Menhaden

Was wondering if anyone could shed some advice on how to locate menhaden or other bait fish between Shem creek and the Jetties. Couldn’t find any today…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a17VvhGflSQ

Check behind Fort Sumter near the beach

www.baturinphotography.com

Saw a bunch of Pelicans diving over there. Didn’t know if it was too shallow or not. What is the depth like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a17VvhGflSQ

I know this topic gets old…but as a weekend warrior I don’t get to keep up as much on the fishing situation as I like, but are the menhaden still hanging out around the Morris island beach and fort sumpter? Or are those gone too. Dont wanna waste time looking over there in the morning if they aren’t there anymore. I know 2 weeks ago they were absent in the creeks in the icw.

A fishfinder and an 8 foot 1.5+ pounds of lead per foot net is what you need to consistently catch menhaden as they are not always visibly flipping on the surface or have birds diving on them.

Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14

I’m definitely learning that they are not always flipping for sure. I’m guessing ur just casting over a big wad of fish seen on the finder? I’ve tried that some before but never really had any success with it…

Without a heavy net you are peeing into the wind as they will swim out from the bottom before you can close it. $150+ on a good heavy nets is a lot to spend, but catching all the menhaden you need in one cast on a consistent basis instead of chasing them for an hour pays dividends really quick.

Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14

Haven’t seen any poppin’ on the Folly River for a couple of weeks. A blind cast occasionally will result in a net full.

how deep are you talking about seeing them on the fish finder? Same usual locations that you see them popping? Are you talking about a net like something you would deephole for shrimp with?

Mayhem
Pioneer 197

It may sound “fishy” but you can sometimes smell them. I have been in large schools in front of Morris Is. and actually smell the manhaden. Throw a blind cast when I smell them and always get a net full. I have heard that you smell them the most when they are being fed on. Don’t know if this is true or not, but I have smelled them on many occasions.

I have a 10’ 1/2" MESH NET WITH 1.5 lbs per foot (heavy net). It sinks plenty fast to catch all I want. Even in deeper water.

19’ Sea-Pro CC
“Swagger Wagon”
Yamaha 115 - 2 stroke
14’ CMF Skiff
25 Johnson - 2 stroke
14’ Heritage Redfish

“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.”
Ernest Hemingway

Britt, I have also smelled them like that…

The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org