My family grew up on folly and i have been fishing there for years (currently live in Columbia) but mostly from the bank until last year. we put the boat out at the folly bridge and head up to the Stono and fish around the opening to the ocean. We can catch alot of sharks and tons of whiting but what are some tactics you guys use for the Reds,trout, and flounder. i can catch flounder around the bridge piles but dont really know anywhere else. Any advice would help. I take my 2 kids (15 and 4) and my wife and they love it.
Generally the trout and reds are not going to be where the whiting and sharks are. The exception would be bonnettheads as they hang around oyster beds. Try fishing for flounder around the mouths of small creeks and even those little “gutter” creeks on the out-going tide. They will lay around in those areas facing the current waiting for bait to swim buy as the water leaves the marsh. Finger mullet and mud minnows work well either on a carolina rig or on a small jig head. Gulp baits and other soft plastics work for them too. Any place there is structure and a place for them to lay and ambush bait as it comes by can work. I seem to catch summer flounder on white or electric chicken colored grubs although I prefer live bait. Head up the creek and try fishing some docks during low and first part of the incoming tide for reds. They are looking for shade,a little cooler water, a place to hide from flipper and get a meal when the tide is low. Work the edges of the grass around oysters on the rising and falling tide for trout. Look for faster moving water. A live shrimp under a popping float will usually find them. I have usually caught bigger trout on bigger finger mullet on the bottom in moving water in front of oyster rakes. Hope that helps.
Good luck !
Jack Taylor
IWork the docks. I pretty much exclusively fish there. I catch more of my flounder on the east end side. Fish the docks in the shade side of the pilings and under the walkway. What I’ve found (always exceptions) is that ffflounder lay in the shadenext to the pilings on the docks walkway, then under the deck of the dock will have all 3 sporadically along with black drum. Redfish, and the bigger ones hold underneath boat lifts and floating docks. Trout can be anywhere, and grasslines by docks hold fish sometimes. Try early fishing. Anchor up current of the dock and let your baits drift down put one rod on each section of the dock. Lived bait on carolina rigs, MM,FM, shrimp. I like to be activley casting a rod with a lure of a popping cork all around while my other rods bait soak. Maybe we could get out together one day… oh and when yoir done ffishing eat at the sandbar restaurant…
SEAFOX 185DC MERC 125
[MRS KAREN]
14’TARPON 100 paddlepower
[SALTY FLY]
great suggestions. My friend Dre has been having success in the upper Wando using Trout trick worms. Give them a try!
Thanks guys, I will give it a try next time we head out, just waiting on the weather to decide on a sunny day. We usually do squid, shrimp, and cut bait on the bottom (the norm I guess). I use MM on bottom with a carolina rig near the bridge for flounder. We use to fish the beach there 3 or 4 times a month and every now and then go to the beaufort pier (hunting island). I will post after our next trip and let you know how it goes.
Steve Baty
16’ bass tracker
Looking for ACTION
By the time you get to the inlet you’ve passed by many reds-flounder-trout habitats. Sound advice above regarding docks and grass lines on the east side. Try points and grass lines along Folly creek between the river and Bowen’s.
Hit the grass lines, that’s what I always do and I usually catch a fish every time I go out.
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. -Wayne Gretsky