Hi everyone, I’m writing to hopefully get some tips for an upcoming kayak fishing adventure around Hilton Head in the marshes. I’m an avid kayak angler from the Middle Tennessee area. My wife and I are taking a vacation to Hilton Head Oct 17-24th. I’m bringing the yak and hopes of getting tugged around by Redfish. From what I’ve read, that’s fantastic time of the year to catch Redfish in this area.
I grew up in south Florida and spent many days on the flats chasing Reds and Specks. I can’t even put into words how much I miss that kind of fishing. I know there is some great marshy, brackish water environment fishing not far from Hilton Head and I would greatly appreciate some advice. It’s been many years since I’ve done this.
I not out seeking anyone’s secret spots. Not that I’d get them anyway but I just want you to know I’m not that kind of angler. I’ll gladly put in the work to find the fish as long as I know the vicinity of where I can possibly find what I’m looking for and where I’m allowed to put in the water.
I’m primarily interested in Reds and Specks and I see an endless supply of marshy backwaters along the Harbor River. How far inland do I need to be to find what I want? Am I allowed to put in right behind Shelter Cove Marina? That area looks pretty awesome to me and it’s also like a 5 minute drive from where we’ll be staying. Basically I want to get into some curvy, marshy canals and sight fish for Reds. I assume incoming tide is best for fishing and obviously also to avoid being stranded. Am I correct?
While I’m there, if anyone wants a kayak fishing buddy feel free to join me on any outing I make. I plan to go 3-4 times while we’re there.
Midten: You must have been looking at a google map of the area. For some reason, all of the creeks and rivers are shown as the Harbor River. Get familiar with NOAA chart 11516 if you want to
see that actual names of the creeks, etc. The kayak fishing should be excellent during your stay. Fishing around Pinckney Island NWR is would be a good place to start. You should be able to find some tailers in the grass on high tide. There is a public boat ramp on Pinckney, very convenient. I hope this helps.
quote:Originally posted by oyster cracker
Fishing around Pinckney Island NWR is would be a good place to start. You should be able to find some tailers in the grass on high tide. There is a public boat ramp on Pinckney, very convenient. I hope this helps.
oc
1810 Action Craft.
welcome to the site.MTF
oyster cracker just gave you all you need. perfect kayak area. lots of flats, points, close to deep water.
Midten: You must have been looking at a google map of the area. For some reason, all of the creeks and rivers are shown as the Harbor River. Get familiar with NOAA chart 11516 if you want to
see that actual names of the creeks, etc. The kayak fishing should be excellent during your stay. Fishing around Pinckney Island NWR is would be a good place to start. You should be able to find some tailers in the grass on high tide. There is a public boat ramp on Pinckney, very convenient. I hope this helps.
oc
1810 Action Craft.
Thanks a lot for the help, I really do appreciate it. Yes I’ve been Google Mapping to try and familiarize myself with the layout and look for some spots to hit. Are you referring to the ramp right below William Hilton Pkwy at the Southwest corner of the island or is there another one elsewhere?
Tailing Reds on high tide is exactly what I want. I honestly don’t even care about trophy fish. I’d take average size 20 inchers all day, I just want to see that tail, stalk it, and get the fight on the GoPro. I’d like to have a heck of a highlight video after the vacay.
The public ramp I referred to is immediately on your right after you cross the first of two bridges going onto the island. It is actually on Pinckney Island and its name is the C.C. Haig boat landing. Thee ramp under the parkway sucks, don’t waste your time going there.
Ok I’m confused now haha. I googled that ramp you’re talking about and it looks to me like that is the ramp under the parkway that you said sucks. I looked on Google Maps and can’t find another ramp on that island.
The ramp that sucks is under the Cross Island Parkway. It allows access to Broad Creek. The ramp you want is just off of Fording Island road (hwy 278) between the 2 bridges, allowing access to Mackay Creek. If you get all the way to Hilton Head, you have gone too far.
I found it now. One last question, are the Google Maps images of that area shown at low tide or high tide? That will certainly help me scout out some areas I’d like to fish. Thanks again for all your advice, I really do appreciate it. I am so excited to get the yak in there and chase some reds!
Ok, two last questions. Lure advice? My go-to when I was living in South Florida is a lure that I know still gets them, the gold Johnson spoon. I’ll surely have a few of those with me as well as using some of my bass spinnerbaits and chatterbaits with swimbaits, a few topwaters, and any other lure advice is greatly appreciated for that time of year.
The Google maps are images taken at low tide. The gold spoon should work well. I’m fly fisherman primarily and a gold Dupree spoon is my “go to” fly for reds. A soft plastic known a Trout Trick is also a killer. Fish it with a 1/8 oz. jig head.
If you look at the Google map, you will see a building on the north end of the island. That is the park ranger’s house. There is a huge flat in front of that house that holds a lot of fish. It will be a long paddle to get there but it might be worth it. You will want to avoid fishing the ebb tide, nothing much will bite then.
The 1/28/11 Google Earth imagery gives a slightly better view of the shallow areas, but the 11/20/14 imagery that pops up when you open GE also gives great low tide views. You must change the “time slider” on the toolbar at the top of the page on GE to change the imagery date.
This is a long shot idea, but there is a small ramp on Pinckney Island that I have seen from Mackay Creek before. It is at 32* 15.570’N Lat. & 80* 45.920’W Long. on Google Earth. Maybe if you call ahead, that park ranger might let you in there. There is good fishing in Mackay Creek nearby.
BTW, being new to this site, you may not realize there is a Beaufort/Hilton Head section under the “To The South” section. You might get additional ideas by opening a topic with the same title there.