Fishing HHI - Help for a Northern Fella?

To the South Beaufort / Hilton Head
1

Good day gents!

So I have been doing some reading/research here for the past week or so and happened to come across a thread of a grown man dancing in purple pants. I figured…

“Wow, these guys must really know their fishing, I should join this forum!”

Don’t ask how I arrived at that conclusion.:slightly_smiling_face:

Here’s the scoop: My father has blessed our whole family with a Easter Break trip down to your neck of the wood, HHI to be exact. We have a bit of a drive as we are hauling down from Michigan. We are really amped about this trip! Heads up, we invade the fist week of April.

Well, I’d be very appreciative for any info you could help me with on fishing the area.

My set up is a 16 footer with a 90 hp Evinrude, sort of a Northern man’s version of a flats boat anyhow. I’m actually just finishing up the total rebuild of this rig, here’s a link if you are interested in that kind of thing:

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1980-sea-nymph-ss-165-rebuild-545380.html

The crew fishing with me will be my two brothers a few times and I’ll take my kiddos (4, 6, and 8) out for a trip or two as well.

I’m only a marginal fly fisherman so when my bros and I float we’ll be using spinning gear mainly. For the kids I’m thinking simple over the side bottom fishing type stuff.

With the boat I’m hauling I’m sure creeks, rivers, n such will be the mainstay. I suppose on flat calm days I might be able to sneak out to the near shore reefs/wrecks.

I see that I’m early for the cobia run, bummer!

So what/how/where would you guys suggest? Time, place, tackle, methods?

If this info is guarded super secrets, no sweat, don’t blame ya!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give, cheers:smiley:

2

I recommend you and your brothers put together some $$$ and book a charter. I would also recommend booking Capt. Dan Utley the Fishin Coach. He’ll put you on some fish and you’ll have a great understanding of how to catch fish the rest of your trip. Otherwise keep fishing for ideas on this forum and get skunked every day. I know which one I’d pick… We’ve all been fishing these waters for years and I doubt anyone’s going to give up their go to spots to a complete stranger. I’m not trying to be an @$$ just stating the facts. There’s enough good tips and tactics on the first page of topics to get you started in the right direction… Good luck!

2007 Scout 221 150 Yamaha 4 stroke

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quote:
I see that I'm early for the cobia run, bummer!

Maybe not, Easter is early this year, but we caught cobia last year in the Broad River from mid-March on, so you might not be too early.

Other than that, the trout and redfish are always here, and whiting should be showing up. Depending on how warm a spring we have, sharks will probably be biting too.

Time? Anytime is a good time to fish :smiley: Place? Got to fish where the fish are. Too soon to tell for Easter. Water temp is everything and the last day of March could be winter or spring. Tackle, 10-12 lb spinning for anything inshore, except cobia, I like 30 lb for them.

I don’t recommend taking that 16’ boat offshore here without a lot of experience, especially at the end of March.

You could probably get a charter for 2 or 3 days for less money than you can tow that boat from Michigan and back, and you will catch a lot more fish too :wink: For that matter you could probably rent a boat cheaper. Be nice and somebody might even take you for free:smiley:

If you decide you want a great charter, Fishin’ Coach will put you on the fish and show you a good time. It takes years to learn how to fish these waters, you won’t learn it in a week but a good guide can cut a few years off the learning curve.

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair

4

^^^^^What they said^^^^^

Sent you a PM.

NN

07 23 Key West Twin 115 Yammys

www.joinrfa.org/

5

Hey guys, thanks for the advice and your time. Signing up for a charter would no doubt be the safe and sure bet, we’ll think on that.

Apologies if I was too forward asking for info - certainly have no intention of hurting your business or your fishing.

Hey, have a great weekend fellas!

6

For your boat, Paris Island Reef. Squid, Shrimp and Fiddler Crabs either fished on a droper rig or Carolina Rig. Avoid fishing there in the middle of the tide, the current will be to strong. Keep those kids fishing, this reef can be perfect for what your trying to do with them. For any of your tackle needs and bait, Southern Drawl Outfitters located just off of Hilton Head is the place to go. If you decide to do a charter give me a call www.papabearcharters.com, you’re not being to forward it’s really hard to fish blind down here with the tides,current, bait, moon, etc. These guys gave you really good advice already, I just have a week spot for Michigan folk, that’s where my mom is from.

quote:
Originally posted by jasoutside

Hey guys, thanks for the advice and your time. Signing up for a charter would no doubt be the safe and sure bet, we’ll think on that.

Apologies if I was too forward asking for info - certainly have no intention of hurting your business or your fishing.

Hey, have a great weekend fellas!

7

Hey thanks for the info Papa Bear!

quote:
Originally posted by PAPA BEAR

perfect for what your trying to do with them.

Yah, I’m not looking to do anything too fancy. Certainly not trophy hunting. My priorities are:

  1. Get some time on the water with the family
  2. If we can get a fish dinner out of the trip, excellent
  3. If my bros and I can hook into a good fighting redfish or something, that would be cool
  4. If we can pull a little shark in, I do believe my boys head might explode they will be so excited

But, if I can pull off #1, that’s all I really need:smiley:

8

Yes, the Paris Island reef is an excellent suggestion. There is always something biting there. I’m surprised more people don’t fish it.

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair

9

Hey man, welcome! I saw your thread on the iboats site. Incredible, nice work! Where on Hilton Head are you staying? Don’t apologize, by the way, for being “too forward”. As a 10k+ poster on a huge international website, I’m sure you know how this game works =) People are going to give you advice, or they aren’t. Never ever hurts to ask. From what I’ve gathered and from personal experience, if Cracker Larry says to do something, well… do it. For over-the-side stuff with your kids I agree there is probably no better spot in the Port Royal Sound for that sort of fishing. It kind of depends on where you’re staying in HHI though. If you’re on the south end, that’s a helluva run to the Parris Island reef either by boat or trailer. Putting in on the south end of the Island and making a run to the reef is pretty far. There’s some marinas on the north end and even Sawmill Creek in Bluffton wouldn’t be a bad spot. There’s quite a few rips and holes on the south end of Hilton Head that may be more easily accessed, it just depends on where you’re staying. I moved here recently, so I’ll limit my fishing advice to what I know as fact… and that ain’t much! If your kids would enjoy seeing sharks, I can certainly put you on those. They seem to follow my baits around! As much as I try to avoid them nowadays in pursuit of game fish, I remember when I caught my first one and I was ecstatic. I can imagine a little kid from Michigan would be as overjoyed =)

Shoot me a PM and I’ll help with any questions you have especially as it relates to HHI. I know a lot more about the island than I do fishing down here, unfortunately, but I’ll steer ya in the right direction best I can.

PS… little advice; I don’t know if Midland is in Wolverine Country, but as you seek fishing advice, you MIGHT want to avoid any talk of a certain upcoming bowl game LOL. I could care less because my boys have a death wish with Florida in the Sugar Bowl… but it’s definitely Gamecock Country down here buddy!

218 Sailfish
Yamaha F225
Hilton Head/B

10

Hey thanks for the welcome salt!:smiley:

Yah, that Sea Nymph project is certainly out of necessity. I figured out a while ago I can save up enough dough to buy a new boat (or nice used), which would take me decades (maybe never). Or, totally rebuild one for next to nothing, and go fishing right away! It sure is a whole lot more work going this route but it’s the only way given my budget. I’m really looking forward to some summer fun in that rig! I’ve got the 22’ Islander in the garage for the winter project…

We’ll be staying on the East side of the Island. I believe it’s called the Palmetto Dunes area. It looks like the two launches I’ll be using would be the Cross Island and Pickney Island launches. Neither look like too far of a drive from where we are staying. The Paris Island Reef looks like a reasonable run from the Pickney Landing, eh?

To my totally uneducated eye it looks like there might be a thousand great spots to cast a line within just a stones throw of that pair of launches.

11

If you’re staying in Palmetto dunes do yourself a favor and contact Palmetto dunes outfitters for a lagoon charter with Stacey or Trent. Trout in there are big and angry and the bite Is rediculous in the spring. Good luck with your trip.

www.hhionthefly.com

i made this up but i think it’s true

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quote:
Originally posted by HHIonthefly

If you’re staying in Palmetto dunes do yourself a favor and contact Palmetto dunes outfitters for a lagoon charter with Stacey or Trent. Trout in there are big and angry and the bite Is rediculous in the spring. Good luck with your trip.

www.hhionthefly.com

i made this up but i think it’s true

Big? Angry?!

HA, love that! Appreciate the info!

I checked out your site, the photos and video are awesome:smiley:

I do believe you have inspired me to pick up my fly rod and start practicing again:wink:

13

Both of those are nice launches, but Pinckney (Haigh Landing) is closer to mobetta fishing spots in my opinion.

If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.

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Jasoutside-we’ve been dragging an old 14’jonboat that I “rejuvenated” (thanks to a lot of lurking on the tinboat.com site)down to the Lucy Creek area for several years now from Indiana. However for the first 7-8 years we were taking our vacations at Hunting Island and would take a charter out of Port Royal. Best one we ever had is no longer in the charter business however :frowning: We did spend those years kind of learning what would catch what fish and a few different ways of fishing for them. If you want to take a charter out of PR I would suggest Steven Beaker Roll with Seas so Shallow charter (he’s on Facebook if you want to see some pics and also on here too). That old jonboat is definitely a “fair weather” boat and hardly ever goes out of sight of Sam’s Point but even with those restrictions we have enjoyed many days of “fun fishing” with our family and have even managed to bring an occasional fish back with us.

That being said-I still believe that all of these nice trout that Wildlifesc is catching is because we fed them so well when we were down in Oct :wink:

…oh yeah HAIL PURDUE!!!:smiley: