October 21

Morning surface water temperatures have cooled down to around 71 degrees inshore in Hilton Head.

Our loyal reporter Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) is a happy man again this week, as the bull red drum are in full swing around Hilton Head. Menhaden are everywhere and the temperatures are mild, and as a result bull reds can be found in the surf, up the rivers, around the bridges and about anywhere that you can think of inshore. Live or cut mullet will work but menhaden seem to be the preferred bait. 

When the bull reds are around sometimes Kai doesn’t focus on the smaller fish, but with a couple of windy days that limited his best spots for the bigger fish he has also spent some time chasing slot reds inshore. They have found a terrific bite on mud minnows, although the fish were feeding so well they might have eaten anything. They worked along the edges of grass lines and around docks and found the fish feeding around the tide cycle.  

The trout fishing is also pretty strong right now, but Kai reports that the fish are still deeper than the redfish in 8-10 feet of water. Once water temperatures hit the mid-60s then they should move into the 4-foot range.

Right now they are in the same areas as the reds but further out, and you really want to look for sharp drop-offs. Shrimp would certainly work but you can also catch them with minnows fished on a jighead or under a popping cork with a longer, 4-foot leader. 

Overall it’s clear that October fishing is in full swing!

Finally, on November 11 Captain Kai will be holding a benefit fishing tournament to support Southwest Florida guides whose businesses have been devastated by Hurricane Ian. Read more about the Coast 4 Coast Guide Relief Fishing Tournament and consider donating and fishing!

October 13

Morning surface water temperatures have slightly rebounded to around 74 degrees inshore in Hilton Head.

It’s obvious to Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) that things are starting to get into some normal fall patterns, while for a little while it looked like the fish were moving back into summer patterns. Once again he is now catching bull red drum up the rivers and sounds, particularly around the bridges. The offshore spots which had been producing are not as good again. This week he has found some fish in holes as deep as 43 feet, and others in the lower 20s. 

Cut mullet and menhaden are both working. 

Inshore the smaller redfish are also around, but they have been surprisingly finicky about what they will eat.  The fish are in the usual places around rip rap, docks, sea walls, and grass lines, but they have been turning their nose up at small live menhaden and cut mullet. However, white Zman PaddlerZ have been working very well. The last couple times out Kai’s boat did not have shrimp but perhaps those would have worked, or maybe the fish are just on a reaction bite. 

One species that is definitely eating shrimp is trout, and perhaps because they foresaw that  temperatures would rebound they still have not moved into their shallower fall spots in the 4-foot range. That may still be three or four weeks away. 

Fish are in holes and drops in the 10-foot range, and they are are biting best in clean, slowly moving water. Bigger shrimp continue to produce the best. 

While it can’t be too much longer before they are gone, a guide friend of Kai’s saw a tarpon yesterday and so they have not totally left yet. 

October 6

Morning surface water temperatures have plummeted from about 81 degrees inshore around Hilton Head to 72. With some big tides the water is pretty muddy. 

The storm didn’t really do much to the Hilton Head area, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that the really cold nights are responsible for the fast-dropping temperatures. He’s not sure if all the tarpon are gone yet, and they are still hoping a few are left, but it won’t be much longer. 

Inshore there has been a really good redfish bite for fish at the very lower end of the slot, and in all the creek bends at low tide they are stacked up. They will eat about anything you put in front of them from shrimp to mullet to mud minnows. At higher tides the fish are less concentrated but will still feed around points, oyster beds and grass lines with some irregular feature.  

It's still confusing why bull red drum showed up way up the rivers in mid-August, but right now they seem to be following a far more normal progression. Fish are being caught on offshore structure in 20-30 feet, and there are also some fish showing up on deep current rips in the sound.  Cut mullet and menhaden are both working.

Eventually the fish will make their way up the rivers. 

Despite the cooler weather the trout are still on the deeper side in their spots in the 10-foot range, and even though water temperatures have hit the lower 70s they haven’t moved into their spots in the 4-foot range. That could be because they know temperatures should rebound a little before they start to slide down again. 

They are still biting best in clean, slowly moving water, but the real trick to nailing the trout remains to fish with big live shrimp. The creeks are full of smaller live shrimp but the big ones are stacked up in the deep holes.  

From one end of the South Carolina coast to the other the creeks are still full of small gag grouper, which should be released to grow up. 

September 30

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 80 degrees inshore around Hilton Head.

It’s been a weird week of fishing around Hilton Head with a hurricane bearing down, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that realistically everything is about to change. 

However, for now they are still seeing plenty of tarpon and he is optimistic that some of them will still be around after the storm. It just depends how bad it is.

He is also hoping that the bull red drum bite will pick up, as so far they are still only getting 2-5 fish on a good trip as opposed to the dozen or more they hope to see at this time. The fish that are around are up the rivers in areas like the Broad River Bridge but the population seems to be pretty thin so far.

While the bite for slot-sized redfish has been pretty slow this week, the trout fishing has gotten surprisingly good considering the still-warm water temperatures. The trout are still on the deeper side in their spots in the 10-foot range, and it won’t be until water temperatures drop into the lower 70s that they move into the 4-foot range. They are biting best in clean, slowly moving water.

But the real trick to nailing the trout has been to fish with big live shrimp. The creeks are full of smaller live shrimp but the big ones are stacked up in the deep holes.  

September 16

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 84 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and the water is highly colored.

With a tremendous amount of local rain as well as rainwater coming from inland down the rivers, Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that all the freshwater has really goofed up the water clarity. As a result up the rivers all the bull red drum spots are pretty blown out right now, and once again it will be a little while longer before they start doing their inshore thing again. The brief spawning period in mid-August was obviously just a tease at this point. 

But with the mullet run getting underway the tarpon have gone into full-on feeding mode. The best action is still in the sounds and around bridges right now, but everywhere there is bait including oceanside is holding tarpon right now. Perhaps for a touch of variety menhaden are producing the best right now, either on top or bottom, and at times Kai has been able to hook up with tarpon by flipping a free-lined menhaden where he sees fish busting. 

The shrimp continue to be extremely abundant, and they are catching both redfish and trout along grass lines on moving tides. For now the trout are mostly small keepers, but some bigger fish should show up soon. While there are tons of rat reds there are also lots of fish in and over the slot. 

The flounder are a bit more sporadic, but if you pull finger mullet along the bottom around structure or creeks near the ocean you can expect some bites. 

Finally, the Spanish mackerel fishery remains pretty good. Lower gas prices have more people exploring the nearshore reefs where the fish are still around, and they can also be caught around the Broad River Bridge. Casting or trolling spoons or drifting live bait will work. 

September 8

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 85 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and with fairly calm weather the water is pretty clear. 

Pretty soon he will have to go back to catching resident species, but with the migratory tarpon swarming around Hilton Head right now Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are monopolizing his boats’ attention. The fish are all over, and they can be found up the rivers, off the beaches, in the sounds and around the bridges. The best pattern has been drifting with the bait balls and then presenting live baits to them. Of course, with such an incredible amount of bait around the fish are very well-fed, and sometimes getting them to eat can be like finding a needle in haystack. 

You will also encounter some jack crevalle and lots of sharks fishing around the bait balls. 

The bull redfish action continues to be a little slow around Hilton Head, although Kai’s boat did catch a couple of bulls at one of the spots in about 15 feet where he was catching them a few weeks ago. Overall it’s hard to say why the bite started so early but then tailed off, but in any event the fishing is now returning to more normal fall patterns. Very soon the bite will start up again per the normal September progression. 

The shrimp are super abundant right now, and they are catching both redfish and trout along grass lines on moving tides. For now the trout are mostly small keepers, but some bigger fish should show up soon. While there are tons of rat reds there are also lots of fish in and over the slot. 

Finally, the Spanish mackerel fishery remains pretty good. Lower gas prices have more people exploring the nearshore reefs where the fish have showed up, and they can also be caught around the Broad River Bridge. Casting or trolling spoons or drifting live bait will work. 

August 31

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 85 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and with fairly calm weather the water is pretty clear. 

These past two weeks the bull redfish action has dropped off around Hilton Head, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) expects that to change again any moment. The spawn has started but now they are only finding one or two fish at a time.  The fish they are finding are still around structure up the rivers, in an average of 15 feet, but they should group up and feed better soon.

Still, the tarpon action has been really exciting during the same period, and they are targeting fish in the Port Royal Sound and surrounding sounds.  The key is to locate the big bait pods and find the fish busting them. You can target them with either live menhaden or big swimbaits like the Zman StreakZ XL. 

The shrimp are super abundant right now, and they are catching both redfish and trout along grass lines on moving tides. For now the trout are mostly small keepers, but some bigger fish should show up soon. While there are tons of rat reds there are also lots of fish in and over the slot. 

Finally, after a long, slow summer for Spanish mackerel the fishery has really improved. Lower gas prices have more people exploring the nearshore reefs where the fish have showed up, and they can also be caught around the Broad River Bridge. Casting or trolling spoons or drifting live bait will work. 

August 19

Morning surface water temperatures are around 86 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and with some calmer weather the water has cleared up a bit. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all very abundant.

Basically twelve months a year Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) can catch resident inshore species around Hilton Head, and so during the windows when big game like tarpon and bull reds are around he doesn’t want to miss his shot. The past two weeks both species have been present and generally hungry, and starting with the tarpon they have been in the Port Royal Sound, the Calibogue Sound, and on the beach sides of Tybee Island. Some days the fish are more cooperative than others, but the key is to locate the big bait pods and find the silver kings busting them. Both live menhaden and big swimbaits will work, and the past couple of days Kai has had the best results throwing a big Zman StreakZ XL swimbait at the fish. 

It’s way ahead of schedule but the actual bull redfish spawn has started, and they are already seeing male fish drumming and actually releasing milt when landed. It’s unclear why but perhaps the big full moon and then some northeastern winds have kicked things off. This is the earliest Kai has ever seen it, but the fish are already in their mid-September to October spots. The fish they are catching are not on the sandbars but have already moved way up the rivers, and they are catching them 10 and even 20 miles inshore. Fish are in average of 15 feet and live bottom is the best place to look for them. They will eat both live and dead menhaden on the bottom. 

With the shrimp showing up inshore guides are having no trouble waxing the below slot and slot-sized redfish. Reds are in a lot of different areas but the most consistent fishing is coming when there is slow-moving current. 

The trout are feeding better when there is more current but not too much, and they are also very happy to eat shrimp. However, the biggest trout continue to be picked up either in the surf or in bigger water, and Kai caught some monster trout this week on big menhaden fished by the Broad River Bridge. It seems the biggest fish are also on a mullet and menhaden bite.  

Fuel prices have kept a lot of people inshore this summer, but reports from nearshore Spanish mackerel fishing have been that there are some little fish around. However, the bigger 3-5 pound fish have not showed up nearshore or in the rivers where they usually catch them this year – for the first time in a while. 

August 4

Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid- to upper 80s inshore around Hilton Head. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all very abundant. 

It’s been a very good week for fishing around Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that in particular they have been smoking the bull red drum this week. The fish have moved inshore into 10 feet or less, and they have been catching them around the Savannah jetties, in the Port Royal and Calibogue Sounds, near Daufuskie and generally around sand bars and rips. The only drawback is that fish are in some pretty specific spots and if you don’t know them you have to do some searching. 

Cut menhaden and mullet are both working, and pleasantly they aren’t picking up too many sharks.   

The other headline species this week has been the tarpon, and Kai reports that even though he is seeing a ton of fish rolling (30 or 40 just yesterday, including some right beside the boat) those aren’t the ones that are biting. When he sees one he rarely catches it, and it’s the ones they aren’t seeing which they are catching. 

Instead, the best fishing has been in deep holes in the sounds with some of those river fish in 50 feet of water. Live menhaden and mullet are both working. 

For some reason there don’t seem to be as many tarpon in the ocean right now.

They are also seeing jack crevalle in the Calibogue Sound, and the pattern is to ride, look and then throw topwater lures. 

The redfish action continues to be pretty good, and on the low tide flats the smaller and slot-sized fish have been feeding pretty well on finger mullet and cut menhaden. Despite the heat the trout fishing has also been surprisingly good – but it’s still about fishing deeper. Fishing live shrimp ten plus feet down on a slip float in the creeks has been the key. 

Right now there are still a miniscule number of Spanish mackerel around, while the kings are far offshore. 

July 22

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 86 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all very abundant. 

It’s been a crazy week of weather in Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that seemingly every day they have had strong winds, storms and a couple of inches of freshwater in the form of rain. As a result the water has been really muddy and the fishing has been a little off. 

The conditions have certainly not kept the sharks from feeding, but the bright spot from an inshore perspective has been the redfish action this week. On the low tide flats the smaller and slot-sized fish have been feeding pretty well on finger mullet and cut menhaden. 

While most of the Spanish mackerel seem to have gone offshore with the exception of a few that can be found in the Port Royal Sound on the edges of tidal rips, mostly small jack crevalle and tons of foot-long bluefish and ladyfish have been around. They are in rips in the sounds with the cleanest possible water and will eat spoons and live menhaden. 

The bull redfish action has been disappointing, but they should be in tidal rips, on ledges and in holes in 3-25 feet of water. The tarpon have also been slow, and while they are seeing a handful every day they are just not eating well right now. 

Finally, despite the heat the trout fishing has been surprisingly good – but anglers are having to adjust to the conditions by fishing deeper. Fishing live shrimp ten plus feet down on a slip float in the creeks has been the key. 

Except for the biggest boats nearshore and offshore action has been severely limited by the weather.

July 14

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 86 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all abundant. 

The last few days the fishing has been below average with the wind and the weather around Hilton Head, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that there has been a decent redfish bite to get them through it. On low tide he has been catching fish with cut menhaden fishing at low tide over white oyster shells, and at high tides there have been fish up in the short grass tailing with the full moon. They are feeding on fiddler crabs but will take a variety of baits including crabs, shrimp, spoons and flies. 

Bull red drum can also be caught in the Port Royal Sound on the bottom around rips in about 15 feet, and for them the bait does not matter much as long as it is fresh cut or live bait. Sometimes they are also around shallower bars.

The tarpon have been a little temperamental, perhaps because of the full moon which allows them to feed more at night, but Kai’s boat did hook one Tuesday. They are mostly off the front beaches right now although there are also some in the Port Royal Sound. Live menhaden have been hard to beat. 

In addition to numerous smaller jack crevalle there are also still some really big jacks around, and to find them all you need to do is cruise and look for surface activity. When anglers find feeding fish they can cast big poppers, Zman MagSwimZ and live menhaden on free-lines. 

While it is not a great time for trout, Kai recently caught another really big one on a live menhaden fished on a sandbar in the ocean. That goes along with an oversized fish he caught on a swimbait out there a couple of weeks ago, and so there seem to be some big fish just beyond the surf right now. 

Kai has not heard any reports of kings this week, but trolling for Spanish mackerel has been good a couple of miles off the beaches. Clarks Spoons on #1 planer boards have been working. 

July 1

Morning surface water temperatures are about 86.5 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all abundant. 

This week they are back on the “big game” around Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that in particular big jack crevalle and bull red drum have been keeping rods bent. Both species have been in the Calibogue Sound and the Port Royal Sound, and for the big jacks they are cruising and looking for surface activity. When they find feeding fish they can cast big poppers, Zman MagSwimZ and live menhaden on free-lines. 

The bulls are on the bottom around rips in about 15 feet, and for them the bait does not matter much as long as it is fresh cut or live bait. 

While they are still catching a few tarpon in the Port Royal Sound that action has really slowed down. It seems that the bite is good approaching a new or full moon but then it fizzles out. 

They are still catching some redfish shallow on the low tide mud flats on cut bait. Both mullet and menhaden are working.

In contrast the trout have been basically non-existent. Some of the fish have gone into the surf zone or just offshore, and the few inshore fish are biting best almost before dawn on topwater lures.

The king mackerel seem to have disappeared this week, but trolling for Spanish mackerel and bluefish has been good a couple of miles off the beaches. Clarks Spoons on #1 planer boards have been working. 

June 24

Morning surface water temperatures are around 86 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. Shrimp, small finger mullet and menhaden are all abundant. 

As warm as the water has gotten it’s hard to understand why, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that redfish can be found super shallow on the low tide mud flats where they are obliterating cut bait. Both mullet and menhaden are working, and while they may move deeper at some point for now they are staying in very little water.

Meanwhile the trout are acting more like they are “supposed” to, and they are trying to stay out of the very bright sunlight and seek cooler water. Some of the fish have gone into the surf zone or just offshore, and the inshore fish are biting best early in the morning on topwater lures. 

The tarpon bite has slowed down and Kai’s boat has only caught a couple this week on live bait rigs, but the jack crevalle have taken their place and the fishing is wide open. Jacks are in sounds like the Calibogue Sound and riding around looking you can see them schooling on top. They will take big poppers or swimbaits like the Zman Mag SwimZ. 

Spanish mackerel are also in the sounds and you can cast or troll for them. They are also thick 3-5 miles offshore along with bluefish.  

With all the bait having moved into the rivers it make sense that the bite just off the beaches for bull reds has slowed down.

In the Savannah shipping channel there are a lot of king mackerel, and anglers are catching them bump trolling (moving the big motor in and out of gear).

June 17

Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. 

The tarpon fishing continues to be exciting around Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that some big jack crevalle have also showed up this week. They have been catching both on live bait fished in the inlets or close to the beaches, with some fish caught under a float and others on the bottom. Realize you are also going to catch a lot of sharks this way. 

Inshore you can pick up some redfish fishing in holes in the creeks with cut mullet or mud minnows, but with the bull reds still around just a mile or two off the beaches Kai still hasn’t had any interest in chasing the little ones. Most of them are in the 25-pound range. They can be caught on menhaden or mullet, cut or alive.   

There are also gator trout in the same areas, and while these will take live bait they will also take large swimbaits like the Zman Herculeez Paddle Tail. The inshore trout are mostly very small right now.

There could be a few very late cobia in the Broad River but Kai has not been looking. Overall it was a poor year for cobia. 

June 10

Morning surface water temperatures are around 83 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. 

It was the earliest that Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) had ever caught a tarpon in Hilton Head when he landed his first on May 31 this year, and in the last week they have caught 3 or 4 more. So far they have all come on live bait fished in the inlets or close to the beaches, with some fish caught under a float and others on the bottom. Realize you are also going to catch a lot of sharks this way. 

Inshore you can pick up some redfish fishing in holes in the creeks with cut mullet or mud minnows, but with the bull reds showing up just a mile or two off the beaches Kai hasn’t had any interest in chasing the little ones. They have caught about 30 in the past week on live menhaden and most of them are in the 25-pound range. 

There are also gator trout in the same areas, and while these will take live bait they will also take large swimbaits like the Zman Herculeez Paddle Tail. The inshore trout are mostly very small right now.

While there should still be some cobia in the Broad River Kai has moved on to other species and hasn’t heard much about them recently. But he certainly agrees that the things that usually go along with the cobia (jellyballs, bait, etc.) just weren’t there this year. See the Beaufort report for more information. 

May 25

Morning surface water temperatures are around 78 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. There is finally some cleaner water in the Port Royal Sound. 

With better conditions as we get further away from extreme wind and the full moon, Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that there has been some really good fishing in the Broad River and the Calibogue Sound. Some days the cobia are very cooperative, and one day this week they caught four anchored at the Broad River Bridge. The pattern is still the same, and on the bottom eels, big live bait, or dead bait will all work. 

Other days the cobia don’t bite as well, but the Spanish mackerel fishing has made up for it. Today they got into giant 26 and 27-inch fish which they caught on live menhaden. Kai had to run almost all the way to the ocean to get bait, but it should be around in the sound. You can also catch the smaller ones as well as bluefish casting spoons around the tidal rips. 

When neither cobia nor Spanish are cooperating, or for a change of pace, Kai has been catching big redfish in the creeks very shallow. The fish have mostly been in the 30-inch range and at low tide they are getting on rubbly shell flats. Sometimes you can see them to cast to. They will probably take a variety of cut baits but Kai has been using menhaden. 

They are also picking up the occasional trout when they use live bait. 

At the nearshore reefs there have been some cobia caught at areas like the Betsy Ross, and there have also been some Spanish mackerel around which can be caught trolling Clarks Spoons. 

May 20

Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 77 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. The water is dirty in most areas. 

The winds were slow to die down at the south end of the coast this week, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that he has caught a bunch of redfish in the creeks on cut menhaden. They are being caught on the flats at low tides as well as in the mouths of creeks. 

However, that’s not really what he wants to be targeting in May – but the cobia fishing in the Broad River has not been remarkable.  The big tides have made fishing tricky, but they keep hoping that a moon phase or something else will draw them in. However, without a lot of bait in the sound that seems optimistic – especially with very muddy water.  Menhaden have not arrived and threadfin herring have mostly left.  The pattern is still the same, and on the bottom eels, big live bait, or dead bait will all work. There are a ton of sharks around right now. 

The Spanish mackerel and bluefish have still been pretty absent in the Port Royal Sound, but fish should be around the tidal rips. You can catch them on spoons or live bait. 

At the nearshore reefs there have been some cobia caught at areas like the Betsy Ross, although most of them have been smaller “bacon strips”.  There have also been some Spanish mackerel around which can be caught trolling Clarks Spoons.

May 12

Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to 70 degrees inshore around Hilton Head. Water clarity is decent. 

It’s a common theme up and down the coast this week, but the fishing has been really tough in the Hilton Head area because of the wind. With limited fishing options Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that basically the redfish are getting them through this period, and he has several good low tide spots where he can pull up and anchor out cut mullet and menhaden to get fish.  But that’s about all they are able to do. 

While Kai hasn’t been able to fish it himself this week, nor have many anglers been willing and able to fight the winds, apparently a very few cobia have been caught anchoring in the Broad River. On the bottom eels, big live bait, or dead bait will all work, but whether you use live or dead bait you usually have to deal without about the same percentage of shark bites. Both the blacktips and bonnetheads have moved in, both of which provide excellent action but are not what a cobia fisherman wants to see.

It’s the same story for Spanish mackerel and bluefish in the Port Royal Sound, but fish should be around the tidal rips where the threadfin herring are located and you can catch them on spoons or live bait. Threadfin herring are easily netted or caught on Sabiki rigs at the rips. 

Cobia are at the nearshore reefs in good numbers but you can’t get there. 

When conditions calm down triggerfish, vermillion snapper and black sea bass should all be caught inside 40 miles on live bottom again. 

May 4

Morning surface water temperatures are about 72 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and threadfin herring have arrived in good numbers. There are also some menhaden although they are mostly confined to the ocean. 

Resident species can certainly still be found in Hilton Head, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that when May rolls around it’s hard not to think about migratory fish like cobia. By now there have already been several cobia caught anchoring in the Broad River, but as of yesterday Kai had not heard of any being spotted sight-fishing. On the bottom eels, big live bait, or dead bait will all work, but whether you use live or dead bait you usually have to deal without about the same percentage of shark bites. Both the blacktips and bonnetheads have moved in, both of which provide excellent action but are not what a cobia fisherman wants to see.

In the Port Royal Sound Spanish mackerel and bluefish have both arrived, and one key for both species is to look for the birds. The fish are likely to be around the tidal rips where the threadfin herring are located and you can catch them on spoons or live bait. Threadfin herring are easily netted or caught on Sabiki rigs at the rips. 

While trout, redfish and flounder have taken a backseat, the patterns for all three have not really changed. Except for early in the morning when you can throw topwater lures or float live shrimp trout will usually be caught in deeper water, while the reds are easiest to target on structure at low tide. For flounder bump the bottom at the mouths of creeks with minnows or other live bait. 

There have been some cobia caught at the nearshore reefs.

Triggerfish, vermillion snapper and black sea bass can all be caught inside 40 miles on live bottom. 

April 21

Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 71 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and, despite extreme wind almost every day, water clarity is still decent overall and very good in some places.  Glass minnows are now everywhere and threadfin herring are starting to arrive.  

The most exciting fishing in the Hilton Head area has been for giant black drum in the Port Royal Sound, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they have been catching (and releasing) monster fishing that are spawning in about 30 feet of water. They have caught fish up to 70 pounds, and large sections of blue crab have been the best bait. Yesterday on the water it seemed that the bite might be starting to drop off but the tide was so strong it was hard to keep baits on the bottom and get a good read.  

Inshore the fishing has been a little tougher, with both the redfish and the trout pretty slow. The reds they are catching have mostly been around oyster bars, although docks and creek mouths have also held a few fish. Water temperatures are where they need to be for tailing (above 65) but conditions have been windy which hurts that bite. 

The occasional trout is being caught on live shrimp, and right now it seems like fish are between waves of the spawn. They seem to spawn in 4-10 feet of water and then go deeper. 

They have picked a few big old flounder up to 21 inches on mud minnows. 

While there are tons of little bluefish Kai has not seen any signs of Spanish mackerel yet, but any time they should arrive. 

At the nearshore reefs pretty good numbers of sheepshead have been caught. 

3 days ago at the Betsy Ross a cobia was caught, so that season should be kicking off soon.

April 8

Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 67 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and clarity is still about a 7 out of 10. There has been even more wind this week. 

Even though the weather hasn’t been especially pleasant it’s pretty consistent conditions this week in Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that the trout continue to bite pretty well. It is almost exclusively a live shrimp bite for him. Conditions aren’t quite warm enough for the fish to be in the shallows eating artificial lures, and instead they are catching fish in 10 plus feet of water in the bends of big creeks with deep channels. No particular tide is fishing the best but you need clear, moving water. You could probably bounce the bottom in the same areas with some sort of shrimp imitation, but the real thing has been working too well to try something else with clients. 

The redfish are still in a transition period, and they are moving to deeper areas as the big schools that were on the flats this winter have broken up. The fish are mostly in 3-15 feet of water, and the best way to target them has been putting live or fresh dead shrimp on the bottom around docks, trees, and creek bends. High or low tide has not made a huge difference. 

There are also starting to be some bull drum showing up in the sounds in about 30 feet of water. Large cut mullet offerings are the best way to catch them. 

Glass minnows and hence bluefish are just starting to show up. More should arrive every day unless another cold front slows them down. 

Giant black drum have been caught offshore at the nearshore reefs when anglers can get out, and there are also sheepshead on them. However, it’s unclear whether the keeper-sized black drum have gotten there quite yet – but soon the bite should be about even between sheepshead and black drum. Fiddler crabs are the best bait for targeting both species. 

April 1

Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 64 degrees inshore around Hilton Head and clarity is about a 7 out of 10. There has been a ton of wind this week. 

The trout continue to cooperate around Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that it is almost exclusively a live shrimp bite for him. Conditions aren’t quite warm enough for the fish to be in the shallows eating artificial lures, and instead they are catching fish in 10 plus feet of water in the bends of big creeks with deep channels. No particular tide is fishing the best but you need clear, moving water. You could probably bounce the bottom in the same areas with some sort of shrimp imitation, but the real thing has been working too well to try something else with clients. 

The redfish are in a transition period, and they are moving to deeper areas as the big schools that were on the flats this winter have broken up. Now the fish are in 3-15 feet of water, and the best way to target them has been putting live or fresh dead shrimp on the bottom around docks, trees, and creek bends. High or low tide has not made a huge difference. 

Glass minnows and hence bluefish are just starting to show up. More should arrive every day unless another cold front slows them down. 

Giant black drum have been caught offshore at the nearshore reefs, and there are also sheepshead on them. However, the keeper-sized black drum have not gotten there quite yet – but soon the bite should be about even between sheepshead and black drum. Fiddler crabs are the best bait for targeting both species.  

March 17

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 60 around Hilton Head but the clarity is still pretty high. 

There has been some outstanding trout fishing around Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that even though the trout moved deeper on the last cold snap they are still biting very well. They had been in 3-4 feet of water, but for now he is finding them in more like 10 feet. 

The key to catching fish has been live shrimp about 6 feet under a slip float, and they are finding the best bite around grass lines and shell bars. The fish are back in the medium-sized creeks, and from what Kai has seen they are grouped up by sex as the spawn approaches. On the outgoing he caught a ton of 15-16 inch males (identifiable by the drumming) in one spot, and then on the incoming he caught about 50 big females as fast as he could take them off the hook in the same area. When that happens release the females and keep only the males you need. 

The redfish bite has been a little slower, but in the creeks they are catching some fish on dead shrimp around docks, trees, and at the mouths of creeks. 

 

There have been occasional black drum caught inshore, but the bigger ones are offshore right now. Some monsters in the 40-pound range have been caught about 10 miles out at the nearshore reefs, and there are also sheepshead on them. Fiddler crabs are the ticket.

30 miles offshore there is still good bottom fishing for vermillion snapper, red snapper (closed to harvest), black sea bass, and more.

March 2

Morning surface water temperatures have jumped way up to 62 around Hilton Head, and the water is dirtier. Instead of a 12/10 it’s now an 8/10!

The inshore fishing can be a little slow when it warms this fast, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are catching a bunch of redfish on the high outgoing tide with mud minnows under corks. They are fishing right up against the grass in major creeks when the water is draining out. They also picked up one big trout fishing this way, but in general they expect the trout fishing to get much better as temperatures warm. 

On lower tides redfish have been skittish and hard to target. 

There have also been some black drum caught under docks with shrimp, but in general these have been on the smaller side. Usually there should be some redfish in the same areas, but they have seemingly been absent on the docks recently. 

At the nearshore reefs five plus miles offshore the sheepshead have showed up in big numbers, and the larger black drum are also out there.  You can catch the black drum on shrimp but to target the sheepshead you really need fiddler crabs. Fortunately they are catchable again!  

30 miles offshore there is still good bottom fishing for vermillion snapper, red snapper (closed to harvest), black sea bass, and more.

February 18

Morning surface water temperatures have jumped from the upper 40s to the lower 50s around Hilton Head, and the water is crystal clear.   

There’s been some improvement in the fishing conditions in Hilton Head this week, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that even though water clarity is still extremely high the redfish have gotten a little less skittish.  The best fishing that Kai has found has been sight-fishing at low tide on the flats, and they have found fish willing to eat flies and Zman MinnowZ in green colors.  They have also picked up some reds around docks on mud minnows. 

While Kai has not been doing it there have also been some good reports on high tide fishing in grass pockets with soft plastics, and it does appear that at certain times the fish will bite better on high water. 

The trout which are feeding still appear to way up the creeks around structure, but they are still spotting a bunch of trout stacked up in the small creeks that serve as highways leading to large mud flats. That second group of fish seem to be basically sun-bathing and less actively feeding. 

It’s been hard to get fiddler crabs and so there still haven’t been a ton of people heading out to the nearshore reefs for sheepshead and black drum, but in March that bite should really heat up. From the few people who have gone out there it does look like there are fish around. 

30 miles offshore there is still good bottom fishing for vermillion snapper, red snapper (closed to harvest), black sea bass, and more.

February 11

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 50 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is crystal clear.   

It’s a beautiful time to be on the water in Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that water clarity is at an all-time high in his experience. At the docks approaching high tide Kai can see the bottom in about 12 feet of water, and generally there are at least 10 feet of visibility.

Perhaps as a result of these super clear conditions Kai’s boat is not seeing a ton of redfish on the mud flats, and they suspect that a lot of fish have headed way up into the creeks. When they do find reds on the flats light line and long leaders are necessary, and in general the fish are as skittish as you would expect.  

The best fishing has been back in the creeks around structure in about 6 feet of water, and blind casting with green soft plastics or mud minnows on a lightly weighted circle hook has been working pretty well. 

In addition to redfish they have found some good trout up to 3 pounds way up the creeks around the same structure as the reds, and they have also spotted a bunch of trout stacked up in the small creeks that serve as highway leading to large mud flats. That second group of fish seem to be basically sun-bathing and less actively feeding.  

It’s been hard to get fiddler crabs and so there haven’t been a ton of people heading out to the nearshore reefs for sheepshead and black drum, but in March that bite should really heat up.

30 miles offshore there has been good bottom fishing for vermillion snapper, red snapper (closed to harvest), black sea bass, and more.

February 1

Morning surface water temperatures are about 50 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is clear. 

Inshore fishing is slowing down around Hilton Head, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that in the cold, clear water the hard part is not locating the redfish – it’s getting them to bite! Even though there are some schools of fish which are relatively aggressive, it’s become all-too-common to pull up on multiple schools of flats fish in succession and not be able to get any of them to bite. Sometimes they will literally swim away from the bait. 

Some of the most aggressive fish seem to be related to docks. 

No one seems to be catching any trout inshore right now, and getting offshore has been limited because of the wind. However, 30 miles out there are lots of black sea bass and vermillion snapper. 

January 20

Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is still pretty clear. 

Inshore it remains mostly about the trout and redfish right now, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are still catching trout on low tide in the deep bends in the creeks. They are catching them fishing very slowly with mud minnows or Gulp!, but the biggest trout are coming on live shrimp fished deep.  A good range is 6-16 feet.   

You can also catch redfish on live shrimp, but it’s really not necessary. There are still tons of 17-inch fish to be caught, and they will bite Gulp!, Zman PaddlerZ, and mud minnows. The reds are in big schools on the shallow flats near oysters, and you can also find them around docks and riprap banks.

The easiest time to catch redfish is when they are concentrated on the lower half of the tide cycle, but the best time to catch bigger fish seems to be on the higher tides when they get up in the grass. While the bites are slower you can catch them on mud minnows fished in holes in the grass. 

With lots of wind there has been limited fishing nearshore, but sheepshead and black sea bass are both about 12 miles offshore. 

January 6

Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is clear. 

Inshore it’s mostly about the trout and redfish right now, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are catching trout on low tide in the deep bends in the creeks. They are catching them fishing very slowly with mud minnows or Gulp!, but the biggest trout are coming on live shrimp fished deep.  A good range is 6-16 feet.   

You can also catch redfish on live shrimp, but it’s really not necessary. There are tons of 17-inch fish to be caught right now, and they will bite Gulp!, Zman PaddlerZ, and mud minnows. The reds are in big schools on the shallow flats near oysters, and you can also find them around docks and riprap banks.

The easiest time to catch redfish is when they are concentrated on the lower half of the tide cycle, but the best time to catch bigger fish seems to be on the higher tides when they get up in the grass. While the bites are slower you can catch them on mud minnows fished in holes in the grass. 

With lots of wind there has been limited fishing nearshore, but sheepshead and black sea bass are both about 12 miles offshore.

December 22

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 58 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is very clear. 

In early December both species usually bite well, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that we have now entered the period where trout and redfish fishing often goes in different directions around Hilton Head. When water temperatures really drop in the winter he usually finds that the trout fishing drops off a bit, but Kai is comforted when he reminds himself that the redfish usually get better and better!  

Cooler water means that redfish are schooling up tighter and feeding on basically anything in front of them, and on lower stages of the tide they are targeting them on the mud flats around oyster bars. The fish are only in 1-2 feet of water and they will take a range of artificial lures but they will also devour cut mullet. They are also around docks, rock walls and rip rap on low tide. 

At high tide they will get into the grass, and the best way to catch them is to target pockets in the grass and let a mud minnow sit under a cork and wait. 

As the trout bite has slowed they have also gone a bite deeper, and they are now out from the edges of grass, in deep holes and along rock walls in 6-14 feet of water. Brown Zman MinnowZ are probably the best artificial bait as live shrimp are very hard to come by. Mud minnows will also work.  

December 16

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 60 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is pretty clear. 

It’s still good fall fishing in Hilton Head, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that on higher tides they are targeting trout in the rivers along the edges of grass and rock walls in 4-10 feet of water. Brown Zman MinnowZ are working very well. 

As the water cools (a little) redfish are schooling up tighter, and on lower stages of the tide they are targeting them on the mud flats around oyster bars. The fish are only in 1-2 feet of water and they will take the same baits as the trout, but they will also kill cut mullet. They are also around docks, rock walls and rip rap on low tide. 

At high tide they will get into the grass, and the best way to catch them is to target pockets in the grass and let a mud minnow sit under a cork and wait. 

There is no word on inshore black drum, but about 15 miles out in 50 feet of water they have caught some monster black drum in the 50-pound range. 

December 3

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 57 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is getting very clear.  

The main inshore events in Hilton Head right now are redfish and trout, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that on low tide the redfish bite has been really good around oysters, docks and structure. Generally the fish are sitting in very shallow water, but when they are around docks or structure they could be as deep as 8 or so feet. The trout are in some of the same areas but they are also more likely to relate to creek bends and current that is running over oyster bars. For now they are generally in 4-10 feet of water, and they should stay there for a few weeks until temperatures drop into the mid- to low 50s when they will head deeper.  The trout bite is better on higher, moving tides. 

Live mud minnows, Zman PaddlerZ and Zman MinnowZ are working well for both species.

Yesterday the seas were calm enough that Kai was able to get out to some nearshore reefs about 10 miles out, and while they did not find the bull reds they were hoping to see under the birds they did catch a mixed bag of bonito, bluefish, black seas bass, barracuda and pamplico jacks. 

November 19

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 63 degrees around Hilton Head.

Hilton Head is significantly warmer than the Grand Strand, but on both ends of the South Carolina coast the trout fishing has turned on and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that in Beaufort County the numbers have arrived. Yesterday Kai’s boat caught 30 plus fish, and while the majority of them were caught on mud minnows under corks Zman Trout Tricks on ¼ ounce jigheads were also effective. They were fishing high tide long grass lines and eddies off of oyster bars.  

They only picked up one redfish, which Kai reports is not unusual on higher water. The key to really nailing the reds is to fish low tide around oyster flats, mud flats and creek mouths. Mud minnows, cut mullet, Zman PaddlerZ (with Pro-Cure) and Johnson Silver Minnows will all work for redfish. 

On the bottom half of the tide cycle black drum are biting really well around docks with cut shrimp, and there are also redfish around the docks.   

While getting a bigger fish is a little tricky, there are tons of smaller flounder right around the legal size in the creeks right now. Dragging mud minnows is working well. 

There are also still lots of bull reds just off the beaches and in the sounds, but they are starting to get further out. However, this also makes the fish more approachable as they get around nearshore structure and reef soundbars. 

The king mackerel fishing is really good 15-30 miles offshore trolling live bait. 

November 12

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 62 degrees around Hilton Head.

All along the coast inshore fishing is really turning on, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that Hilton Head is no exception. The trout are biting really well in about 5 feet of water over oyster beds, with moving higher tides fishing the best. Live shrimp are great if you have them, but mud minnows, Gulp! shrimp and Zman PaddlerZ will all work too. 

It’s also a very strong bite for redfish in the creeks, and conveniently they are biting best on lower tides. Small creeks with about 5 feet of water have been fishing well in holes and around shells, and Gulp! baits are catching so many fish that it hasn’t been necessary to break out the live bait. 

Docks are also covered up with reds right now. 

While getting a bigger fish is a little tricky, there are tons of smaller flounder right around the legal size in the creeks right now. Dragging mud minnows is working well. 

There are also still lots of bull reds just off the beaches and in the sounds, and based on current conditions they probably won’t leave until about Thanksgiving.

November 4

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 68 degrees around Hilton Head, and with windy conditions and big tides the water is pretty muddy right now. 

Water temperatures are pretty far behind schedule for November, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that he caught his last tarpon of the season on October 22 – the latest he’s ever gotten one. Nonetheless, it’s a strong inshore fall bite right now for several species while there is still a lot of bait in the creeks.  

The trout are biting well in creeks mouths over shells, and they are finding the best action in about 4 feet of water on higher tides. Live shrimp are preferred but mud minnows have been working very well. There are also some flounder in the same areas, and just yesterday they caught a big 20-inch fish. 

Redfish are pretty abundant, with a mix of sizes from rats to over-slot fish around. Generally the bottom half of the tide has been the best time for catching redfish, particularly around oyster beds in the creeks. Docks are also covered up with fish right now. 

There are also still lots of bull reds just off the beaches and in the sounds, and based on current conditions they probably won’t leave until about Thanksgiving.

Windy conditions have limited offshore fishing, but Captain Kai had a friend catch nine king mackerel pulling live mullet on Tuesday. 

Finally, our apologies for the long hiatus in this fishing report, which was the fault of our site, not the guides. We will do our best not to let it happen again.  

October 7

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 79 degrees around Hilton Head, and with rain the last few days (as well as monster tides) the water has gotten muddy.  Finger mullet are everywhere from the ocean to all the rivers and creeks, and by next week rain should have pushed bait down the rivers and the tides will be weaker – allowing for easier netting. 

Even though there is a ton of bait around fishing conditions have been pretty crummy this week, but Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are still catching plenty of redfish, intermittent trout and even some flounder on mullet and mud minnows.  Cut mullet will also work for the reds. This week they have done the best fishing on lower tides fishing around downed trees, docks, and the mouths of creeks. When water has been dropping the fishing has been the best. 

While other species are shallower trout have been more likely to hold a little deeper in 5-10 feet of water. 

As far as migratory species, the presence of so many mullet means that the bluefish and jacks are still around in good numbers. Tarpon are also around even though less people are targeting them, and it won’t be until water temperatures dip below the mid-70s that they migrate south. They are being caught with live baits on the top and bottom. 

Probably the most exciting bite continues to be with the bull redfish, and they are still off the beaches in about 15 feet of water. Cut mullet and cut menhaden have both been working, and if you are lucky enough to find them feeding on top (which has happened recently) they will take topwater plugs. 

September 30

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 81 degrees around Hilton Head, and with all the recent rains the Broad and Chechessee Rivers are both very stained until you get to the sounds.  There is still tons of bait around.

The most exciting development around Hilton Head this week is with the bull red drum, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that they are starting to get off the beaches in about 15 feet of water. Cut mullet and cut menhaden have both been working, and if you are lucky enough to find them feeding on top (which has happened recently) they will take topwater plugs. 

Inshore there are plenty of redfish being caught on the high outgoing tide when water is coming out of the grass, and cut mullet have been hard to beat. There have also been some trout around, but you pretty much have to be fishing live shrimp to catch them. They are relatively shallow in 5-10 feet of water.

There are also a ton of smaller jack crevalle present right now in the Calibogue and Port Royal Sounds, and they will take a variety of surface lures thrown at them when they are feeding on top.

Finally, with water temperatures still pretty hot there continue to be a ton of tarpon around in both the sounds and off the beaches.  Live mullet and menhaden are both working.

September 17

Morning surface water temperatures are only down to about 84 degrees around Hilton Head. There are tons of shrimp around. 

There’s other stuff biting around Hilton Head right now, but by far the most exciting action is for tarpon. Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that his boat landed two fish yesterday and had another get off on a friend’s anchor rope. Yesterday they were catching them off the beaches in about 20 feet of water, but they are also in the rivers right now. Live mullet and menhaden are both working very well. 

Inside, the under-slot and slot-sized redfish are biting very well on both mud minnow and shrimp. They are everywhere around oysters and grass. 

The trout action has been a little slower, but on live shrimp anglers are catching some trout on high tide along grass lines. At low tide they have been in holes and around deeper docks. 

While there are still some bull red drum around the water will have to cool a few degrees for the big numbers to show up.

September 2

Morning surface water temperatures are still about 85 degrees around Hilton Head and the water is still relatively clear. 

The most exciting new development around Hilton Head is that the bull redfish are really showing up, and Captain Kai Williams (843-816-7475) reports that the bulls are all over nearshore reefs, bridges and rock piles. They can be found in 20-50 feet of water, and they will eat both mullet and menhaden baits.

Inshore the fishing is still really good around oyster bars and grass lines, and both cut bait and shrimp are working for smaller reds. They are also catching tons of small trout along the edges at low tide – a very promising sign for the future.   

Some flounder are also being picked up on mud minnows at the mouths of creeks. 

Note that effective July 1 flounder regulations changed, with a new limit of 5 fish per person (from 10) and 10 per boat(from 20). The minimum size moved to 16 inches (from 15).

The water is still extremely sharky since it has not cooled, and as a result there are also still tons of tarpon around near bridges and other structure. Live menhaden are catching fish on both the top and the bottom.

Not many people were able to get offshore this week, but bluefish, Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle are apparently all over the reefs.