So I recently moved to the Folly River and have a dock located there. I’ve been bottom fishing cut squid and picking up mostly small whiting. I would like to get into fishing for redfish, trout and flounder etc., but I am not a pro at it, so I’ve been reluctant to try. My question is can anyone with knowledge of the Folly River or those game fish give me some pointers on how to get started with fishing those species. I know Redfish like to feed up in the marsh. What are the best baits, what should I look for, how close to the marsh should I fish, incoming or outgoing tide, etc etc. Particulars on Flounder also. Any help would be appreciated.
If you want to catch the reds off of your dock I suggest the following:
Go out your dock to the pier or float and fish back towards the grass. Rig your line with splitshot or other small weight, you don’t need much. Put your bait within 6 inches or less of the grass on an incoming tide. Live or dead bait will work and you don’t need a huge chunk of bait or a massive hook.
I have done this in pretty much the same area that you said in your post.
As for the river, there are plenty of good spots to fish. Look for oyster rakes and any other structure. Get to know the tides and keep searching.
Good luck,
Narcosis
Good info. There are beds of oyster shells right before you get to marsh grass. I suppose you mean fishing above the oysters. For flounder should I look for muddy bottoms or fish above the oyster beds as well.
The oyster beds can be a pain in the butt, that’s why I like to use the smallest weight that can hold the bait within 6 inches of the grass. If you have very minimal current you can also freeline your bait. I also try to get by with the smallest hook possible to reduce the chance of getting snagged. If it’s real bad you can use a float.
I remember being out there years ago about 4 or 5 docks up from the bridge with a buddy of mine who was building a house at the time. It was October or November and kind of chilly. I was fishing the same way described above in the previous post. I turned my back for a second (I think I was fishing with 2 rods). I hear a splash. That was the first rod hitting the water, as a red grabbed it and I didn’t have it secured. I immediately dropped the second rod and jumped in the water, at the same time bringing my arms in a huge arching motion in an attempt to feel the rod as it sank to the bottom. Managed to grab the rod, swim back to the dock, and reel in the red. Froze my butt off after that one. Good times!
I have found that flounder prefer areas with a stiffer bottom than pluff mud. I have the best luck for them around sandy bottoms (if you can find them) or around stiffer bottoms (where if you walk on it you only sink up to your ankle, not your butt). Around oyster beds, I generally find them right off of or adjacent to.
If you have mobility (boat, canoe, kayak) I suggest moving around a good bit. If you are 4 or 5 docks north of the bridge. Look directly across the river and just to the right. I have caught fish at the mouth of that creek. Actually a couple of nice sheephead on the oyster beds on either side of the mouth.
I’d be happy to come fishing sometime!
Narcosis
Thanks,
Yes you are welcome to come fish sometime. Will be a help to me as well. Send me a email on here or at JDem989353@aol.com.
try the same as suggested above. also when the waters up, at sunrise in the mornings try to throw a topwater plug (badonkadonk or spook jr.) along the grassline, or a cajun thunder popping cork with a foot of 10lb leader, and a 1/0 kahle or 2/0 j hook. On one of your stiffer rods (medium or med heavy, with a 3-4000 reel loaded up with 20lb braid toss a carolina rig with a 1.5oz weight under your dock, around the pilings and under the floating, and around the docks on either side of yours. this is an ideal rig for redfish and flounder, a topwater is great for trout and reds, and a popping cork is best for trout. Live bait, mudminnows or shrimp, is a key factor in fishing unless youre pretty confident. You can buy live bait for 3-4$ a dozen at crosbys, haddrells or the charleston angler. If you come into haddrells point in south windemere we’d be happy to get you set up with stuff. This site is also a pretty good basis.
Do live east or west side? i work and fish at folly a ton,and i have done well in both areas
14’ Skiff-“Redfish Reaper”
Was going out to go out today and tomorrow to try it out but the rain has different plans.
great advice already given, some other non-artificial go-to baits are cracked crab & cut mullet. baitfish are easy to find @ low tide with a cast net in shallow water (watch out for oysters, cast nets don’t like them), but crosby’s is close & saves time if you have the $
trout love the grass lines near a shelf, i’ve caught them on mud minnows & shrimp under popping cork & by bottom fishing a “carolina rig”
something neat: a trashcan with 1" holes drilled all around it in the water, a brick in the bottom to keep it submerged, it’s tied to the dock with the top couple inches of the trash can sticking out the water, mud minnows congregate & stay in there because they are protected from predators, i’m not sure if that is unique to a certain area, but probably worth a shot.
could also hide a minnow trap up a small creek somewhere if you have a boat
tons of great fishing near you, including off your dock. i found some trout this past weekend near drum island, but the reds have been scarce for me inshore. the bite has been slow for me lately, and I’ve only had luck the during the 1st & last couple hours of daylight. recently, bottom fishing mud minnows in deeper inshore water has only yielded me stingrays & a random trout or croaker. i’m a novice angler though…