger each day. 

With super high tides this week it’s been an “off-week” for inshore fishing, and by that Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) means that in the dirty water the trout (and more) fishing is not as good as during more moderate tide periods. Fishing the same main river shell points at higher stages of the tide when the water is the cleanest they are catching 6-8 keepers and averaging 30 fish on a trip, while between moon phases the norm is to catch 12-15 keepers and 40-50 fish. Shrimp are still the bait of choice as finger mullet are only 2-3 inches and slip through a cast net, but with so many picker fish around by July when they have grown mullet on a Carolina rig will be the best bait for trout, redfish and flounder. 

In both the creeks and on the river flats the redfish bite has been good – when you can locate fish. There are a lot of 8-10 inch rat redfish around by now. 

The bite is better on lower tides when the fish are more concentrated, and in the creeks they are around holes and structure while they hold around oyster bars and creek mouths in the rivers. Mud minnows are working well but cut menhaden and mullet are also effective. Shrimp is good as long as there are not too many bait stealers around.  

There are a bunch of small flounder around but still very few keepers. 

The sheepshead bite is still okay but dropping off, with fish getting smaller. The best action is around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is good in 3-8 feet of water, but unfortunately there seem to be less big fish this year. 

Nearshore there are spadefish and black drum can be caught on shrimp, and there are also some bull reds around. But if you catch one they usually take off. The better whiting are also at the nearshore reefs, or more specifically on the sand nearby. 

Spanish mackerel are also around and whenever they are found king mackerel will be nearby, and they can be caught trolling plugs early or after 9 am slow-trolling live bait. There are lots of small cobia in 40-90 feet but catching one over 36 inches is pretty rare. 

The best bottom fishing is in 70 feet right now, while 80-90 feet is slow. 

In offshore trolling the dolphin fishing is slow, tuna are slowing as it warms, occasional wahoo are being caught and billfish are doing well.   

May 29

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 78 degrees. Both rivers are clear again and bait continues to become more abundant.  

With only marginal changes in temperature there is very little change with the fishing around Edisto this week, but Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports more and more bait continues to arrive. In addition to the bait-sized shrimp which appeared in the creeks last week there are more and more menhaden as well as mullet. Again, all the bait means that for trout and redfish, outside of a good early morning topwater bite when you can really cover water, live bait is out-fishing artificials about 5 to 1. 

Inshore on the main river points the trout bite has been strong when there is clear water, but the keeper ratio is still fairly low.  Fishing live shrimp under a popping cork when there is clean, moving water – generally on higher tides – is the best pattern. 

In both the creeks and on the river flats the redfish bite has been good when you can locate fish. The bite is better on lower tides when the fish are more concentrated, and in the creeks they are around holes and structure while they hold around oyster bars and creek mouths in the rivers. Mud minnows are working well but cut menhaden and mullet are also effective. Shrimp is good as long as there are not too many bait stealers around.  

There are a bunch of small flounder around but still very few keepers. 

The sheepshead bite is still good but dropping off, with fish getting smaller. The best action is around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is very good in 3-8 feet of water, and Spanish mackerel are scattered over the bars. 

The nearshore fishing remains surprisingly slow, with a few Spanish mackerel and cobia around and spadefish showing up at 60 feet. However, in particular the Spanish are here in much lower numbers than normal, with more fish actually closer to the beaches where they are spread out and harder to catch than at the reefs. It seems that we are at a lull between spring and summer runs of Spanish. 

The best bottom fishing is in 80-90 feet and it’s also good at the ledge, and in a few weeks cobia will have moved to 80-90 feet.

In offshore trolling the dolphin run seems to be winding down, while there are great numbers of marlin and good numbers of sailfish around. Wahoo are scattered like normal and there is good action for tuna early and late in low-light conditions. 

May 21

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are around 77 degrees. The North Edisto is clear but the South Edisto is getting dark because of high water levels. Lots of bait has showed up in the past week.

One of the biggest changes inshore in the past week is that shrimp have really moved into the creeks, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that they are big enough for bait. There are also lots of menhaden around as well as more mullet.  All the bait means that for trout and redfish, outside of an early morning topwater bite which has been good and allows you to really cover water, live bait is out-fishing artificials about 5 to 1. 

On the main river points the trout bite has been strong when there is clear water, and on his last trip Captain Ron’s boat caught about 50 fish. While only 10 were keepers, that is still a good sign for the trout population. 

In both the creeks and on the river flats the redfish bite has been good when you can locate fish. The bite is better on lower tides when the fish are more concentrated, and in the creeks they are around holes and structure while they hold around oyster bars and creek mouths in the rivers. Mud minnows are working well but cut menhaden and mullet are also effective. Shrimp is good as long as there are not too many bait stealers around.  

There are a bunch of small flounder around but Ron has not heard of a keeper caught by a single captain or recreational fisherman out of Edisto. 

The sheepshead bite is still good but starting to drop off, with fish getting smaller.  The best action is around structure in 6-8 feet of water at low tide with fiddler crabs. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is very good in 3-8 feet of water, and Spanish mackerel are scattered over the bars. 

The nearshore fishing remains surprisingly slow, with a few Spanish mackerel and cobia around and spadefish showing up at 60 feet. However, in particular the Spanish are here in much lower number than normal, with more fish actually closer to the beaches where they are spread out and harder to catch than at the reefs. It seems that we are at a lull between spring and summer runs of Spanish. 

The best bottom fishing is in 80-90 feet and it’s also good at the ledge, and in a few weeks cobia will have moved to 80-90.

In offshore trolling the dolphin bite has fallen apart this week (although it could come back), while there are great numbers of marlin and good numbers of sailfish around. Wahoo are scattered like normal and there is good action for tuna early and late in low-light conditions. 

May 7

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers and inside the creeks are both in the low 70s. Both the North and South Edisto are extremely clear and bait is slowly arriving. 

As predicted we are finally getting an idea of the numbers of trout inshore after the winter freeze, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that it’s pretty clear the population is down but that numbers are still decent and by no means was the fishery devastated. Early there is a fair topwater bite at the main river shell points, and during the day they can be caught there with mud minnows on a light Carolina rig, DOA shrimp, and a variety of soft plastics. For some reason bait under a cork is not working as well. With no shrimp and very few mullet around mud minnows are the main live bait choice, although there are also good numbers of 4-inch menhaden that can be netted in the mornings.  

There is also a strong topwater bite for redfish along grass lines, especially when the early morning coincides with mid-tide.  Both in the rivers around oyster beds and in the creeks at low tide (in holes and around structure) mud minnows are also working reliably for redfish, and while there are good numbers of flounder around very few keepers are being landed so far. 

Bonnethead sharks are prolific and taking both crabs and shrimp. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is very good in 3-8 feet of water. 

The nearshore fishing is still in a very weird in-between phase, and at the four major reefs from 30-60 feet which Captain Ron fishes there is basically nothing around except small black sea bass. Spanish mackerel, bonito, and bluefish have all vacated them, and (while they should show up any day) cobia and spadefish are not around yet as of a day or two ago. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet and at the ledge.

In offshore trolling Ron had one good day where they caught 14 dolphin last week, but then yesterday they only got three big dolphin to go with a couple of wahoo and some blackfin tuna. While the dolphin run is not yet peaking the wahoo and tuna are doing well, although the tuna will generally only bite early and late.

April 24

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers and inside the creeks have both passed 70 degrees. Both the North and South Edisto are extremely clear and bait is showing up en masse.

This week we will start with the unexpected, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that yesterday at the Edisto 40 he was absolutely shocked by how little life there was nearshore. They saw no weakfish, no bluefish, and only three or four small Spanish mackerel jumping. They didn’t jig up any red drum on bucktails or jigging spoons, and in fact the only thing they caught besides mostly small black sea bass was three good sheepshead on jigging spoons. Had they had fiddler crabs or even shrimp he suspects they would have worn them out. (Cobia and spadefish have also not showed up at the reefs yet to Ron’s knowledge). 

With the driest March and April in recent memory, the Spanish mackerel and bluefish are actually in better numbers close to the beach because the water is so salty without significant freshwater flow from the Edisto River. Beyond that it’s hard to know why the nearshore reefs don’t have more life.

Fortunately, the inshore fishing is really good around Edisto, and with menhaden and mullet showing up in droves species are arriving and feeding up. In a couple of weeks there should be a lot of shrimp.

In the creeks redfish are doing really well two hours either side of low tide around seawalls and docks, and it’s as easy as just fishing mud minnows. While there haven’t been good tailing tides yet Captain Ron is already seeing fish trying to get into the edges of the grass and feed on fiddler crabs, and so that should be very good as soon as the tides are right – possibly the next several evenings. 

Small flounder have also arrived, and it’s common to get 5-8 while targeting other species. Ron has heard of very few keepers so far.

The trout have been pretty sporadic, but very soon they should be getting on the main river points near the ocean. Topwater lures fished early in the morning are perhaps the best way to target them, and in fact about anything will eat topwater right now. 

Inshore the sheepshead are also still good around structure, and they have such a long spawn (January to May) that it’s typical to catch them both inside and at the reefs during this period. 

Off the beaches and in the inlets around shallow sandbars the whiting action is very good in 3-8 feet of water, and again Spanish and blues are around. 

The best bottom fishing is in 90-100 feet and at the ledge.

It has been the best week of weather in April that Ron has ever seen this week, and in the last few days dolphins have started showing up while offshore trolling. For the next month it should just get better when weather allows boats to get offshore. Wahoo and tuna are also showing up at the ledge. 

April 9

Morning surface water temperatures at the mouths of the main rivers are about 68-70 degrees and both the North and South Edisto are extremely clear.

The inshore fishing around Edisto is improving, and Captain Ron Davis, Jr. (843-513-0143) reports that right now the biggest numbers of redfish are in the very backs of small creeks off major creeks. There aren’t a lot of fish on the main rivers right now. It can require a small skiff to get to these areas, and if you don’t want to get stuck then planning around the rising tide can be a good option.  When located the fish are feeding pretty well on a variety of baits.  

The numbers of trout still appear to be good after the concerns of a winter kill, but it won’t really be until the first new fish start arriving and spawning later this month that Captain Ron has a better idea.   We still have about four degrees to go before that happens, and for now the vast majority of the catchable trout are still in the creeks.  

They can still be caught throwing grubs or dragging mud minnows on the bottom, but as temperatures rise very soon topwater fishing in the early morning will get to be a very good way to locate them. 

Early flounder are also returning inshore, and some giggers are starting to pursue them at night. But the best thing going is still the sheepshead bite, and fish are feeding on structure in 6-8 feet of water and will take fiddler crabs, barnacles, and more. There are also plenty of black drum to be caught on the same pattern. 

But the best overall bite is nearshore, where tons of 1-4 pound bluefish, bonito, and big weakfish have arrived. Spanish mackerel have also arrived but are not yet thick, and on the bottom there are big schools of red drum. Except for the drum most of the fish are suspended in the water column and 1-2 ounce jigging spoons and bucktails are very effective for catching them. Cut bait is all you need for the red drum, but with so many species around sharks have arrived and so anglers should use sufficiently heavy tackle to get them to the surface before they become prey. Captain Ron also notes that they often get skittish after you catch a few. 

This is still a good time for bottom fishing for black sea bass in 45-60 feet, while the best bottom fishing for other species is in 90-100 feet. 

The offshore trolling for wahoo is picking up and some tuna are also being caught, but it should still be about two weeks before dolphins arrive. After a cold winter they look for the run to start at the last few days of April.