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The newest Hilton Head fishing report can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-hilton-head-island-sc-spring-2018-fishing-report/
April 27
Inshore surface water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are up to about 65 degrees, and after the recent rain visibility declined.
Fishing has improved, but even though water temperatures are where things are supposed to take off the bite is still not on fire. Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that cool, rainy weather has probably hurt the redfish bite, but nonetheless they have had some pretty good days. Reds and black drum have both been caught in depressions in the backs where there is 10-15 feet of water at low tide and docks or downed trees. The best tide has been lower stages of the tide but not dead low.
There is not a lot going on in the main river yet.
There are no fresh trout reports despite Coach fishing places where he has caught them in the past. Fishermen are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
April 12
Inshore surface water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are up to about 62 degrees.
There’s not much change to report with Hilton Head area fishing, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that low tide redfish are still skittish while on higher tides they can be harder to locate but easier to get to bite.
At the nearshore reefs and wrecks the action for sheepshead and big black drum has been really good in the same spots where they target redfish in the fall.
Trout fishing has been very slow at best. Fishermen are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
March 30
Inshore surface water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are about 59 or 60 degrees, and clarity is decreasing as it warms.
It’s no big surprise that Hilton Head redfish are still pretty skittish, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that on low tide they can be really hard to target. The schools aren’t as big as they were earlier in the year, but the fish are still fairly schooled up. The best time to target reds has been on higher stages of the tide, although even on high water you only get a few shots at them. Both Gulp! and mud minnows free-lined in the grass have been working.
Earlier in the season the fish that were showing up were mainly oversized, but now they are seeing some schools of fish on the smaller end of the slot, too.
Coach reports that sheepshead fishing has been really good nearshore when you can get out there.
Anglers are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
March 15
Inshore surface water temperatures in the Hilton Head area have dropped to about 56 degrees, and even in windy conditions the water remains surprisingly clear.
Hilton Head area redfish are in a fairly typical spring pattern, but clearer than normal water is both a blessing and a curse. Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that it is fairly easy to spot fish, but they can be very skittish – particularly on low tide. The sight fishing has been better on mid-tides and above, and on the half-tide Coach has been able to sight fish for reds by spotting the school and then casting ahead of them. Ease up quietly with your trolling motor when you fish this way.
The best action, though, has come fishing on the high rising tide in the grass with mud minnows under a float or casting Gulp! shrimp and dead sticking them in openings in the grass. Mud minnows have been working a bit better than artificials, and fishing in areas where Coach has caught them in the past with a good mix of oysters and grass has been the best bet.
On the troutfront, Coach has not been targeting them but a friend caught a bunch of fish fishing soft plastics in a deep bend with 15-20 feet of water and some trees. They were far away from the ocean. Anglers are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
March 1
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area remain about 62, and the water is very clear.
Water clarity has improved, and as a result it’s gotten easier to locate the Hilton Head area redfish again – particularly on low tide. However, Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that they are getting into that transition period where they go from their winter patterns into “summer” patterns, and so they won’t be in the tight winter schools for very much longer.
For now you can still find some schools, but Coach reports that fish are pretty skittish when you find them. For the next month or two expect a transition period where fishing isn’t easy but with some searching they can be caught.
February 23
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are up to about 62 degree on the flats, and the fish are basically doing what they should be doing in mid- to late March. Visibility has decreased.
For a little while there redfish fishing was really good on the flats, but now Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that it is has gone “from the penthouse to the outhouse.” With decreased clarity is has been hard to locate fish, particularly on higher stages of the tide, and reds seem to be breaking out of their winter schools and scattering out. Hopefully fish will be easier to locate soon.
Coach has heard of a few trout caught, but he has no-first hand information. Anglers are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
February 9
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are up to about 52 degree on the flats, and still super clear.
Every week (and even day) on the flats is different, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that this week has been no exception with the redfish. Perhaps because of the warmer weather fish have been very skittish, and if you pull the bait too hard they will scoot away right now. On his last trip Coach was able to pick up a few fish sight-fishing up in pockets in the marsh on the highest stage of the tide, but then the bite really got good when the water started to fall and conditions clouded just a little.
On the dropping tide they caught a lot of slot-sized fish in areas around oyster beds where water was coming out of the marsh grass with mud minnows under a float, and they also picked up fish on dead-sticked Gulp! baits.
Anglers are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
February 1
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are around 49 degrees and the water is very clear.
The weather hasn’t been too cooperative in the Hilton Head area recently, but Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that when he has gotten out he has been pleasantly surprised by how aggressive the redfish have been. He has had to look to locate the fish, but once found they have been very willing to eat ¼ ounce jigheads with Gulp! shrimp.
Some of his better trips recently have actually been at the top of the tide cycle, and since the water is so clear you can still sight-fish even on the flood. It’s easier on weak tides that don’t get too high in the grass when fish stay out around the oyster shells.
In open water slowly hopping the bait has been working well, but in the grass just dead sticking it has been successful – and doesn’t get you hung up.
Anglers are reminded that, as a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
January 18
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are in the mid-40s and the water is very clear.
During and immediately after the long cold period Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) saw water temperatures as low as 42 degrees, but before the recent cold snap they had gotten back to about 46. They then dropped again, but with warm weather predicted things should warm up in the next few days. Still, with unusually cold conditions, and very clear water, you need to modify your approach to catch redfish. The good news is that the fish will bite, and on his last trip Coach’s boat caught about twenty. Most were barely over 23 inches, but a few were in the 18-19 inch range.
In the clear water it’s easy to see the big schools, and Coach has found the best bite around the half-tide coming up and then again when the water is dropping. High tide is slow. On the incoming he has been casting a ¼ ounce jig with a white Gulp! shrimp and dead sticking it on the flats around oyster beds when the water is about to go into the grass. If you cast ahead of the schools and let the fish find the bait they will usually take it. On the dropping tide he found fish coming out of drains where dead oyster shells were sticking up with fish laying on the down-current side.
Overall, with clear water and not especially aggressive fish you have to do one of two things – either cast ahead of the fish and let them come to the bait, or cast into the marsh where they are not as spooky.
Like everyone else Coach is concerned about the potential troutkill this winter, and after some very good trout fishing the last few years he is certainly going to follow DNR’s recommendations to release trout and hopefully maintain the resource. As a precautionary measure, the SCDNR is asking anglers to practice catch and release of all spotted seatrout through the end of September. To read the full news release click here.
December 20
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are in the low to mid-50s. Clarity is good.
With a week of favorable fishing conditions Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) has been able to get out on the water more often, and he reports that right now they seem to be very hungry. In the last few days the redfish have been very aggressive, and while they are not everywhere when you do locate them they are in large groups and very easy to catch. They will take a ¼ ounce jighead with Gulp!, either dead sticked (around grass) or pulled towards the school when there is less risk of getting hung up.
Interestingly, the most productive stage of the tide has been the flood when the water is up in the grass. Fish have been along the edge of major rivers like the Chechessee around shell rakes and oyster bar points. With the water fairly clear it’s not hard to spot the fish.
At this time of year the fish don’t seem to travel too far, and while they seem to be on a high tide feeding pattern right now they will generally be in the same areas on low tide. Coach expects this pattern to hold up for a while.
The trout also seem to have gotten into a fairly consistent pattern, and they seem to have headed towards deeper water. On low tide the trout can be found back in deeper holes at the bends of major creeks with 12-15 feet of water, particularly if there is some structure like fallen trees. Moving tides are best.
Coach has had success with both live bait and artificials. On one recent trip he caught about a dozen good fish on live shrimp in a hole, then had to switch over to jigheads with white Gulp! grubs when he ran out of bait. For the next fifteen minutes he caught a fish on every cast, and they were bigger than the ones that had been eating the shrimp. It seems that at least some of the time the trout are in big schools when you find them.
December 15
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are in the mid-50s. Clarity is improving but the water is not super-clear yet.
Fishing conditions have been pretty tough recently in the Hilton Head area, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that it’s been hard to spot fish as would be typical at this time of year. Big tides, wind and rain have made for relatively poor visibility.
Right now the redfishdon’t seem to be ganged up on the main flats, and instead the better schools seem to be in the smaller creeks. On high tide you can sometimes find them along the edges of the marsh grass, but most of the time they seem to be in the backs perhaps chasing warmer temperatures. Once it gets super cold most of the fish should pull back out to the main river.
December 1
Inshore water temperatures in the Hilton Head area are around 60 degrees and clarity is good.
Fishing is still excellent in Hilton Head, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that big redfish have showed up along the grass on high water on main rivers like the May and Chechessee. They will take a variety of baits, including rattling corks and minnows or shrimp dead or alive. Dead sticking Gulp! shrimp on a ¼ ounce jighead has also been very effective. Some of the fish are in the 24-27 inch range but there also lots of 16-18 inch fish.
The trout bite is still great on soft plastics and live shrimp. Finding clean, moving water is the key.