My first time posting here and I have a hell of a way to say it in quite the embarrassing actually.
I have lived and been fishing here in Charleston since I was 5. I can remember many of fun days on the water. What I cant remember in those fun times is where the embarrassing part comes in.
In these 20+ years of fishing in Charleston, I cant remember once having ever reeled in a Flounder, Red, Sheep or Spec.
20 years!!! Something isnt right.
Now I dont know if it is my luck or something I have been doing wrong for all these years. Be it time and place. Weather. Bait technique. Or just 20 years of plain old Polish luck.
Ive been getting tips and advice from friends and coworkers for years on what bait I should try using and what kind of rig to use them with, all the way to people showing me on Google maps exact spots, times and tides that have work out great for them.
It has become something of a frustration to me and my future wife.
Im posting this here in my frustration and in hope of advice or a teaching hand. I see on CharlestonFishing everyday that there are so many people giving or getting advice, and hope someone might be able to do the same for me here.
Is there something I could have been doing wrong for the last 20 years or is just me having luck of the Pollock?
Your bet bet would be to hire a local guide and go fishing with them for a day or two. You WILL catch fish and they’ll teach you everything you want to know. Pick their brain while you’re fishing and you can learn how to quit getting skunked. You’ll learn more in one day with a local guide than 20 years of aimlessly plinking around.
Rapchizzle is right, a guide will definitely be a worthwhile investment. Seriously, the cash you spend on a guide will save you money since you will be far less likely to buy non-useful baits, rigs, etc.
Second bit of advice. Go to Haddrells, buy a bag of Trout Tricks and the jig heads that Haddrells shows you to use with them (1/4 ounce jig heads). Find yourself some live oyster bed (meaning, around half tide, rising or falling). Cast into the shallows and jerk the trout trick every 2-5 seconds. At some point, when you jerk, you’ll have a red, trout, or flounder on the other end.
Moral judgment under girds the entire structure of laws and is necessary for the rational structure of any significant statute. The idea that our laws can stand independent of moral foundation is senseless.----- Albert Mohler.
Thanks everyone. Advice on guides… times are tough and money is tight.
Have been telling my other half that would be our best bet, but she and I are both hesitant on spending that kinda money or even coming up with the extra money lol
If it werent for bad luck, I wouldnt have any at all…
Well, you’re in the right place. As I’m sure you know, there have been many before you with similar luck/heritage (me included- on both counts). I can personally attest to the fact that a guided trip or two, along with countless hours pouring over all the great advice that has been provided on CF will get you moving towards where you want to go. For me it’s been and still is a slow process, but the process is part of the fun. Many folks on here have lifetimes of knowledge and experience (and aren’t Polish) and can make things looks a bit easy at times…try to learn from the tidbits that are offered in each report, don’t get discouraged, keep at it, and keep at it, and keep at it… time on the water is time on the water, even if you’re not catching fish. Happy to share what little I’ve learned with you if you want to head out some time… try to help a brotha out.
Man, I thought I had it bad. Suddenly, I feel better about my lack of fish-catching.
I do not consider myself to be a good fisherman, but I’ll tell you what I’ve had the most success with: the old live shrimp under a popping cork trick. There is a reason that so many guides use this exact method…it is successful and doesn’t require much skill. I am hoping that your luck changes and that the next 20 years will be filled with great ctaches on a regular basis.
If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.
20 years of fishing…no flounder, red, sheep or spec. Whatcha been catch’n?
I was kind of wondering the same. I’ve caught all but a sheep bottom fishing for whiting and once caught a 8lb sheep on shrimp under a cork over oysters.
As for the Polish Luck, my wife’s Polish and she has on many occasions out fished me.
Do what Rap said + use the search function. Loads of good advise, if your like my wife you’ll feel right at home with some of the more smart ass reply’s on here.
Ive been getting tips and advice from friends and coworkers for years on what bait I should try using and what kind of rig to use them with, all the way to people showing me on Google maps exact spots, times and tides that have work out great for them.
If it werent for bad luck, I wouldnt have any at all…
Have you tried asking your friends or coworkers to take you out with them sometime? Offer to buy gas, bait, beer, whatever & offer to help clean the boat after. Promise not to give away their secret “honey hole”, if they have one.
I’ve found that most folks are more than happy to have someone new with them on the boat or shore.
Good luck.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
Dude, you unwittingly made me feel so much better about my fishing prowess…20 years. Wow. If hiring a guide is not something in your budget, have you thought about joining one of the many fishing clubs down there? I would think you’d meet many local fisherman who would probably take you out, teach you, etc… Don’t give up, I met a couple of great folks here that have taught me so much but the biggest thing in my opinion is time on the water.
I second that, I’ll take you next year when I get back to the good ole USA. Just come ready for some drag squealing and some sore forearms at the end of the day from those big redfish.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
