Been SUP fishing the inshore creeks and rivers since last spring but having a tough time finding the fish. I drift the grass lines, setup on creek mouths and look for deep holes with moving water. Also pole the grass flats on the flood. I use mostly Zman/trout eye combos. Surface lures in the early morning. Yesterday some mud minnows on a carolina rig. I drop in at Cosgrove Bridge, Sol Lagare, I-526 bridge (ashley river), Limehouse Bridge. I usually work the creeks and flats surrounding those ramps. I always see good reports from the Wando and Cooper rivers. Maybe I need to try that part of town? Was out yesterday on the Stono and padlled Abapoola Creek and Holland Creek. Found 1 crab.
It seems like the fish are spread out and its not always easy to find them here in the Lowcountry? Lots of spots look fishy to me but that’s not always the case. I like to surf fish too and did well in October and November. I am not asking for anyone to give up locations. I realize you have to put in time to learn these sort of things. Just wondering if people have had the same experience and how to shake it off. Thanks for listening to this long post. Take care.
I live near and fish the Stono a lot, and occasionally friends take me up the Wando or the ICW north of the harbor. It seems our experience is there are more and bigger fish over that way than in the Stono and Ashley.
There are fish in the stono around Abapoola Creek and so on, I prefer to fish closer to Kiawah. Right now if you can, I would make my way towards the harbor and fish around castle pickney and that little sand island with the cross on it. You will catch plenty of fish.
Try fishing kings flats, its the oyster field on the left going out to sol lagre, it connects green creek to folly creek by Bowen’s Island lots of fish in that area. When the tides up you can drop in off the curve and fish, where green creek connects to the king flats can be hot action. There are hundreds of oyster hills that create channels, wholes and structure to fish. I have personally never got on any schools but have heard stories of schools of trout and bass, but I have done well back there, also Bowen’s Island has good fish-able areas around it, Backmen’s creek/docks and the docks and bridge down by Crosby’s. You can put in at Crosby’s too that area around there also has good fishing.
Don’t give up on the Ashley, but this year it’s all out of whack with the floods. The big flood had the upper ashley very flooded, and by all indications (including an article in the P & C just today) its still mostly fresh water. I fished the upper end a few weeks ago and there were only freshwater fish caught. No brackish water fish caught. I think it will be a good while until it gets back to normal. I don’t fish the Stono really at all, so can’t comment, but catching has been good in the Wando, Cooper and harbor recently. Otherwise it sounds like you are doing the right things and looking in the right places.
Thanks for all the ■■■■■■■■. I have seen those oyster beds near Sol Legare and it looks like it could be insane. Oyster mounds and plenty of holes. There is a dead end road there called Mosquito Beach Rd. Looks kinda of sketch for parking so I never gave it a go. I will try by Crosby since that looks good too. Was never sure if I could park there either but I don’t see why not. I know during the season some kayak rental place works there.
I always look at google maps for fishing spots. May even try dropping in at Remley’s Pt. I have noticed anytime I go in the Ashley River or the upper part of the Stono near Limehouse Bridge the water is a brownish red. Does not seem very clean. I would imagine plenty of runoff for sure. Again, thanks for the help.
Been a couple years but I have seen big schools of redfish on the flats around cosgrove bridge and citadel flats as well as the flats downstream from Wapoo cut (winter)
This is my first year fishing in Lowcountry. If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s to pay attention to the tide and the pressure systems. I frequent a few spots, and I’ve done really well some days, and terrible on others. When I first arrived, I fished the incoming tide because I read it somewhere. However, I’ve come to find the outgoing tide to be the most productive. Slack tide seems to be nap time for the fish. I’ve also learned that fishing during a low pressure system has produced ZERO fish for me this year. Be patient and wait for a nice high pressure system to come through. I still fish low pressure systems, because it’s better than not fishing.
