Hey fellas, not sure if this is in the right section so if not I want to apologize now.
I would also like to apologize ahead of time for this book of a post [:I]
My brother is stationed in Charleston, SC and has been there for roughly 6 months or so and has only fished from land at Pit Street Pier (I hope that’s right). Anyway I am bringing my Gheenoe up for Southwest Florida and was wondering if we could get pointed in the right direction on where to fish and where to stay away from. I will be coming up from Feb 2nd-5th, but will probably only get to fish that Friday, Saturday & Sunday so we have limited time to “explore” for fishing spots.
Also if anyone in the area wants to help out I believe a few of his buddies would like to get out on the water as well. They would pay for gas and possibly lunch (if you put them on fish ).
I have been reading some of the reports to get an idea of times of the day and it seems this time of year everyone likes to fish the low tide, and throw soft plastics or frozen/live shrimp. I personally want to catch some of these Carolina Reds that I keep hearing about. If you know Gheenoes you know they are shallow/backwater boats so please don’t tell me to fish the Harbor
Also, if anyone is ever down in the Pine Island/Matlacha/Cape Coral area and want to fish I will return the favor!
Well, I see no one else has responded so I’ll try to help you out. Let me start out by saying that I am an intermediate fisherman so you are not getting expert advice. That is my disclaimer. No one is going to give you their spots (I only have a couple) so you are stuck trying to find your own. Your boat will be fine inshore and even heading up/down river though I would tend to hug the shore line on breezy days. Go out during low tides to scout for structure, oyster beds, etc… Find a creek with docks, work those docks. You may get skunked on several and then hit a honey hole. I have a spot where one dock produces nearly every time but the ones on either side never have. I am no good with artificials so I stick with live bait. This time of year you will need to buy bait (mud minnows, shrimp or fiddler crabs depending on what you are targeting) which you can find at Haddrells or Charleston Angler. I have had most of my success an hour or so before low tide and then an hour or two after the tide changes. Slack tides have never produced for me and from what I read here and my own experiences, moving water produces more fish.
Not sure if any of this helps. Maybe one of our resident experts will come along and help you out.
Well, I see no one else has responded so I’ll try to help you out. Let me start out by saying that I am an intermediate fisherman so you are not getting expert advice. That is my disclaimer. No one is going to give you their spots (I only have a couple) so you are stuck trying to find your own. Your boat will be fine inshore and even heading up/down river though I would tend to hug the shore line on breezy days. Go out during low tides to scout for structure, oyster beds, etc… Find a creek with docks, work those docks. You may get skunked on several and then hit a honey hole. I have a spot where one dock produces nearly every time but the ones on either side never have. I am no good with artificials so I stick with live bait. This time of year you will need to buy bait (mud minnows, shrimp or fiddler crabs depending on what you are targeting) which you can find at Haddrells or Charleston Angler. I have had most of my success an hour or so before low tide and then an hour or two after the tide changes. Slack tides have never produced for me and from what I read here and my own experiences, moving water produces more fish.
Not sure if any of this helps. Maybe one of our resident experts will come along and help you out.
Good luck.
Thanks for the advice, all advice is helpful advice!
I wouldn’t dare ask for “spots” or “honey holes” I am just looking to get pointed in the right direction such as “go up river, but no further than …” or “fish the ICW, but stay away from …”. I have no problem hunting for the fish, I just want to get a feel for where the fish go this time of year. Down here fish tend to move inland (up rivers & canals). Is it safe to say that applies to Charleston as well?
I am a recreational fisherman as well and try to fish at lea
I really only use 4 ramps, depending upon where I am fishing or what I am doing that day. Shem Creek (2 ramps/courtesy dock) - can get crowded with kayaks/paddle boarders on weekends and the parking area is somewhat small (though should not be bad in Feb). Over flow parks in the shopping center lot. I use Shem Creek for harbor, ICW around Sullivan’s Isl/Isle of Palms Remley Point - (3 ramps/courtesy docks) usually plenty of parking) - I use for fishing the Wando. Buck Hall $5 fee (3-4 ramps/courtesy docks) - plenty of parking though not all is right at the ramp. I use Buck Hall for fishing the north end of Bulls Bay. Garris Landing (1 ramp/no dock) - very shallow at low tide but your Gheenoe should be fine. I use this ramp for south Bulls Bay, Capers and Dewees. Check them all out on Google Earth. You will actually be able to do some scouting using Google Earth. I have been told that Wappoo Cut Landing can get a little wild on weekends but have never used it.
Techniques sound like they are they same as in FL. It appears based on posts here that things have cooled a little lately. The Wando has been producing but it is a big river with a lot of creeks. Beyond that, pick a spot and work an area like you would in FL.
I fished a Gheenoe (classic) for a few years here in Charleston. Great boat for certain areas. As you said, you can’t fish the harbor and you have to watch the wind. The reds are schooled up and will be through February. I mostly fish the Wando and can give you a few pointers. As you mentioned, fishing around the low tides is better, although fish can be found on higher tides if you know where the schools are. Its not too difficult to find the schools, there are at least 5 or 6 between Remley’s landing and the route 41 bridge which is upriver. Look on google earth or on charts for shallow areas along the main river. Most of the Wando is a mud or mud/shell bottom and the shallow areas are similar. Some of the shallow areas are behind islands along the main channel. I’ve found that all of the flats on the main channel hold fish in the winter. It sounds obvious, but in the winter, you’ll be much more likely to catch fish if you can see them. With a Gheenoe, its pretty easy to drift/pole/troll a bank looking for a school. The schools typically are not as close to shore as you might think, it all depends on the tide. Its pretty difficult to see the fish most of the time because of the mud, but sometimes you get a day like you might be used to in florida where you can see the fish from a platform 50+ feet away. Usually though its so muddy you don’t see the fish at all, just the vapor trail of fish you almost pole over. Hopefully you can stop before you spook the whole school. You will find relatively few boats that draft in the Gheenoe range so you can be first on and last off most flats, huge advantage. I’m going to claim the wando reds are less pressured than the ICW reds but its probably not a huge difference. Once you find the fish, they will eat almost anything (or nothing) that is presented correctly. Cut mullet, crab, gulp, soft plastics, frozen shrimp, fiddlers, all will catch fish. You cannot fish an artificial too slow in the winter and the bite may be more subtle (for a red). I have bett
Wow… I spent a few years fishing a squareback canoe around toogoodoo creek and the dawhoo river, but looking at that boat makes me nervous. I can almost feel the cold water now. Im not saying youre wrong to fish that boat, because I have done worse. One time we towed a 12ft john boat back from the jetties after a guys motor wouldnt start. How does that thing do against a big wake? Good luck!!
Wow… I spent a few years fishing a squareback canoe around toogoodoo creek and the dawhoo river, but looking at that boat makes me nervous. I can almost feel the cold water now. Im not saying youre wrong to fish that boat, because I have done worse. One time we towed a 12ft john boat back from the jetties after a guys motor wouldnt start. How does that thing do against a big wake? Good luck!!
Key West 225cc Yamaha 225
Don’t worry about stability of these things. They are VERY stable. They are IMO the most stable “square back” out there. This thing has a 55" beam. These boats don’t even belong in the same conversation as a canoe. A buddy of mine takes his Gheenoe 15-20 miles out of Vero Beach and goes dolphin fishing (weather permitting). I have fished passes and large bodies of water with no problems. The model I have is rated up to 25hp, although I have a 30hp on the back.
Unless I want to be an A-hole I slow down on wakes, or I would soak my passenger due to the flat spot on the nose.
I don’t want to try and question your knowledge about these boats, as I do not know you, but if you don’t know anything about them I’d like to educate you on them.
I have a 15’3 Mitchell Skiff along with this and this is 100% my go to rig.
yeah, Im not talkin smack… thats just a new boat to me. I ran a 5hp on mine and it was a wet ride. I never had any problems, and even though I took many guests with me I never had any complaints from passangers. My dad fell out of it twice throwing a cast net, but he doesnt need a canoe to end up in the water.
I wish I had kept mine. It is nice to draft about an inch of water and pole over anything.
yeah, Im not talkin smack… thats just a new boat to me. I ran a 5hp on mine and it was a wet ride. I never had any problems, and even though I took many guests with me I never had any complaints from passangers. My dad fell out of it twice throwing a cast net, but he doesnt need a canoe to end up in the water.
I wish I had kept mine. It is nice to draft about an inch of water and pole over anything.
Key West 225cc Yamaha 225
These boats are quite amazing in what they can do. Cast nets are always tricky from smaller boats, especially if you “put your weight into it”. I have yet to throw myself out of a boat, but I am sure it will happen. I always take that “extra” step after release to catch my balance, which will fail one of these times.
Gheenoe/ RiverHawk style boats are great! Several years ago I watched a TV show with a Charleston guide using a Gheenoe- he may still be there.
Another alternative would be www.kayakfishsc.com. Hire Tommy and leave the towing and possible theft problems at home! He posts here as Too Busy. Have fun!!
Gheenoe/ RiverHawk style boats are great! Several years ago I watched a TV show with a Charleston guide using a Gheenoe- he may still be there.
Another alternative would be www.kayakfishsc.com. Hire Tommy and leave the towing and possible theft problems at home! He posts here as Too Busy. Have fun!!
Thanks for the suggestion, but I am pretty set on bringing the rig up. I have done my fair share of paddling yaks down here and am pretty paddled out, not to mention that’d get quite expensive when we plan to fish every day.
I know theft is always an issue with boats, but if everyone thinks its just a normal ol’ flat back canoe I should be alright
).
