OK, I just moved to James Island a bit over a week ago, and am looking for a great spot for reds. I have fished salt plenty of times on vacation and such but that has mostly been in the surf. I am pretty comfortable with that, but need some help when it comes to the salt marshes.
For the most part I have been out everyday trying to find a decent area that isn’t full of people basically hugging the fishing is so tight. I have used live and lure and the best I have to speak of it is a good 24 inch spotted trout. However, I’d like to learn from you guys… really would like to learn how to fish the reds. Any help would be awesome… I could meet up too almost any evening and all day on the weekends if any one is interested.
Where are you fishing? Folly river, Ellis creek, Stono? They really are everywhere, just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Working docks with artificials or jighead-minnow combo works. Bigger ones that I have seen come from the jetties and around the harbor.
You are in for a battle trying to get prime locations out of people here. If you spend the time searching on here, some have dropped some pretty good spots.
if you’ve been here a week and you pulled a 24 inch trout, then you’ve already got a good spot. i’ve been doing this on james island for over 2 decades and that’s better than my personal best.
if being away from the crowds and catching 3lb trout isn’t your thing, then just pull alongside, throw them a beer and ask if it’s ok to toss anchor.
since it sounds like we both prefer the former to the latter, stick around, read, fish, and report/ask about depth, color, time of day, tide, structure, and bait without revealing specific locations… and you will be able to get a lot of info to put into practice.
I have really just been fishing at the county park… lots of good crab at least. I believe that is off the Stono River. I have no idea where I can even fish on the Folly and Ellis creek. I’m sure I just gotta drive around and start casting until I find a place where fishing is allowed.
One other question… what jighead-minnow combo would you recommend?
Early to bed, early to rise, fish like hell and make up lies.
For dock fishing you have Sunset Park on the harbor next to the JI Yacht Club, and the Folly River Pier on the other side of Folly Rd next to the boat launch. I’ve never tried, but thought I heard others say they fished the Stono from the Sol Legare boat landing. The JI County park which you’ve already covered.
That’s the extent I know on JI unless you know anyone along the tidal creeks/rivers with a dock you can use.
Another good spot by foot is on Folly at the end of Ashley Ave. Have a cart and good walking shoes. Make sure you park where you are allowed, I have seen ticketed cars there before.
There are some rock walls that are good to fish around or you will see a cove area there that seems to get active at the right times. I always liked the trek out there.
Try searching and reading up in that forum. Those guys are all about fishing from land and you can find some valuable info in some of those threads. Pay attention to the time of year those threads are posted and what the reports say so you can notice seasonal trends as to what is biting on what bait at what time of year.