October 22

Morning surface water temperatures are around 69 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay. 

The freshwater inflow has settled down in the Georgetown area and weather has been more cooperative, and so Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that basically the fishing is just getting back to really good fall conditions. Fish are spreading out again and so redfish can be found most everywhere, and they are picking up some large fish back in the smallest creeks. 

With lots of current and low visibility much of the time if you do opt to use artificial lures be sure to pick something with scent, but cut mullet has been hard to beat. They are catching plenty of reds up in the sparse grass at high tide as well as at mid-tides moving in both directions along the grass lines.  At low tide fish are working the mud flats, often near oyster beds.

While flounder are getting fewer and farther between as particularly the better fish head offshore, when water temperatures hit about 65 the best trout fishing should start. For now they are still taking topwater baits in the morning and then live or artificial shrimp under a popping cork around grass points with oyster beds all day. 

October 16

Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay. 

Once again freshwater inflow is a major factor for inshore fishing in the Georgetown area, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that from what he is seeing there is less bait in Winyah Bay. Fishing in areas with higher salinity, usually closer to the ocean or in North Inlet, may be more productive. Redfish themselves don’t mind brackish water but they do want to be around bait, and trout and certainly species like sheepshead have a lower tolerance for freshwater.  And of course also need to eat.  

Those factors aside, dropping temperatures are nothing but a boon for the fishery and even as some flounder start to leave the remaining ones as well as trout and redfish are getting more and more aggressive. When water temperatures hit about 65 that is when most old timers think the best trout fishing starts. They are still taking topwater baits in the morning and then live or artificial shrimp under a popping cork around grass points with oyster beds all day. 

Flounder are in creek mouths, along the edges of pockets, and shallow edges where they can ambush bait on moving tides. 

Redfish are still working grass edges. On higher water they are getting up in the grass where they can be harder to locate, but it can also be an outstanding time to catch them tailing or just find them feeding for anglers with access to a flat-bottom boat that can get back on the grass flats. This is probably about the last week of tailing action for the year, however. For mid- and low-tide fishing they will take artificial lures but anchoring cut mullet along the edges and around oyster beds is hard to beat. 

October 9

Morning surface water temperatures are around 77 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and water conditions remain pretty typical. Bait is abundant. 

There was very little bait in Winyah Bay and surrounding areas a month or two ago after all the rains, by a couple of weeks ago it was mostly back to normal, but today Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that bait is literally everywhere. Shrimp are prolific, and on cooler days you may not see mullet “running the roof” but rest assured that they are there. There are also a ton of glass minnows around. The combination of all the bait and dropping temperatures is signaling to inshore redfish, trout and flounder that they need to put the feed bag on.  Trout are already biting better, particularly in areas that have glass minnows, but the bite will really fire up with this cool snap. They are taking topwater baits in the morning and then live or artificial shrimp under a popping cork around grass points with oyster beds all day. 

Flounder are in creek mouths, along the edges of pockets, and shallow edges where they can ambush bait on moving tides. They are showing a real preference for very large bait right now, and Captain Greg has caught even sub-keepers on 6-8 inch mullet!

Redfish haven’t changed their locations very much, and they are still working grass edges. On higher water they are getting up in the grass where they can be harder to locate, but it can also be an outstanding time to catch them tailing or just find them feeding for anglers with access to a flat-bottom boat that can get back on the grass flats. They will take artificial lures but for mid- and low-tide fishing anchoring cut mullet is hard to beat. 

The only downside recently has been the hard winds, which look to be coming back at least for a few days, but overall the fishing should be outstanding going forward. 

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 are around 79 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and water conditions remain pretty typical. Bait is abundant. 

There probably isn’t as much bait in Winyah Bay as there would be if the great “flush” of freshwater a few weeks ago had not happened, but Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that otherwise conditions are pretty typical. The fall redfish bite is strong for fish in the mid- to upper end of the slot and bigger, and there are also young-of-the-year fish around, but when temperatures drop just a few more degrees he expects it to be wide open. Most of the fish have been around oysters, and fishing lower tide when fish are not as dispersed with cut or live mullet has been most productive. Instead of merely looking for bait right now they are also trying to look for fish activity to locate reds.  

The trout fishing has started to pick up, and they are having the best success fishing the first of the dropping tide around current rips and creeks mouths. Anywhere there is water flowing and something like a point or oyster mound to create disturbance in the current can be a magnet for fish.  Live shrimp under a popping cork are good but Vudu or DOA shrimp presented the same way are also working.

They are picking up a few flounder, particularly at ambush points with water and bait flowing across them.

They are still seeing some tarpon inside the bay but there are more off the beaches where the big mullet are running. 

September 11

Morning surface water temperatures are around 78 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and water conditions are getting back to normal and bait is returning.       

A couple of weeks later the salinity levels have improved significantly around Georgetown, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that bait has returned to Winyah Bay and there is once again “life” all around. While the fall bull red drum have not showed up yet they are seeing very good numbers of redfish, and in one spot they had 8 good ones on his last charter. They caught 20 fish with only 4 under the slot. With abundant shrimp and mullet around fish are starting their annual feed in preparation for winter when the bait leaves.

The trout haven’t showed up in numbers yet, but they are finding redfish shallow on the edges of big water as well as moving into the backs.  Moderate temperatures and good water quality greatly expand the areas where they can be. Overall the best bite has been on higher water recently around sparse grass and outflow from creek mouths.

Live and cut mullet have been working the best. 

August 27

Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and a ton of freshwater has flooded into the area.   

With lots of water coming down the Waccamaw and Pee Dee Rivers, Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that Winyah Bay has basically gotten blown out. The water is dirty, the salinity is very low, and riding through the bay there are basically no signs of bait – including no birds feeding on them. Just like last year after an August tropical storm there just doesn’t seem to be a lot of life around. 

Captain Greg’s rule of thumb is that if you don’t see bait then keep moving, and accordingly he has been concentrating his efforts on the cleaner, saltier water of the North Inlet. 

There the fishing remains good, and fishing with live mullet on the dropping tide he has been catching redfish, trout and flounder. The best areas have been the edges of the grass when it is being drained and creek mouths with the same dynamic. With water temperatures generally still over 80 he continues to target shallow areas that are close to deeper water in bigger runs.  Greg notes that there are a lot of pinfish around right now, as well as decent numbers of young-of-the-year redfish and small bluefish, and particularly to avoid pinfish he is having better luck using larger finger mullet which have harder heads and are more difficult for them to mess with.  

 

If you are going to fish out of Winyah Bay then the best bet is to head closer to the ocean where the water is saltier, and even at the jetties perhaps avoid the dropping tide when so much freshwater is being flushed out to the rocks. In a recent tarpon tournament all the fish were caught close to the ocean and not back in the bay. 

August 13

Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is abundant. 

While ocean temperatures have remained more stable, Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that inshore temperatures have dropped substantially with the cooler weather.  Two weeks ago he saw daytime water temperatures up to 96 degrees, and this week he has seen water temperatures in the upper 70s. 

With a better temperature range the fish have been a little more willing to eat, but the biggest change has probably been in the locations where fish can be found. Instead of fish, and particularly redfish, being found almost exclusively in bigger water and usually fairly close to deep water, they have been more willing to swim into smaller creeks even during the heat of the day. They also seem to have gotten a bit shallower. With plenty of rainy, overcast days the trout bite has also lasted longer into the day and been better throughout, and even while fishing with cut bait and larger mullet they are picking up trout on the bottom since they are more willing to feed in low-light conditions.

  

Still, most of all catching fish right now is about following the bait, and trout, redfish and flounder are all concentrated in the areas where there is bait. Creeks that have more bait for whatever reason are attracting far more fish, and they are moving within areas as the bait moves. A large expanse of oyster beds can be productive one day when there are schools of mullet around – but then a desert the next day if they vacate. 

Perhaps tarpon are the most vivid example of this, and the key to catching them right now is to fish around big schools of mullet or menhaden. Anglers with high-end electronics report catching fish even when they did not mark any simply by drifting through bait schools. 

Finally, all the flooding around Conway and above could dramatically change the fishing in the coming days. Last year at this time rain from a tropical event flooded into the inlets and bays and bait headed to the ocean to escape the freshwater and find higher salinity. That seems very likely to happen again this year, in which case the better action will shift to the beaches and jetties. 

July 31

Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is abundant. 

Temperatures aren’t ideal for inshore fishing for most species around Georgetown, but Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that this is exactly the weather and water temps that tarpon like and so they have spent some time pursuing them this week.  Basically tarpon are all around them right now, and they can be off the beaches, at the sandbars, and inside the inlets. But they are going to be around schools of mullet or menhaden, and so finding bait is a key to locating the fish. The last couple of days they have actually found the most tarpon back in the stained water inside Winyah Bay, where they have seen them charging into schools of 6-10 inch mullet that can’t see them until it’s too late. This picture captures it perfectly. 

Catching sharks has been easier than catching tarpon, but both live and cut bait on the bottom or under float rigs can work. 

The pattern for redfish has changed very little, which makes sense considering that one day Captain Greg saw 96-degree water! They are still seeking out shallow areas to feed that are adjacent to bigger, usually deeper water. Outside of the early morning it’s rare to find a redfish up a small creek. Besides deep water nearby the biggest common denominator is the presence of oyster shells. Live and cut mullet seem to be working about equally well, and this week they managed a 42-inch fish inside a big creek run. They have also had plenty of fish in the 30s.     

There have been some good trout reports this week, and it seems like some of the better trout fishing is moving out towards the ocean. Sandbars at the mouths of inlets are holding fish, and even when it looks like dead water fishing live shrimp under a cork can be very productive. 

Yesterday Greg told me he wouldn’t be surprised to see large numbers of flounder start to show up in the ocean looking for better oxygenated water, which turned out to be prophetic with some area piers reporting excellent catches. There should still be flounder on the inside but the numbers might be getting better close to the ocean or in it. 

Finally, Greg reminds anglers that tripletail are now here, and running crab pot buoys and looking for them on the surface at high tide when water clarity is sufficient can be a great pattern. Imitation shrimp or live shrimp or minnows under a cork can all work. 

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 are around 83-84 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is abundant. 

Summer inshore pattern are holding pretty steady in Georgetown, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that bait is getting so prolific that you don’t have to give as much thought to fishing in areas with lots of baitfish. Instead, particularly redfish seem to be seeking out shallow areas that are adjacent to bigger, usually deeper water. Outside of the early morning it’s getting rare to find a redfish up a small creek. The outgoing tide has generally been the best, but there are still times where they will find a concentration of fish at high tide and get healthy fast. Even though it’s common to catch single fish at a location, there are also plenty of spots where they catch five or six. Besides deep water nearby the biggest common denominator is the presence of oyster shells. Live and cut mullet seem to be working about equally well, and on both they are picking up some nice bonnethead sharks. 

 

While Captain Greg has not heard much about flounder this week, with the new moon and high tide falling early it’s a near-certainty that some good trout will be caught in the new few days along grass lines. Topwater lures and live bait under a popping cork will both work. 

While tarpon are around they are still not quite yet thick inside the bays, but unless there is a deluge of rain that pushes the bait out that is just a matter of time. By August both bait and tarpon should be stacked up in Winyah Bay, Muddy Bay, and the North Inlet.  

Finally, Greg reminds anglers that tripletail are now here, and running crab pot buoys and looking for them on the surface at high tide when water clarity is sufficient can be a great pattern. Imitation shrimp or live shrimp or minnows under a cork can all work. 

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 are around 83-84 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is abundant. 

There’s a pretty simple rhythm developing to inshore fishing in Georgetown, but Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that an important common denominator in where they are catching fish is the presence of bait. Fish still want to be near deep water, often feeding on shallow flats off the side of deeper areas, but if there is not bait around it’s rare to find many redfish. This week they have located some really large concentrations of fish even in the heat of the day at lower water near mullet schools, and as long as you stay off the fish and make long casts with cut mullet they will eat. Captain Greg has had better success when the fish can’t get too far up into the grass and spread out, although at those times you can still get bites anchoring cut mullet in sparse areas or along the edges. 

There have been some reports of flounder this week, and with this full moon it’s a great time to targe trout at higher water when it is cleaner. Regardless of tide you can also fish for them at daylight with topwater lures. 

While tarpon are around they are not thick inside the bays yet, but unless there is a deluge of rain that pushes the bait out that is just a matter of time.

Finally, Greg reminds anglers that tripletail are now here, and running crab pot buoys and looking for them on the surface at high tide when water clarity is sufficient can be a great pattern. Imitation shrimp or live shrimp or minnows under a cork can all work. 

July 2

Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is everywhere.

The inshore fishing is settling into a good summer pattern in Georgetown, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that there is a lot of life in the area. Still redfish are his mainstay, and most trips they are having pretty reliable catches. 

This week with morning low tides they have concentrated on fishing the first of the rise around oyster shells where fish hold off to the sides of larger creek runs waiting to move into the grass. Again, in the summer heat having deep water at least nearby is generally better than fishing up very small creeks. Small finger mullet have sometimes been the most easily available bait besides larger mullet, and the redfish have not seemed to mind. Captain Greg has been glad not to waste fishing time searching for the perfect bait when often good bait at the right time is enough.  Then later when the water has been higher they are soaking cut mullet on the edges of the sparse grass when it is first flooded.

While waiting for redfish to eat baits at anchor they have picked up some flounder casting Zman swimbaits on Texas-rigged jigheads, but with trout between spawning moon phases Greg has not seen or heard of them this week. 

Tarpon are around in good numbers now, and on lower tides when the bait washes out to the jetties they follow it. But on higher tides when the big schools of bait move to the inside they will follow it into the bays. 

Additionally, Greg reminds anglers that tripletail are now here, and running crab pot buoys and looking for them on the surface at high tide when water clarity is sufficient can be a great pattern. Imitation shrimp or live shrimp or minnows under a cork can all work. 

Finally, check out the different in color between these two redfish that were caught just miles apart by the same angler. The darker fish lives in muddy, more brackish water while the lighter fish lives closer to the ocean, in green, salty water. 

June 26

Morning surface water temperatures are around 82 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is everywhere. Water clarity has been lower than normal with the extreme tides.

Even with the extreme heat this week the inshore fishing has been good around Georgetown, but Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that you have to make some adjustments to catch fish when it gets this hot.  Smaller feeder creeks are becoming much less productive for redfish, and instead he is trying to concentrate on areas like flats with shells bars off to the side of the main run so there is deeper water nearby.  And especially in the heat of the day he is trying to fish a bit deeper than normal in 5-6 feet of water.  Time of day can matter as much as tide, but moving water is also important and low tide in the heat of the day can be very slow.  

Beyond that they are still looking for bait, which is a lot easier now than a few weeks ago, and when they find it the fish are more likely to be around it. And while live bait is still working at times, a lot of times in the dirty water cut bait like menhaden is the easiest for fish to find. 

The same formula of fishing a little deeper is also good for black drum, but the key to catching trout right now seems to be fishing early in low-light conditions.  They have been few-and-far-between during the day.

One bite that only gets better with the heat is the tarpon, and they have been seeing some 70-90 pound fish rolling in schools of menhaden. There are tons of small menhaden in both Winyah Bay and North Inlet, but on rising tides the bigger ones that are fairly thick off the beaches come into the inlets and the tarpon follow them. 

June 19

Morning surface water temperatures are around 80-81 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is really prolific.     

In part the patterns for inshore fishing haven’t changed a ton this week, and Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) reports that if targeting flounder he is still looking for areas where creeks are emptying into bigger water on the dropping tide. For trout they are searching for cleaner water and current around main points. But for redfish the prevalence of bait has changed what they are doing, and so now instead of just looking for certain structure on a certain tide they are looking for the giant schools of finger mullet. On the rising tide when the water isn’t yet up in the grass, or lower tides when the bait is pulling out, they have found schools of mullet a quarter mile long against the banks. Invariably there are fish feeding on them, and the best bet is just to pull back and watch before casting. Fishing this pattern they have gotten into a really good grade of redfish this week, and when you see the fish attacking the bait schools a well-placed live mullet is likely to get slammed. 

Finally, while reds may be the most visible fish feeding on bait schools it’s a good bet that flounder are more likely to be in the area and trout too as long as there is good visibility. 

June 11

Morning surface water temperatures are around 80 degrees at the mouth of Winyah Bay and bait is getting to be a better size for fishing.   

Fishing the Inshore Slam tournament this weekend Captain Greg Holmes with Fish Skinny Charters (843-241-0594) took a shot at redfish, flounder, and trout, and it was a big trout that got away that kept them from a high finish. While the patterns for other species were pretty clear, the trout continued to be elusive. 

For flounder the best pattern was fishing the last of the dropping tide where shallow creeks emptied into a main run, while reds bit best on the rising tide. They would move out of deeper water up onto flats that they had to cross in order to get into the grass to feed at high tide. But the bite would really slow when they would get up in the grass.

For trout they searched for cleaner water and current around main points, but it was actually a redfish hole beside an oyster bar on lower water where they hooked a four plus pound fish.  Partly because they wanted flounder and trout, not just redfish, they only fished with live menhaden and mullet.

In the end about a 4-pound flounder was the big flounder of the tournament. Captain Greg’s boat landed about four keepers and so there are certainly more 16-inch fish around now.