I was very hesitant to post about this knowing that there will be some of you that say I was seeing things but I wanted to know if there was a species that I might not be familiar with in our waters. I was in one of the smaller feeder creeks across from Cape Romain retreat that leads into Anderson Creek and I saw something I have never seen inshore. I watched a fish flee across the top of the water and cover almost 100 feet with only its tail touching the top of the water a few times. It appeared to be about 5 inches long a very silver. The second one I saw was about 15 minutes later and it was about an inch smaller and only covered about 30 feet before going back into the water. I have seen 1000s of flying fish over the years and have seen them in as close as 10 miles but I can’t explain what I saw in the creeks yesterday. I was fishing out of a kayak and moving slow so I got a very good look at them. I really don’t know what it could have been but maybe someone out there can clue me in. I spend 100+ days a year on the water and this was a first for me. Thanks for the help.
BTW - The topwater bite has been lights out as of late. I picked up a 29" and 30" red and a 21.5" trout on top yesterday. I had another big red steal my favorite topwater bait after running me across an oyster bar and another 10 or so either miss or come unbuttoned.
I’ve seen a flying fish in the mouth of St. Helena after a hurricane swell. Not common, but fish get wayward sometimes (see the yellowfin vid from the keys canal). Would be more likely in a wide non jetty restricted area like Bulls Bay.
I’ve never seen them in the river, but I saw one when I was out on IOP – I was only in about 6’ of water and it zipped by me heading out towards the open ocean. Very, very strange.
Seriously, nothing is impossible. I don’t doubt you one bit. I never would have believed the rays catching air if I hadn’t see it with my own eyes. Over the years, I’ve seen dozens probably jump. Spooked one in shallow water running one time and he ran directly into the boat with a very sudden “thud” after the prop went near him. Or the dolphins flinging a 5lb red 10’ in the air just to catch it and throw it to his buddy. I’ve seen a redfish come out of the water to eat a mouse, a 6’ shark in a foot of water destroying redfish on a low tide, a redfish sleeping on the flat (until I poked him with my rodtip and woke him up), a 12’ tiger swim up 10’ behind my boat and eat my menhaden chum bag like it was a tasty snack, and a crab eating a dead seagull.
So yes I believe you saw a flying fish inshore. It’s not that unbelievable to me.
At the risk of being accused of “doubting” you and preventing you from posting on here in the future , it sounds like it could have been ballyhoo. Watching them flee on the surface sounds similar to what you describe, though they don’t catch air for 100’. They do skitter across the surface, and it almost looks like they’re walking on the water with their tails. I’ve seen them inshore in July and August in the ICW north of IOP and behind Kiawah. I have actually caught them in the cast net out near the jetties once and a friend managed to snag one on a topwater plug a couple of years ago, so they definitely come inshore in the summer. If it was flying fish, I think there would have been absolutely no doubt as the wings are very noticeable.
I am from Columbia SC and when I was in college, I saw a full grown Cougar along the Broad River. I have no doubt that if you have seen flying fish before offshore and recognize what they look like that you could have seen them inshore.
I am from Columbia SC and when I was in college, I saw a full grown Cougar along the Broad River. I have no doubt that if you have seen flying fish before offshore and recognize what they look like that you could have seen them inshore.
How did she look? Wonder if she had been prowling 5 points!??
, it sounds like it could have been ballyhoo. Watching them flee on the surface sounds similar to what you describe, though they don’t catch air for 100’. They do skitter across the surface, and it almost looks like they’re walking on the water with their tails. I’ve seen them inshore in July and August in the ICW north of IOP and behind Kiawah. I have actually caught them in the cast net out near the jetties once and a friend managed to snag one on a topwater plug a couple of years ago, so they definitely come inshore in the summer. If it was flying fish, I think there would have been absolutely no doubt as the wings are very noticeable.