Hello - new member here… I’m an AVAD bass fisherman in the upstate going on family vacation to Folly in Aug. hoping to enrich my knowledge and skills in salt water. I’ll be (hopefully) bringing my cousins 2 person sea kayak and looking to do some Yak fishing as well as surf / pier.
I’ve attached an image showing the long dock on the property that we are staying on Folly. I’m hoping anyone familiar with this backwater can provide advice on where / when / and with what to fish.
Any advice on rig, bait, where, when, how would be GREATLY appreciated!
BTW: I’ve read that sand fleas are premium baits in the surf - is this true and are they just as productive in the backwater? Also, what artificial baits are most productive in the surf? I saw Dan Hernandez surf fishing with some small artificial red worms wearing them out.
Thanks in advance!
I missed the image. If you send it off Google Earth or Wikimapia, some yakin’ hints can be returned.
Sorry - was figuring out how to post on PB and link here.
Sand fleas are scarce here and from what I know are used for pompano, which are generally in the surf. My advise would be to stick with fresh cut shrimp(surf) and any bait you can catch in your castnet. You will probably get all you want off your dock!
Don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself catching spottails, trout, flounder. It’s tough, even for the locals to catch a meal, but try live fingers, mudders, shrimp on the bottom and under a float.
Not sure if your dock will hold water at low tide… so bring a aerator and decent size bucket to keep bait alive overnight. Don’t forget a couple flow-thru bait buckets.
I typically use 20lb. flourcarbon for leaders and #6 kahle hookes tied to 10 lb line with a lg. splitshot on a light-med spinning reel. In the surf- those double drop rigs with small circle hookes and 2-4oz pyramid sinkers work well.
Sweet! Thank you so much for the fast and informative reply!
Any ideas on hot spots in the local backwater? Also, do you know if the fishing is so much better at the north end of the beach to make it worth the extra effort?
The flat at your dock goes essentially dry and I’ve had to very carefully stand and pole my way through there at dead low (in a yak). I’ve seen a lot of fish out there on a low. Also that’s Rat Island Creek across the flat and you can easily yak out to Morris Island Lighthouse and LH creek and inlet from there. Lots of sand flats, oyster bars, and deep channels to fish out there.
stickman
Looks like you are across from the washout… might not be able to fish there, with all the surfers in the area.
There are a few fish racks (rebar) at the corner of block island creek and lighthouse creek… I would try there during mid-high tide. Also if the wind is low, look for tails and large swooshes at all tides, might be redfish.
A buddy just told me there are new signs that say no cans on beach (alcohol is still allowed). If you are drinking, ya might want to bring cups to pour you beverage in.
Thanks for the fantastic replies! I was affraid that our dock would go dry at low. Hopefully that will not be too much of a problem.
What bait and rig would you fish the flats and backwater? I was thinking Carolina with fresh shrimp? Sounds like the best bait from what I’ve read?
Anyone having luck with any of the artificial shrimp or bloodworms?
Oh yea - also, what style/size hooks should I use? Being a bass angler, I mostly use offset 3/0 hooks. Are circle hooks prefered?
can’t speak to the bloodworms. Any form of shrimp worth a try: live, fresh, frozen, or DOA’s. If you’re on the flats off that dock you may want to try them under a float (reds, trout). For trout, I’d be moving out to deeper water around all those creek intersections going out Rat Island creek out to Morris island and Block island Creek.
One more question about using live shrimp - I have a cast net and have caught shrimp on many occassions. I typically put them in a cooler, but also have a small flow thru bait bucket. How do you carry live shrimp in your Yak and how do you grab them to hook them (I’ve never hooked a live shrimp).
Thanks in advance!!
It depends on how I’m fishng the shrimp as to how I hook them. Some times I hook them through the head at the base of the spike that’s at the front of the head being careful to not hit the dark spot. Other times I will place the hook in the tail. Depending on the size of the shrimp will dictate the size if the hook and also what your fishing for. Sometimes I prefer to use a smaller circle hook that is made from wire rather than the heavier gauge circles. The bait seems to stay alive a bit longer.
Also pick up a couple packs of jig heads and some 3’ Gulp Shrimp, Try the Rootbeer and White color. I’ve caught everything from Trout to Spanish on the Gulp’s
If you like top water pick up a couple Zara or Super Spooks and throw them along the edge of the grass. The Red Fish and trout will hit them all hours of the day.
Eagles may soar, but weasels never get sucked into jet air intakes
Thanks for the info! Should I store my caught shrimp in the flow thru bucket? If so, how do I reach in and grab them without getting a stuck finger? Do you use some sort of scoop net?
man up and snatch em. the pain is worth the catch.
RW
HAHA!! I reckon’ that is the plan then! Thanks for the reply!
I gotta tell ya, the post from OutdoorsEric of landing that huge King in his Yak has me pumped!! I’ve even secured another (single person) Yak to take on vacation since the other family going with us is pumped about going out too!
One more peice of advice… don;t put any mud minnows in wiht those shrimp… if ya do you have nutin but shells in about 3 seconds… I like to keep my bait seperate… just my $.02 
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os
Thanks for the heads up - I did not know that.
I’ve ready that fresh shrimp seem to be preferred bait (other than menhaden). Where abouts do you find the menhaden? Are they in the back creeks, or deeper water? Is it difficult to throw a cast net from a Yak (Do you have to stand up?)? I’ve only caught mullet, shrimp and mud minnows in my cast net in the past. Also, do you typically find a spot and anchor when in the Yak, or just “go with the flow”?
I’m getting pumped about some salty action coming up in the next few weeks! Going out bass fishing this evening to get my temporary “fix”… hoping to hook into this girl again!
the menhaden are everywhere it seems. I have an ocean malibu two and can throw a net standing up but very carefully. I can also toss it sitting down but you get a little wet. 4 ft. nets are just about right for seated throwing.
RW
Here’s a load for sitting down throwing a cast net.
Take small loops of retrieve line in your dominant hand (I’m a lefty so I take loops in my left hand and throw left to right). You only want the loop to dangle about a foot
grab below the horn in your dominant hand
grab the net about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way down in your dominant hand. This will make a loop about the same size as the retrieve line loops.
Now turn your hand palm facing up and place the lead line over your index finger.
use your weak hand to grab the lead line about 2 feet from where it’s in your index finger and place the lead line on your middle finger. (you’ll have a dangling bit of lead line about the same size as the loops of retrieve line)
repeat and place lead line on your ring finger.
Now with your weak hand grab the lead line about 2-3 feet away from where it’s resting on your ring finger and gather about 1/2 of the remaining lead line in your palm.
You should now have two hands full of net. Throw from your dominant side to your weak side making sure to roll your dominant hand from palm up to palm down as it crosses over your weak hand.
Make sure your weak hand rolls from palm vertical to palm up as your throw.
It sounds complicated, but it’s really not. I can throw my 6 footer sitting down now with relative ease. You DO NOT want to do a lot of blind casting. A 6 foot net gets heavy fast when your holding it shoulder high with your hands as high as your head.
There is nothing - absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Grahame
quote:
Originally posted by Too Busy
Here’s a load for sitting down throwing a cast net.
Take small loops of retrieve line in your dominant hand (I’m a lefty so I take loops in my left hand and throw left to right). You only want the loop to dangle about a foot
grab below the horn in your dominant hand
grab the net about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way down in your dominant hand. This will make a loop about the same size as the retrieve line loops.
Now turn your hand palm facing up and place the lead line over your index finger.
use your weak hand to grab the lead line about 2 feet from where it’s in your index finger and place the lead line on your middle finger. (you’ll have a dangling bit of lead line about the same size as the loops of retrieve line)
repeat and place lead line on your ring finger.
Now with your weak hand grab the lead line about 2-3 feet away from where it’s resting on your ring finger and gather about 1/2 of the remaining lead line in your palm.
You should now have two hands full of net. Throw from your dominant side to your weak side making sure to roll your dominant hand from palm up to palm down as it crosses over your weak hand.
Make sure your weak hand rolls from palm vertical to palm up as your throw.
It sounds complicated, but it’s really not. I can throw my 6 footer sitting down now with relative ease. You DO NOT want to do a lot of blind casting. A 6 foot net gets heavy fast when your holding it shoulder high with your hands as high as your head.
There is nothing - absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Kenneth Grahame
I would add one other factor to help prevent flipping… Dangle your feet over the sides of tha kayak. Doing so adds lots of stability.
YotF
Those who can’t fish, spend too much on s