We fished out of McClellanvile the Friday after Thanksgiving (11/23). Threw mud minnows under popping corks on a rising tide over shell rakes, 7mph wind from the west (per forecast), 55 degree clear water. Caught 55 trout ranging from 13 to 18". (All released.) Also caught some trout using trout tricks but we mainly stayed with mud minnows because we were getting hits on almost every cast.
We went back to the same place yesterday (Saturday, 12/1) and fished the last of the rising tide and most of the falling tide using mud minnows, trout tricks, white gulp mullet, electric chickens, plus a few other plastic varieties. Wind was 8mph from east (per forecast) but the water stayed mostly clear. Water was 54-55 degrees. Three people fishing but we caught only 5 or 6 trout at the “place”. Fished a couple of other places and picked up a few more trout but it was very spotty.
Back at the landing we ran into a couple of other folks with the same story - lots of fish last weekend, not much this weekend.
Anyone else have a similar experience? Any idea as to why last weekend was unbelieveably great and yesterday was just so-so? I still have a lot to learn when it comes to inshore fishing but am trying to learn. All responses appreciated.
I have not figured out how to post pictures but I will learn how to do it before our next trip.
We fished the village spots we usually fish this past week and same story. The wind was kickin a lot more… Probally 10-15 with steady gusts…but still caught only one trout…and we tried artificial and live shrimp. It’s been weird that way…all we can do is hope that the next time will be …one of the good days :). Water temp that day was 52 andit was pretty clear
Thats funny, and something I ponder and fight all the time.
the urge to do what worked last week (and abandoning it soon enough)
what to do this week
Did it on Saturday. Creek mouths and drop offs seemed to be the ticket last few weeks, but we worked our butt off all day for 25 fish, and I honestly couldn’t tell you what worked location wise. Just kept hunting, hunting, hunting! Frustratingly enjoyable when the weather is nice!
same problem with us, went from crazy hight trout numbers to 1 or 2 a trip. im not sure what it is, but we cuaght the two trolling deeper (12-15 ft) with lighter or the glowing colors. hope it gets better here soon though. the reds are schooled up good though. ive more or less switched to red fishin over trout.
This past weekend was better for us than the previous weekend. Previous weekend, nothing. This past weekend, I had two keeper trout and 4 or 5 undersize. Fun day. Slow, hard work, but fun.
I don’t know went out sat…about 2 hrs before low tide…caught near 30 all 13.5 in to 15 in and one daymaker 21". Hot for and 1/ 1/2 hrs then shut off.Slow trolling mud minnows on weight hook and casting electric chicken and chartruse.
Thanks all for your responses. Sounds like we were not the only ones that have had some really on and off days recently. Yes, I did take note of the wind. My deceased mother-in-law who fished her whole life in the low country (died at 90+ years a few years ago) had a similar saying: “when the wind is from the east, that’s when the fish bite the least; when the wind is from the west, that’s when the fish bite the best”. She was right!
TT…SC is the only place speckled trout are called that as far as I know. I never really understood the moniker given specs can’t really take water that is under 40 degrees. I know in MI they disappear in the summer but virtually everywhere else where they are prevalent they are caught in numbers during warm months. They can be a tough fish to figure out for sure.
Even though I have found some very concentrated schools (trout) here in the last few weeks, mid-December is about the end of my personal “good” trout fishing days. I have had some 20-30 fish days in January, but it really falls off quickly through March from here for me typically. They don’t fly away! Where do they go? Offshore? Deep holes? I don’t see too many slamming trout reports Jan.-March, so what’s the deal? BTW, the saying around here by the “Oldtimers” is go trout fishing after the 2nd day of hard NE wind in the winter. Not very catchy, but…
All the above sounds familiar and I threw everything other than gulp shrimp (need to pic some up) and had no luck until I went back to ringer worm w/chartrusse tail and it was hit and miss for a while and cast after cast they were turned on. Left with the fish still biting.
I had something similar going on and at one point decided I wouldn’t catch any more reds as long as the water was cold and November had started and decided to go all trout. Then on Thanksgiving I was just messing around off my cousin’s dock and nailed some big reds. I think it’s just that the trout move from day to day and the reds are either thick or none because they’re schooling up. On 12/1 we caught a whole mess of big reds and trout. All on live shrimp or mud minnows. It’s just hit or miss these days I think.
yup! i had the night shift last week so id stop at a pier on base after work every day. some days in 1 hour id get 5 trout and 2 nice reds, day or 2 later im happy to get a small trout, then 2 fat reds the next day, then couple trout here and there, then the skunk yest! someone in my class wanted to go this morn so hopefully the skunk yest means gettin him his 1st red today.