It has been a long time since I have been able to do some fishing, but my stepson and his friends are now getting that fishing passion, whether it be neighborhood ponds or salt! They wanted to catch a big spottail/channel bass (they call them redfish ) and it is spring break, so I said, âwhy not! I know a spot!â
It could not have been a better day. Light winds, calm, sunny. We set up at the very secret hole off of Sullivans island with plenty of crabs for bait. I also brought some fresh cut shrimp just in case! Set up right on the ledge at the last hour of the incoming tide and it was immediately on. Lost the first one after about 5 minutes to a pulled hook, but they each caught what wanted after that. Two reds at 17 and 22 lbs. I missed one, but think it was a black the way it was biting.
Tide slowed down some, so they proceeded to catch little puppy blacks on shrimp, with a couple of nice whiting and the usual toad here and there.
There was menhaden everywhere around us, especially when the tide turned and started rolling out. Pelicans getting filled up! Water temp was 65 on the finder.
Went to the end of the jetties to see if we could have some fun with the blues, but the residual swells bucking the outgoing tide made that not so easy with two young greenhorns not used to such things, so made the call to hit a dock on the way in before the tide left us stranded out of the creek. Couple more puppy blacks and a nice 2 lb trout was had. Had to leave them biting to get back into the creek! That is never fun!
It was a very sucessful trip and had a blast watching them get so excited over things. Oh yeah, we did see a very large Leatherback hanging around the end of the jetties. That thing was HUGE! Had to be at least 6ft long! Looked that way anyway! I think they are hooked for life! The way it should be! Looking forward to doing it again soon.
When we got home, the boys went to a little pond and caught 7-8 largemouths, all about 2 lbs!
It has been a long time since I have been able to do some fishing, but my stepson and his friends are now getting that fishing passion, whether it be neighborhood ponds or salt! They wanted to catch a big spottail/channel bass (they call them redfish ) and it is spring break, so I said, âwhy not! I know a spot!â
It could not have been a better day. Light winds, calm, sunny. We set up at the very secret hole off of Sullivans island with plenty of crabs for bait. I also brought some fresh cut shrimp just in case! Set up right on the ledge at the last hour of the incoming tide and it was immediately on. Lost the first one after about 5 minutes to a pulled hook, but they each caught what wanted after that. Two reds at 17 and 22 lbs. I missed one, but think it was a black the way it was biting.
Tide slowed down some, so they proceeded to catch little puppy blacks on shrimp, with a couple of nice whiting and the usual toad here and there.
There was menhaden everywhere around us, especially when the tide turned and started rolling out. Pelicans getting filled up! Water temp was 65 on the finder.
Went to the end of the jetties to see if we could have some fun with the blues, but the residual swells bucking the outgoing tide made that not so easy with two young greenhorns not used to such things, so made the call to hit a dock on the way in before the tide left us stranded out of the creek. Couple more puppy blacks and a nice 2 lb trout was had. Had to leave them biting to get back into the creek! That is never fun!
It was a very sucessful trip and had a blast watching them get so excited over things. Oh yeah, we did see a very large Leatherback hanging around the end of the jetties. That thing was HUGE! Had to be at least 6ft long! Looked that way anyway! I think they are hooked for life! The way it should be! Looking forward
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing. Itâs so fun that you gave those boys the memory of such a day.
As far as fishing shrimp and crabs at that secret hole, what setup do you use? Type & size of weight I mean. Waterâs always ripping pretty good the times Iâve stopped there.
Iâve always used carolina rigs, but have been wondering about setting up with bank sinkers for the ease of changing them out as needed.
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing. Itâs so fun that you gave those boys the memory of such a day.
As far as fishing shrimp and crabs at that secret hole, what setup do you use? Type & size of weight I mean. Waterâs always ripping pretty good the times Iâve stopped there.
Iâve always used carolina rigs, but have been wondering about setting up with bank sinkers for the ease of changing them out as needed.
This is just how I have always done it, but I always go around 1 hour before either tide and fish until it turns good. I use a fish finder rig with a 3oz egg sinker, about 24" 20-40lb mono and a 5-7/0 hook. If you are targeting reds I would use circle hooks and let them hook themselves, but I try to catch the big black drum well so I use a regular hook. I just pay more attention to the rod and set the hook early on the reds. I donât get very many gut hooks that way. Perfer half a crab because of teh black drum, but almost any cut bait or live menhaden or mullet will work. I was trying to catch a shark for a bosses son one day and put down half a 3lb bluefish and he ended up catching a 35lb red on it!
If you are going to target these fish, please do not keep them out of the water long at all, vent them properly (pleanty of videos on that) and take the time to revive them where THEY swim off, not vented and torpedoâd down so one can get back to fishing!
That being said, I have caught fish there at all times of the tide except for the dead periods at high and low. I have used as much as 16oz of weight on a Penn 4/0 during tournaments. Harder to feel a bite and not very many tournaments left to have to do that anymore!
Forgot to mention there were tons of medilum sized jellyballs around.
Great job catching and love to see the young uns being taught how to hold / support those big one so to give them a good chance to survive the trauma .WAY TO GO!!!
When you see âOld Gloryâ waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen heroâs that makes it wave.
author unknown
Been fishing there for close to 30+ years now and know what you are talking about. Have only had to leave 1 anchor that I can remember in those years. Have pulled up more than I can remember though, many of them in good shape.
Try to carry two anchors no matter where we are fishing. Some people have been known to get distracted and think the line was cleated off! [:I]
) and it is spring break, so I said, âwhy not! I know a spot!â
That is never fun!
