My name is Derek and I just moved to Charleston to go to school at MUSC. I thoroughly enjoyed fishing back home and I would love to take advantage of the time I have while I’m here for school. In our first few visits, my family has taken a few inshore charters out and have had great success with reds and trout. The trouble is, I have yet to make any connections with anyone with a boat. I loved to wade back in Ohio and I have read about people wading the flats down here but don’t know much about it.
I’m not looking to steal anyone’s spots, I would just like to know where it’s safe, when to go, and what kind of rigs to use. Anywhere where I can park my car and take a short hike? I notice many areas as I’m driving (along Folly Rd. for example) that are completely dry at low tide with nice grass lines. Is it safe to fish these kinds of areas during an incoming tide, and can I expect to catch anything?
I’m not to sure about wading but you can always try surf fishing the lighthouse end of folly. Another good bet would be the Folly Beach fishing pier or the Mt. Pleasent pier.
Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.
Alot of the areas you see are pluff mud and you sink to your chest in it.
I’m with fargo you can wade in the surf I’ve fished the lighthouse before my boat days, there are lots of shallow spots but they’re either accessible by boat only or not hard bottom. Maybe copahee sound and bulls bay since they’re pretty much all flats. I don’t know if they’re grass flats or mud though. This aint the keys bro, chuck town is a boaters world, unfortunately. I know this first hand for I was landlocked up until a year ago. Good luck
p.s do some research on the edisto beach area it may be clearer and shallow there
Live shrimp is the way to go for a pretty general bait. Almost anything will bite it. If I actually had the time to get out on the water I’d be more than happy to take you with me to show you around.
Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.
maybe look for a cheap kayak? (I know “cheap” is relative, esp for a college student!) Opens up a lot of awesome flats that you can’t wade because of the mud around here. Might even be some rental places, possibly even through the school? I used to work at the Outdoor Adventure center when I was in school at UT (Texas, not Tennessee) and we rented kayaks.
I’ve been out to copahee sound in a yak a few times before I had a boat, don’t think you would want to wade there. Might be some solid sand but like everywhere else around here it’s mostly pluff mud and oysters. Like others have said, best bet probably the surf or inlets, since the beaches are sand instead of the mud in the bays/rivers.
Learn how to 1) rig a shrimp under a popping or rattling float and, 2) make a carolina rig for shrimp/mudminnows/whatever. Those will cover pretty much every inshore situation!
Good luck, once you start saltwater fishing you’ll be hooked!
Everyone, thanks so much for the info. You all have got me really excited to do some research and get out and fish.
One more question…when I’ve been out with a guide we’ve had great success just quartering crab and throwing up toward the grass lines. Was this likely a Carolina rig? I wish I had more of a description but you don’t really pay attention to what the rig looks like when you are slaying reds left and right.
Thanks again everyone. Oh and I do have a short break from school between the August 10th and 22nd if anyone wouldn’t mind company on their boat
I defintitely wouldn’t wade off off folly road! Yeah most likely a carolina rig. For wading the flats I would use a jig head rig. For any other inshore one rod on poppin cork, one carolina rig. Go to charleston angler of haddrells point when hour here and get all your gear, they will show you how to rig and tie. And might even tell ya a spot to toss em.
