Does anyone ever fish or swim the islands in Charleston harbor?
i was looking at Google maps at it looks like an easy launch on Mt Pleasant to fish,then paddle over to a few small islands in the harbor for some swimming and hunting sharks teeth. There’s a small crescent shaped island close to Mt Pleasant between the waterway and Shem Creek I’ve been contemplating.
I’m from mid-state, so I’ve never paddled the harbor. Don’t know the do’s and don’ts of the area yet.
I’m trying to plan a trip for me and BIL to head down and yak fish for a day.
If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. ~Doug Larson
The island closest to Shem Creek is called Crab Bank. It’s a bird sanctuary; you are not allowed on the island higher than the high-tide mark. And it also smells awful. I wouldn’t swim there; its muddy. There are fish on the harbor side and the tip towards Fort Sumter.
There’s also Caslte Pickney in the harbor. You need to know what you’re doing to kayak there. Plenty of good fishing around that island.
You really don’t have to leave Shem Creek to catch fish. Just fish under the docks.
Crab bank doesn’t sound like a great place to visit if its a bird sanctuary, other than maybe just a quick paddle around it to see it.
What makes Castle Pinckney so difficult? Is it the currents or boat traffic? That was the other island i was looking at fishing around/shark tooth hunting.
Just trying to find some fish to bring home and an interesting paddle if/when the bite slows.
If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. ~Doug Larson
There’s a serious rip beside Chute’s Folly. Great for fishing, just be aware of how fast the water rolls thru there. Boat traffic in the harbor is always a concern… yaks can completely disappear in the swells. I don’t venture into the harbor without a flag flying on the Visipole.
I went out to fish around Castle Pinkney/Chute’s Folly on Wed for the first time. Went at dawn with calm waters and not much boat traffic. I’d never fished there before and stayed on the side facing James Isl. I came up with a Ladyfish, a flounder (keeper) and a few misc fish with mullet on a carolina rig. Floating live mullet produced nothing at all. I got there soon after high tide so the flow wasn’t bad but it wasn’t long before it was getting too strong to fish easily.
I’m a (very) amateur birder so I enjoyed watching the birds though I hadn’t thought to take my binoculars.
Years ago I found some shark’s teeth on exposed sandbars below Castle P. If those bars are still exposed during low tides, they might be worth checking out. The face of Morris is maybe a better bet for shark’s teeth.
I agree with Too Busy, be careful in the harbor in a kayak.
Thanks for the info, I’ve been wondering about the harbor for years, ever since I’ve had my first yak. I’ll save the harbor for when we get more experienced with the area.
If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. ~Doug Larson
