April 11
Morning surface water temperatures are around 68-70 degrees in the creeks around Debordieu, and bait is showing back up again.
Spring is arriving in the Georgetown area, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that in addition to tiny shrimp he is starting to see more big 6-inch mullet swimming in the creeks again. It won’t be a surprise when menhaden arrive again in the next week or two – with sharks and more behind them.
The best action this week has been for trout and bluefish in the 1-2 pound range, and while bait-sized shrimp have been hard to come by artificial lures and mud minnows are working pretty well for both. The action has been best floating grass lines under a popping cork.
There are also some flounder starting to be caught in the shallow estuaries such as around Pawley’s Island and North Inlet that warm faster. Captain Greg hasn’t personally caught any over 16 inches on his boat, but he has seen a 19-inch fish landed.
Usually a stalwart, the redfish are actually a little tough right now as they are gorging on peeler crabs and hard to catch with anything else. They may also be filling up on the tiny shrimp that are around, but in a week or two they should be more cooperative again.
March 27
Morning surface water temperatures in Debordieu Creek were about 63 this morning, while the ocean is around 59 degrees. There is still a ton of freshwater coming into the system and salinity is relatively low.
It’s typical late March fishing in the Georgetown area, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that means that redfish are in a transition period and you really have to hunt for them. The pattern is basically that they are hard to pattern! While you might still find groups of 5-10 fish, there are also a lot of individual fish moving around and they have pretty much totally broken up out of their big winter schools.
As a result it’s all about running the banks and covering water right now, and Captain Greg is finding the most fish back in shallow, tight creeks. They are pushing tiny shrimp around, chasing early mullet, and on higher tides getting after the fiddler crabs. The one constant is that if you find bait you should find fish. Live or Vudu shrimp under a popping cork have been working the best so far, but as more crabs return from the ocean they are also an excellent bait choice.
Greg was also pleased to pick up an early, keeper flounder on a Vudu shrimp, and they have also found some small groups of trout in the deeper bends of shallow creeks. Again, shrimp and shrimp imitations are working the best for them.
While Greg has not been out there, the jetties are probably holding more fish than normal right now as salinity is down in the rivers – especially further inland where the freshwater concentration is even higher.
February 29
Morning surface water temperatures in Debordieu Creek were bumping 60 this morning, although are now dropping quickly, and water clarity has improved. The ocean is holding more steady in the mid-/upper 50s.
We are coming into a transition period in the Georgetown area, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that this month redfish will break out of their big winter schools and start to move in smaller groups. They will be found in more places, but there won’t be as many fish together when you do find them. They will still be found shallow, and artificials will continue to work well as there is relatively little bait around for them to eat.
At the same time, an excellent bait choice is blue crab sections as fish look for nutrient rich food to replenish reserves after the lean months – and crabs become more prevalent. They will also eat shrimp and mud minnows.
Trout fishing has been okay but the fish should get much more active this month as water temperatures rise. While they are mostly in 6 plus feet of water now they will also move shallower, and on high tides they will get along grass lines looking for food. Live shrimp are hard to beat but they will also eat mud minnows and artificial lures.
While some early short flounder will probably return inshore over the next month, it will be the better sheepshead and black drum who start to really make an appearance. As they wrap up spawning both species will return from the nearshore reefs to the jetties where they can be caught on fiddler crabs and shrimp.
January 31
Morning surface water temperatures in Debordieu Creek were about 54 degrees this morning and with so much water coming out of the rivers the area has been muddy.
There aren’t a ton of people fishing around Georgetown right now, but Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters(843-241-0594) reports that the right days can be good for inshore fishing. The best time to catch redfish is generally on lower tides when the fish are more concentrated, and they have been finding them in little areas that could be no more than three feet deep. On sunny days they will ease up onto mud flats and shoals that have warmed.
You can also catch fish on higher water, again especially when there is sun to move them up, and they will be found on sparse grass flats where there is a slightly higher temperature and ideally some bait. For these fish it’s important to cover ground and be very stealthy with long, 60-foot or more casts.
Mud minnows, reasonably fresh headed shrimp, and scented baits on jigheads will all work as there is a very limited food supply. In warmer conditions when fish are more aggressive they may even taking a moving bait like a spinnerbait.
Trout reports have been thin but the fish are generally deeper in 6-10 plus feet of water. If you fish with artificials work them very slowly, but live shrimp are really the golden ticket. Your best bet is probably fishing live shrimp at the jetties.
Perhaps the most reliable inshore target right now is juvenile black drum, and they can be caught in deeper spots around structure, shell banks, and downed trees that have fallen off high banks. Fresh cut shrimp is the best bait.
January 25
Morning surface water temperatures in Debordieu Creek were about 54 degrees this morning.
It’s been a slow couple of weeks around Georgetown, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that he hasn’t been on the water this week. We will try to get a new report next week.
January 4
Morning surface water temperatures in Debordieu Creek were about 47 degrees this morning.
It’s been cold and the wind has been blowing most days, but (or because of that) Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that especially in areas like North Inlet redfish can be found in shallow places staying away from dolphins and looking for some temperature relief when the shallows warm. They are in tight schools back up in the creeks and drains.
In general the trout are deeper, even in the creeks. They head for deeper holes and bends, although there are times where they will sun just like the redfish – even if they won’t eat. In general creek trout like a good section of live oysters or even dead shells with some depth behind them, and when there is current they will sit downstream of it and wait for bait to wash over them. Don’t overlook trout at the jetties, either.
In general the best pattern for trout is slowing down, and then slowing down some more. DOA or Vudu shrimp worked very slowly will get bites, which often feel more like a subtle “tick” in the winter, and some scent like Pro-Cure will improve your chances of hooking up.
A unique fishery around Georgetown is the striped bass, and while Captain Greg has not fished for them this week striper can be found around deep ledges, eddies and bridge pilings. They like a dug-out channel which has been dredged for navigation.
Finally, there should also continue to be plenty of black drum up to about 18 or 19 inches inshore. Soaking pieces of shrimp on the bottom at the edges of oyster mounds or in creek holes will both work.