OK enough is enough. I moved to charleston this past march from the west coast (bought a boat in feb.) and have been observing this site since the move was planned. I’ve fished my whole life over a pretty wide range of latitude and have never been so skunked! My exploits to date include an 8" croaker (I was actually really excited), and something short of a shrimp cocktail.
It’s time to ask for help…anybody want a mate or buddy boat? I live in N CHS and usually put in off Leeds but really just want to see these techniques and situations in action, anywhere…anytime. I want to learn to catch fish, shrimp, and crab. I’m self employed and super flexible, usually I just watch the weather and try for a calm weekday day.
Cheers and Thanks.
I am no expert! Took me a long time to learn how,when and where.And I fished in lots of places before trying the Charleston area.I was seldom 'skunked" but it took several years to be able to go and be confident that I would catch the limit. .Local guys that have been doing it a long time know when and where to go.Don’t expect them to share their exact spots.For example…I have a spot that is productive on the incoming tide only and a quarter mile away a spot that is sucessful on the outgiong tide only. Fish to the right or left of these spots and not much!!!
I use live or cut bait exclusively(no lures).Preferably bait caught close to the area fished.If there is no baitfish in the area why would the fish be there and feeding??
I am speaking of reds(saltwater bottom feeders).They are probably cousins to the freshwater suckers.These reds will eat almost anything and are terrific fighters,tasty also.As a bonus I usually catch a few trout,flounder,and black drum in the exact spots.
Most guys on here will tell you what to look for(structure,tides,methods,etc).Be patient and keep trying.Fish areas and methods suggested here and you will succeed!
Once you select a likely spot try it and move if they are not there. Luck!
Don’t let this season get you down, it has been a really rough year with all the rain. Last fall I was catching all the trout and reds I wanted, this year I’ve forgotten what either taste and look like.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
im right there with u dude. went out with others and did ok. great one day. IN my boat its been nothing topped with nothing with a side of nothing!
I would say get a guide and be up front with them telling that you would like to learn patterns, tactics, etc. for the fish you are after. Once you figure out why and when certain fish are in certain places, you have a benchmark to go off of and can use that as a basis for locating other productive areas. I learn something new every time I go. That is what keeps me going.
Just bought a boat and started fishing in Charleston last year. The first season I was convinced I was cursed, and couldn’t put a fish in the boat. I would go to many a fishy spot and total skunk. I grew up fishing around Nags Head in the summers, and in Albermarle / Roanaoke sound when I was a kid. It was pretty straight forward find a channel/hole/structure and fish. Not so here, the tidal surge here keeps the fish on the move.
This year I have started to catch fish consistently, although mostly small. After obsessively reading CF.com the tips which helped me the most are:
- The search function on this site is your friend
- Get a fishing log http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=109597
- If you don’t catch anything in 15-30 min move.
- Fish the same spots at different points in the tide cycle and keep notes.
- Always try at least 1 new spot
And a big thanks to all the contributers who pass on their knowledge and keep this site going.
quote:
3) If you don't catch anything in 15-30 min move.
I don’t even give it that long. If the fish are there they will bite in 5 minutes or less. I won’t waste 30 minutes at a spot with no fish. I move, unless I’m in a place that I know the fish are coming to real soon. 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
moburchette - One of the “Sub” forums is called “Fishing Matchup” you can generally find people to go fishing with there. All of the tips you are going to get are helpful. Up till this past year I would be going 1 or 2 times a month for 2 hours or so and never had time to experiment much, scout much, track tides/spots etc. Even now that time is limited, but i’m starting to get the hang of it.
A couple of things from my perspective:
- Small changes can make a big difference. If all you are doing is throwing a mud minnow out on a carolina rig and waiting, try changing it up. I try a whole buffet of baits throughout a full day fishing sometimes if they are not biting on what i’m presenting… Some menu items: Minnows, Mullet, Manhaden, Blue Crab, Cut mullet, frozen shrimp, live shrimp, artificials (DoA shrimp, electric chicken anything, spoons, top lures etc.)
- Try changing up your rig’s for carolina’s… Different leader lengths, hooks, weights can make a big difference… I’ve seen some friends add small floats to there leaders to keep the bait 1 or 2’ off the bottom. I think that’s more helpful for flounder personally.
- Be quiet… When I first started on these rivers, i’d go out with my kids jumping up and down making lots of noise and my wife taking the big old anchor and heaving it off the side of the boat. Somebody on here pointed out when you hurl an anchor into the water you spook fish for 100 yds in either direction. Now I ease my anchor into the water and let it drag to catch - that’s made a big difference!
- Try not anchoring at all… If you have a trolling motor this is easy, but if not and the current is moving you to fast for bottom fishing toss a 5 gallon bucket or 2 off the side as a sea anchor to slow you down. You can also try top water lures while drifting and cover a lot of ground.
- Scout a bit at low tide… Low tide gives you a lot of information on where the fish would like to hang out at high tide!
- I once asked a friend "What do you look for when you are scouting fishing spot
quote:
Not so here, the tidal surge here keeps the fish on the move.
Exactly, and they don’t continuously feed when they are moving. They move from one “feeding station” I call it, to the next and they generally don’t bite until they get to their feeding station.
To give an example, I sometimes fish a little drain in Port Royal that the fish pile into on an incoming tide. Sometimes I’m waiting at the mouth of the drain for enough water to get in there, and the fish are waiting with me, can see them swimming all around the boat but they won’t bite there. Once I can get in, I’ve learned to go to the first curve of oysters, that’s the only place they feed. If you throw 10 feet in any other direction you won’t get a bite, even though the fish are there. If you fish the mouth of the drain you’ll never get a bite, but as soon as the fish round the curve they turn on in that one spot.
I think I’ve got a picture of this spot…yep,I do.
You’ve got to learn the locations of the feeding stations, it takes some time
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
stick it out and keep pounding the river banks until you find some productive spots. Fish have been biting just as good as ever this year for me. This time of year it would be very hard to beat a popping cork with live shrimp drifted on the grass edge. At dead low pitch a jig head with a live shrimp under docks, pop the tail off of the live shrimp and feed it on a jig head backwards, retrieve very slowly allowing it to bounce on the bottom… pro tip!
Now that is priceless advice!!!Hopefully someone won’t put a bunch of wood poles there.
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
Not so here, the tidal surge here keeps the fish on the move.
Exactly, and they don’t continuously feed when they are moving. They move from one “feeding station” I call it, to the next and they generally don’t bite until they get to their feeding station.
To give an example, I sometimes fish a little drain in Port Royal that the fish pile into on an incoming tide. Sometimes I’m waiting at the mouth of the drain for enough water to get in there, and the fish are waiting with me, can see them swimming all around the boat but they won’t bite there. Once I can get in, I’ve learned to go to the first curve of oysters, that’s the only place they feed. If you throw 10 feet in any other direction you won’t get a bite, even though the fish are there. If you fish the mouth of the drain you’ll never get a bite, but as soon as the fish round the curve they turn on in that one spot.
I think I’ve got a picture of this spot…yep,I do.
You’ve got to learn the locations of the feeding stations, it takes some time
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
One more pro tip that will really improve your knowledge. Trout and young redfish are school fish, obviously. Take advantage of this if you don’t know what the fish are doing. When you finally manage to catch one:smiley: use it for a guide, take about 15’ of mono and attach a thin float to one end and a circle hook to the other. Hook the fish in the corner of it’s mouth and release it. It will return back to the school. Now you can just follow your float to see where the school moves. You will notice they move a little, stop and feed somewhere, move again, feed again, up and down with the tides. Follow a fish for a day and you will find the feeding stations 
Then release your guide, it’s good fish karma.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Larry,
That is some great advice. I’ll have to try that to help with the trout!!
Mako 1901 Inshore-Honda 130
10% of the people catch 90% of the fish.
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker LarryOne more pro tip that will really improve your knowledge. Trout and young redfish are school fish, obviously. Take advantage of this if you don’t know what the fish are doing. When you finally manage to catch one:smiley: use it for a guide, take about 15’ of mono and attach a thin float to one end and a circle hook to the other. Hook the fish in the corner of it’s mouth and release it. It will return back to the school. Now you can just follow your float to see where the school moves. You will notice they move a little, stop and feed somewhere, move again, feed again, up and down with the tides. Follow a fish for a day and you will find the feeding stations
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Kinda sounds like cheating !?!?
198B Sea King W\F115 Yammi (kitchen pass)
Awesome, thanks to everyone. Should keep me busy for a while. Headed out tommorow and feel like I have an actual strategy for the first time. I will be bragging about a 12" redfish once it happens.
Cheers.
Matt
quote:
Originally posted by toppyblueI am no expert! Took me a long time to learn how,when and where.And I fished in lots of places before trying the Charleston area.I was seldom 'skunked" but it took several years to be able to go and be confident that I would catch the limit. .Local guys that have been doing it a long time know when and where to go.Don’t expect them to share their exact spots.For example…I have a spot that is productive on the incoming tide only and a quarter mile away a spot that is sucessful on the outgiong tide only. Fish to the right or left of these spots and not much!!!
I use live or cut bait exclusively(no lures).Preferably bait caught close to the area fished.If there is no baitfish in the area why would the fish be there and feeding??I am speaking of reds(saltwater bottom feeders).They are probably cousins to the freshwater suckers.These reds will eat almost anything and are terrific fighters,tasty also.As a bonus I usually catch a few trout,flounder,and black drum in the exact spots.
Most guys on here will tell you what to look for(structure,tides,methods,etc).Be patient and keep trying.Fish areas and methods suggested here and you will succeed!
Once you select a likely spot try it and move if they are not there. Luck!
Gotta pick on ya. Didn’t you recently post about only having one productive spot that you lost due to oyster barons?
Moburchette, I do agree with everyone saying to move on if nothing is biting in a short time. But I only agree with this if you know the area very well and know the tide level that that the bite is usually on. While finding new spots if you have the time, don’t be in too big a hurry. I’ve got a couple of places that only have an hour (or less) window that the bite is super good and it took me more than 15 minutes to le
SERIOUSLY:::Not the only one nor the most productive…but the favorite(for me) and most consistent year after year…kinda like a "favorite watering hole"that was salted. I have no idea why these “spots” are the way they are…But I have learned that left,right,or in front of them isn’t productive.Maybe they are baby spat concentration areas.Or maybe they are favorite “ambush” spots that schools of reds frequent at particular tides…
NOT SO SERIOUSLY::: Looks like someone spat on my spot(tail) hole to attract spat.But I guess they can spit(put poles) where they want to because spat love them poles.
quote:
Originally posted by littlebitquote:
Originally posted by Cracker LarryOne more pro tip that will really improve your knowledge. Trout and young redfish are school fish, obviously. Take advantage of this if you don’t know what the fish are doing. When you finally manage to catch one:smiley: use it for a guide, take about 15’ of mono and attach a thin float to one end and a circle hook to the other. Hook the fish in the corner of it’s mouth and release it. It will return back to the school. Now you can just follow your float to see where the school moves. You will notice they move a little, stop and feed somewhere, move again, feed again, up and down with the tides. Follow a fish for a day and you will find the feeding stations
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Kinda sounds like cheating !?!?
198B Sea King W\F115 Yammi (kitchen pass)
Sounds kinda like strategy to me. Why guess when you can know for sure where to fish and how the fish behave?
“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”
YeeHaw.
Even a blind squirel finds a nut or 2. Lost count on reds, couple were 30" range, couple small trout too. Have a pic of my first SC but can’t seem to upload from iPad?
If you put in at Leeds, just head toward Charleston. Go a mile or so past the Cosgrove Bridge and hit the edge of the grass near any creeks or structure on the north side. Buy a few crabs from the crab boats and fish with half a crab. You’ll catch a huge red or two.