My wife and I usually fish the Stono, from Wadmallaw sound to Kiawah Island. This weekend we decided to ‘spice up’ our life a little bit so we are planning on putting in at Cherry Point to fish Bohicket, Leadenwah and the North Edisto. We’ve never been in that area before. Does anyone have any pointers or ideas of what we can expect? Even if we don’t catch anything, it will nice to experience some different areas. Any thoughts?
Thanks !!!
There are some oyster banks on the north side of the N Edisto near the entrance to Leadenwah that are popular for red fishing. Some of the creeks offer trout and red as well around the inlets to the bigger water. Leadenwah has some oyster banks as well that are visible at low tide and will ground you at mid-tide!
220 Outrage
250 Verado
I think the Rockville Regatta is this weekend. If you are planning to fish stay ar away from that. I usually fish the Rockville area but am planning to try IOP This weekend.
quote:
Originally posted by Mikey246I think the Rockville Regatta is this weekend. If you are planning to fish stay ar away from that. I usually fish the Rockville area but am planning to try IOP This weekend.
noooooo. ? I forgot that the regatta is this weekend?change of plans! We’ll go next weekend.
There are some fish around that area but nothing like it used to be. Kinda sad. Frustrating too
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
Opti, you are right about that. I didn’t fish for several years and just started back this year. Most of my old spots yielded nothing. Found some new spots but nothing spectacular. The fish have to be there… So much bait. I have never seen so many small mullet and huge schools of menhaden.
I’ve discussed this with RADDADDY and we think they have grown and pushed offshore. I don’t think DNR has stocked that area in several years and for some reason the reproduction isn’t keeping up. It’s a head scratcher. I don’t think the fish are there.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
I’ve had good luck in that area in the fall/early winter once the reds are schooled, but quit fishing it during the spring/summer.
Try the docks on the bend going out of bohicket. Mid incoming tide along the grass line.
get a top spot map. They dont list alot of spots in that area, but the ones listed have produced.
Opti, I remember as recent as 7 or 8 years ago that big flat at the mouth of Leadenwah would hold huge schools of reds. And I had a several small creek outlets that were always good for a limit of keeper reds. Now nothing. I was thinking that with all the new docks that it has maybe altered the currents enough to change things. I witnessed that in a small creek off the Stono once. A bad rain caused a creek mouth to cave in and i never caught another fish there or at the dock nearby. Im just trying to have faith in my old fishing hole.
Yeah, Ron Davis (RADDADDY) knows that area better than probably anyone, and he pretty much has every redfish named in the N. and S. Edisto. I, on the other hand, only know a few spots. Ron claims that the numbers of fish are maybe 20% of what it was a few years ago. I believe him, based on what I have seen so far this year. Well, I would believe him anyway, but what I have seen has backed it up. There ARE fish around, but the numbers are way down.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
Bohicket creek used to be loaded with fall trout. They don’t seem to be there anymore. I watched a fellow make seven cast’s off the Church creek bridge with a white grub a few years ago in early November and catch a nice trout each cast.
I remembering fishing off Church Creek Bridge when i was a little boy. The water was deeper then. It seems to have silted in a lot. At low tide you can walk all the way across. I talked to a well known guide that has fished that area for 20yrs and he has confirmed everything that Opti has stated. It really is sad. That is like fishing in my back yard. Guess i will have to start dragging my boat farther and dealing with all of the pleasure boat traffic that is seeming to take over every body of water on the weekend.
Maybe it’s all cyclical?.good?bad?then good again!! Hopefully!
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerI’ve discussed this with RADDADDY and we think they have grown and pushed offshore. I don’t think DNR has stocked that area in several years and for some reason the reproduction isn’t keeping up. It’s a head scratcher. I don’t think the fish are there.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
The Bears Bluff hatchery (USFWS) in collaboration with SCDNR has stocked in that area in the last few years. Although in most years, hatchery fish only make up 10-30% of the juvenile population. Red drum recruitment is highly variable, so it may be a case of bad larval survival in a few years in the N. Edisto. If so, contribution of stocked fish should go way up. By the way, we can do some seatrout videos in the near future.
I would like to know more details on this subject if you have accurate numbers of stocked fish in the N. Edisto since 2009. The flat in front of Bear’s Bluff used to be loaded. Now, it is empty… As Optiker said, redfish populations in area creeks and flats are down at least 75% from peak fishing in 2009. I agree with you that some sort of environmental force is the cause, and I’m hoping it is just the down part of a cycle. Most will be quick to blame it on fishing pressure, but that simply is wrong. Angling pressure is definitely a factor, but the rate of population decline is nowhere close to being inversely proportional to the increase in the number of anglers in the area. The general consensus from a HUGE majority of tournament anglers and captains I know who fish from Savannah to Morehead say inshore populations are significantly down in ALL their local waters.
Am also interested as this area is where I fish most.
I don’t buy the fishing pressure argument either. The Leadenwah creek flat is the only place Ive ever seen more than two boats at once. I fish may be 40 days a year and keep records. Until about four years ago id have 10 fish 27" plus every year. Not now. I know these fish are supposed to move off shore at about that size so I agree these fish are just not being replaced by ‘new’ juveniles.
Richard E.
Is it time to call Dr Redfish out of retirement?
Kind of a double edge sword here. On one hand I’m glad that I might not be the reason that my fishing has been struggling. But on the other I’m sad that my primary fishing grounds are suffering. I wonder if it is just the Reds that have been impacted? I heard the flounder have been flourishing in the area. Could it be boat traffic? There are more boats in the water now than i have ever seen before. Just a thought.
No, I don’t think it’s boat traffic. Our traffic has increased, but it is nothing compared to the Charleston area.
quote:
Originally posted by Mikey246Kind of a double edge sword here. On one hand I’m glad that I might not be the reason that my fishing has been struggling. But on the other I’m sad that my primary fishing grounds are suffering. I wonder if it is just the Reds that have been impacted? I heard the flounder have been flourishing in the area. Could it be boat traffic? There are more boats in the water now than i have ever seen before. Just a thought.