From the Folly River ramp, what is the best route to the Southern Jetties?
Best route to Charleston Harbor?
Thanks for any input.
If you have never run this…GO WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS! You can go either direction. but there are many oyster banks, sand bars, and it is easy to get lost if you are not familiar with it.
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Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
Have run to the lighthouse inlet once through the S, but did not go past. followed another boat to get there, and yes it was tricky getting back!
Have run through the mouth of the Stono to open seas, but not very far.
Would seem that going up the Stono to the Wapoo cut is the safest way to the Harbor.
How much does your boat draw when loaded and not on plane?
If > 2.0 ft, you’ll have limitations at dead low.
I’ve done it about every possible route in past 7 years, but in boats 15-22 ft, skiffs to bay boats. Shortest to south jetties, out Lighthouse Inlet - but NOT a rhumb line, gotta weave the breakers. Otherwise I go out behind Ft. Sumter- but Governor’s Cut can certainly be < 18" of water at dead low, watch the negative tides.
Trickier at high tides since it looks like one big blue pond and challenging to know where the channels are.
Nonetheless, it 's what we have; so with a bit of patience, planning, watching others, and repetition you"ll develop a routine.
I’d suggest just spending a day cruising around there and don’t even bother to fish.
You can save some GPS tracks at mid-tide with less concern about a grounding.
I agree with all of the posts. Either go with someone who has done this before or go on a very nice day, go slow, and take your time. Even if you do know your way, there is always the possibility that you are going to be sucking mud. Even if you know the way, it is still senseless to go wide open through the tricky parts. It is a totally different landscape between tides.
Google Earth or other mapping software will be useful in helping you plan your route. Just be wary that the images were shot at different tide stages than you are going to be going out in. None the less, it can be a useful tool. Especially once you get to know the area.
My other 2 cents is to bring some food, water, and rain gear in the event that you have to wait out the tide.
Narcosis
Stickman and Narcosis I appreciate the replies. The boat I am getting (Ultra 211) will have good electronics (lowrance hds gen2). Not sure what the loaded draft is, but the specs say 12". The previous boat I had was a bay boat with a 2 stroke engine that wasn’t very reliable, so we stayed pretty close in.
For the cruise to Charleston Harbor, via up the Stono to the Cut and across, is there anything on that route to be wary of?
I am definitely going to take an experienced person with me on the first real fishing trip to the jetties.
When going down Folly river towards the Stono it’s really shallow outside the channel, especially out in front of the marina just before the inlet.
sc diver, I know that area well as we sometimes docked at Sunset. At low tide the sandbar splits the river in two for about a mile it seems. I have fished in the lower Stono along the northern end of Kiawah, but have not gone upriver much. I was wondering how well the channel was marked upriver and along the Wapoo Cut, and if there were any areas to be wary of along the way.
Just wondering if you are looking at getting to the harbor why you wouldn’t launch closer with all the ramps around the city? I live in JI and use 4 different ramps depending where I want to fish.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
Good point oops. We stay on Folly when in the area (we are from out of state), and we usually put the boat in when we get there and moor it at Sunset while we are there. If its dry docked in the area its at Rogue Motion.
Stono very well marked- big boats up that way plus the ICW. That’s the LONG way to the jetties. Don’t let the shoal issues stop you from heading east from the Folly Ramp. Just a little caution, prudence, planning and experience- you’ll be fine!
Kinda like the Stono Inlet too- not ideal but it’s what we have when you live out this way. So you make it work.
BTW, if you haven’t been to Sunset since the river dredging for beach renourishment, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised.
quote:
Originally posted by David_1017From the Folly River ramp, what is the best route to the Southern Jetties? Best route to Charleston Harbor? Thanks, for any input.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Pretty much anywhere except the Folly Boat Ramp.Happy to discuss any descenting opinions. First: state your better options and why.
Stono upriver to the cut is well marked and shouldn’t be an issue for you. It’s a beautiful ride, will take you 30 - 40 minutes to get to the harbor. There is a ramp at the cut so you could just put in there to make it easier/faster to go to jetties. Just follow Folly Road out 6 or 7 miles until you cross over the drawbridge that goes over the cut, ramp is immediately on right next to bridge.
For what its worth, I made a interactive map of all the boat launches and parks in the Charelston area, at least the ones that I know about and the ones list on the county park website, http://bit.ly/Lv4Eme. If I missed any, could you guys let me know?
great map crappiejon thanks for sharing
You missed the one on the Cooper River under the Don Holt bridge in RM Hendricks Park off of Virginia Avenue and also the old seaplane ramp on the Navy base is no longer there.
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Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
quote:I see three reds and a white'ng, all over slot. But, I'm a 'Local'. :smiley:
Originally posted by 23Sailfish
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire