Im mostly an inshore fisherman. I have heard the fishing on the bend of the southern jetty holds good redfish and trout and can be caught using a shrimp under a float or popping cork. would I need to upgrade to some heavier gear or can i use my inshore gear? I know the redfish can get pretty big but does this specific spot carry puppy drum and trout? Would appreciate any thoughts.
Also would love some info on catching menhaden.
I second the request on catching menhaden?.I keep pulling up an empty net.
There is a great article in the SC Wildlife magazine on Jetty fishing…
If you are headed for the jetties, just after Ft Sumter head behind Morris Island, and look for either pelicans diving or tail flicks on the water. When near the tail flicks, you can often make a blind cast with the net, let it sink a while, and pull up all the hadens you will need and more. Let the excess go. That spot holds hadens pretty much all spring and summer.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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Catching menhaden with any sort of consistency requires a net that sinks fast. The run of the mill 1/4-3/8" mesh with less than 1 lb lead per foot of net radius will have very limited success. From my experience a 1/2" mesh with 1.5 lbs lead per foot radius net will get it done nicely and also works very well for shrimping. Having a larger new certainly helps to. I use an 8 foot which is my balance point between ease of handling and effectiveness (less throws per full livewell)
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
would it be ok for me to use my 7’ 6" rod with a Penn Battle 30 or should i beef it up?
whoops that should say 3000! thanks for the menhaden tips.
A 3000 Battle will be sufficient, quite fun actually with a bull red. Unless Mary Lee makes her way a little more north… Off the Savannah coast right now just past the ledge. In that case beef it up!
j
17 Malibu CC
88 'rude
Thanks. ill give it a shot with my inshore gear and see how that goes.
There are some big reds there as well as big sharks. You could find yourself outgunned if you go in there too light.
What lb test?
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
when do the menhaden start to show up?
Mako 1901 Inshore-Honda 130
10% of the people catch 90% of the fish.
3000 series reels while live baiting at the jetties - eventually you will be outgunned and get spooled. Expect Bonnet’s, rays and even bull sharks. My last trip out in the fall we hooked into a 6’ bull shark that just about spooled a Penn 750. We do use the 3000’s for sheeps and small fish that take shrimp and fiddlers… but just about everything big eats live or cut menhaden, so we step up to the 5-6000 size stuff, or conventional reels with more line capacity.
As for nets. I have a 5’ Walmart cheapie that catches more hadens than I know what to do with.
I fish the jetties a fairly decent amount and use Battle 6000’s for my spinning gear on the tiger lite jigging rods. Also use TLD15’s spooled with 30lb mono and anywhere from 60-200lb leaders depending on target species.
Charleston Fishing’s most hated guide!
This is what I have read from a seminar about red fishing and shark fishing the jetties.
Use the heaviest Rod and Reel you can. The captain said not to use light gear because not only will you wear yourself out fighting the fish for up to 45 minutes, you’ll wear out the redfish. He said that this puts a huge stress on the fish and will often kill the fish after the release. A heavy spinning reel was recommended with 65-80lb test braided line. This should be tied to a Carolina Rig with a 3’ leader of fluorocarbon of 80lb test - not a steel leader, unless you’re targeting sharks primarily. A redfish will shy away from a steel leader. Use a red plastic stop to preserve the knot when tying on the leader. The guide recommended using circle hooks, sized from 7/0 to 8/0, tied “Snell Style”. Use a weight of at least 4 ounces and at most 10 ounces, depending on current and depth. The key is to keep it on the bottom without a great deal of casting effort on your part.
Bull Reds - Reds are a little more tricky, obviously. Bull Reds were described as big and lazy, they’re not actively hunting swimming bait fish. The bait recommended above all other baits for Bull Reds was Crab, and if crabs aren’t working, use shrimp. Use large fresh crabs, peel the shell back exposing the innards, and hook through the meatiest leg (the one you’d eat if you were eating crab legs). If you’re using shrimp, use BIG fresh shrimp - not the small frozen kind you get from Wal-Mart. Use shrimp so big that you’d only get 12-15 shrimp in a pound. Here again, hiding the hook is not necessary. If these baits aren’t working, it’s not because you’re doing something wrong, its because Reds simply aren’t eating crab and shrimp that day. Alternative to crab and shrimp, use large mullet or blue fish.
The Bend: Bull Reds and Sharks can be caught all along the Rock Edge of the Jetties, but the spot that was recommended was where the Jetties begin to round into the turn towards offshore. When approaching this area, keep an eye on your sounder for sudd
Ive also heard there can be good trout action. is there a specific location along the jetties where they hang out?
You don’t need 3 foot of leader to catch bull reds. Use a foot or less of leader. They aren’t leader shy and it will lead to less gut hooked fish.
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150 Yamaha
In the same area but on the “outside” of the bend, this a relatively shallow area and is known for producing large trout and sheepshead. There is a ton of flounder there as well…
'01 AQUASPORT 161
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90hp Johnson
battle 3000 will technically get the job done, but eventually you will undoubtedly get spooled and lose all your braid and a really cool fish which now has a trail of braid on it. also, if you fish deep in the summer, it helps to get the fish up quicker so they can be released quicker and healthier. i’d recommend the battle 6000 if you want to stay in the battle line and fish the jetties routinely. i have it, and the drag sings like a dream when a biggun takes it at the jetties.
Do you have to have a boat to fish “the bend”?