tons of rat reds this year in all of your “secret” spots vs. what has been there in the past 2 late summers. Well, if not, in the multiple places I fish, I am finding them everywhere. Goes to show the last 2 winters put a hurt on the 1-3 month old (1"-2") fish when they were making their way inshore. It all adds up. These last 2 late fall through winters in my waters the fish just haven’t been in the same numbers as usual. When the water is clear, and they are sluggish, you can see ALL of them on the flats. Numbers are down at least 50% from what they were 3 years ago, but I feel they will replenish. Disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t think it was as bad in Charleston as it was down in Edisto. Maybe because of deeper water? Not sure. I have not noticed a huge drop off in lower slot reds in Charleston like you have witnessed there. I am sure that what you are seeing is real, however. For some reason, maybe Edisto gets colder by a few degrees or something different about the underwater topography? Just guessing.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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I’m also catching #'s smaller fish lately with larger ones mixed in some, and those appear to be as you pointed out the most recent crop basically. #'s of young fish look like a decent hatch, but the slot fish generation we would expect to be biting very well right now have dwindled for some reason.
Seemed earlier in this season all were over-slot reds then also, and now the younger ones are large enough to bite a hook.
Also, for this late in the season, I’m still picking through small bait shrimp, when they should ALL be about eet’n sized by now, and all over the place. My son and I were sitting in the water at Morris on Sunday, felt what seemed like a hair on my foot in the water’s edge. Pulled my foot up slowly to see one of those tiny smaller than 1" shrimp. Late in the year for a shrimp that young, but I would call it good news from a supply standpoint for shrimp numbers. Have not checked any DNR #s etc…
Seems weather has been off all year to me. You??
Whole year has been different it seams than the last several inshore.
Goes in cycles for me. for a couple years a spot will produce large or slot fish and then next couple years we catch allot of smaller fish during the hot summer months only.
Local Boy, Just having fun.
Two weekends ago I was covered up with rats in the harbor and have noticed an increase in the Stono lately.
In general the size has been down this summer on my catches. However, I still see lots of 25-30" fish that just are not in the mood to eat. I do agree that the past cold winters probably did have a significant affect on the mortality rate of the young of the year reds. The last winter being mild definitely had an affect on the trout population so I would expect the same for the reds. This fall will be the test on if I see the numbers of overslot fish like I have seen the past two years. If we did have losses in smaller fish over the last few years I expect that the number of overslot fish will be reduced. This is because the overslot fish caught in previous years are know of sufficient size to move to the inlets and offshore and would need to be replaced by a greater number of fish previously in the slot.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
Raddaddy,
I would not know have not had time to fish!!! Call me!! NP!!!
He must Increase,but I must decrease. John 3:30
Yep, been on em but all little ones so far. Hoping the Fall forage migration stirs up the big ones some more. The fat ones are lazy and opportunistic feeders. When competition for food occurs they all gotta eat and the bigun’s ought to turn up some more.
Chuck D - Hilton Head, SC
Ranger z21 Intracoastal
Ran the Asheepoo towards bennets pt. No doubt about lot’s of under slot fish. Hopefully we’ll have another mild winter and next year should be great.
On a side note, all the the people with gator tags should have no problem finding them. Still a lot of big ones in the ACE basin.