pesk,they will be in the salt all winter until next spring,usually around march 15th or so when the water temp starts coming back up.
kloud,those fish were definately schooling up.all fish were caught in a short period of time,and then i guess they moved on.im going back next week.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
was this mammade structure a bridge?
also what size were the mullet you were using?
liquor in the front, poker in the rear!
What are the chances of catching stripers by surf-casting from the beaches here in SC?
We did this a lot up North with good success; however, this thread deals mainly with salt water river fishing-do stripers get into the ocean at all?
Sea Hunt 2002
Yamaha 150
cape hatteras north is where to catch stripers in the surf.they dont come out of the rivers here.go to stripers website and read about it.
by the way,caught my biggest to date the other day.28 lbs.combahee river.caught a few smaller ones as well.
fishing from bank near bridge with mullet.also caught some on artificial.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
Thanks for your response willy-
I was kind of hoping that was the case; now I can fish from a bridge or my boat without loading myself up with waders etc. and standing in that butt-freezing water while the surf tries to knock you down!
Ain’t SC great-
Sea Hunt 2002
Yamaha 150
Willy - I’d like to pick your brain about all this Striper fishing sometime. I’m in town for a couple of weeks and would love to get into some before I head South again…
The less people know about how sausages and laws are made, the better they’ll sleep at night.
no problem jerms,you realize you know me right?(sc surfman)anyway,i havent had any luck in the cooper so far.i have been fishin from the bank on the combahee.stripers tend to travel together in the salt,and congregate near bridges up on the pilings.they use the pilings to get out of the current to lay in wait for a meal.the schools i have gotten into the 2 or 3 times i have went have been good.i have caught a 20 and 28 lber so far this year.so far mullet have been the ticket.i saved mullet from the season just for this fishin.you need a big rod.i use a 8ft ugly stik with a mitchell 302
with 2olb test with a 50lb mono leader.i also use a smaller rod that will throw bucktail and other big jigs.throw the jigs or bait down near the pilings and hope they are there.i waited 4 hours the other day before i got the fish,so patience is the key.when they start feeding though watch out.if you can gfish from boat,fish around the saltwater/freshwater line deep.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
Yeah, I knew it was you, Surfman! 
I’d like to give it a try next week sometime before I head back to Antarctica. I found a bait yesterday at Dick’s Sporting Goods that looked good (lures catch fishermen, too) and I picked one up. Similar to the ones Pescador found on ebay, but probably more expensive. http://www.chatterbait.com/cbinshore.asp
Anyways, I hope that they move into the salt before I have to leave. Thinking about trying in the Cooper… right outside of where I gave you those menhadden. If I am able to go next week I’ll let you know so that if you wanted to, I could finally get you out on the boat.
The less people know about how sausages and laws are made, the better they’ll sleep at night.
jerms,good to hear from you.glad you came back for awhile.havent had luck in the cooper yet.i always have done well there in january and february around the mark clark.i have been bank fishing in the combahee and have done good for this early.butterbean jigs(2oz) and mullet have been the ticket.im going with the father in law to a spot on the ashepoo i know in december.the stripers are right around the salt line now.i know this because of where i have caught them.unfortunately this week and next im working alot and im practicing my music.(got my acoustic gig back together)i dont know if i can hook up with you.how long do you go back to anarctica for?if you try the cooper,try down near goose creek(in that area).they will right around there right now guaranteed. willy
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
Willy…e-mailed you last year about the stripers and enjoyed the information you posted…Jerms, have not forgot about you either…In Goose Creek, or towards the mouth?
21’6" Key West BayReef
225 Honda
Carpe Diem
the mouth.later this winter try out at the mouth of shipyard creek also.you could also try around the bridges later too.im figuring based on past years december-march for that part of the river though.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
newsflash…friend just returned from the combahee with some big pics.37lb striper and 8 others that were very nice.this my friends is 7lbs and some change from the state record i believe(saltwater striper).this is incredible for this early in the season.december and january into february thru about the 15th of march is the season as far as we are concerned.all fish were of course released.my father would have been proud.he started this young man striper fishing years ago,and he never fishes for anything else since he caught his first one in 1978.i was also very happy for him.i will try to get a copy of the pic,but he knows i will post it on here,and he hates this site,so i doubt it will happen.we are both going back wednesday rain or shine and get em.hopefully they will be where they were today.he commented that there were some awful big fish there today.state record…46lbs 13oz…so it was 9 lbs off.
a new state record this year?just talked to him again…fish was 37 lbs 11ozs.the fish was huge in the picture and was very sleek,not fat.holy crap that was a big mudder trucker!
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
Go get 'em Willy!!
That’s a big fish…
Got2go, I want to answer the question you asked me about GC, but I’m not sure exactly what you were asking about… maybe it’s just too early this morning.
The less people know about how sausages and laws are made, the better they’ll sleep at night.
Willy, I have never tried fishing for striper in saltwater but I fish the cooper a lot. A friend of mine was trolling in Goose Creek by the golf course last week and caught 3 stripers all about 24 inches. I know of another guy that goes out late at night and fishes for them around the General Dynamics pier in the winter months using a pearl colored 10" eel. That wouldn’t be you would it? He is usually out there when the weather is at its worst. I know because I work at Bushy Park and see his van at the landing in the wee hours of the morning. It would be in the lower 30’s and wind blowing 15 and he’s out there.
1987 17’ Aquasport
2007 Evinrude E-Tec 90
stingray,thats a very good friend of mine,atleast it sounds like him.and yes he fishes that area,but also much farther back towards the harbor at times.we have fished together in the cooper many times.
remember…the stripers get into more and more salt the colder it gets.i have caught em way down at far end of the shipyard all the way back to where you are referring to depending on time of year.there were stripers caught in the area you desribe over a month ago.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
newsflash 2,homey went today and made me proud again.another 20+ lber and a couple over 10 lbs.in 2 days this is over 100 lbs of stripers (6 or 7 fish).and it aint primetime yet by a long shot.this is real early in the year.im goin tomorrow…wow…what a 2 day total. and a 37lber yesterday.whats next?as always with the riverenes,all were released.note:we keep one per year between the 2 of us for a season ending dinner.please release them if you catch em.take a picture…eat trout:stuck_out_tongue:
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
Should you feel froggy there Willy - there are a few rocks near that place you and the brother found that school of reds a while back - easily accessed by the oldtown trout killa…
There’s a thin line between a fish and a fisherman…the thinner the line, the better the fisherman.
whats up dog?
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”
How bout a report, willy? I am going to try them this week if I get the time.
if you try the cooper,try between goose creek and the 526 bridge.they should be in this area by now.fish deep with mullet or deep running lure.if you have a fishfinder,you might find them.last year we had no problem finding them as they stayed in certain areas the whole winter.later this winter try down around shipyard creek.
my friend has caught a bunch in the combahee this year already.he went and fished in the rain the other day and caught 8 more with a couple pushing 20 lbs.good luck.i forgot to mention if you can stay away from the gunboat,try around the mouth of goose creek.if that dont work,try some of the big boat docks down around the 526.
14 ft oldtown “troutkiller”