you’ll know when you’re in the restricted area, keep moving and you’re fine, don’t stop to fish or the security boats will pay you a visit.
I’ve caught a lot of trout in the winter on pretty much any artificial fished very slowly, not really any reds to speak of. I guarantee they are there though, because there is a school of 50-100 that hangs around the pier near the “submarines” (the most restricted area, can’t fish it.) Drives me crazy every time I go to work! May be dispersing with the weather so warm though.
So yeah, there are fish there. Try the deeper water in the side creeks off the main channel for trout, maybe you can get lucky and find a school of reds where you can actually get to them.
You cannot stop anywhere from the subs to the last corner near Yellowhouse Creek close to where the big cargo ships moor. (going downriver from Bushy Park).
In the Bushy Park area and all the creeks up to and slightly beyone the power lines hold trout, flounder, and redfish. When you get near the power lines, freshwater bass mix in with the spottails and flounder.
This past weekend we caught 3 reds over the slot and were released and 1 flounder that was just right. All were caught within a mile or two from the salt water landing at Bushy Park. We were using mudminnows, one on the bottom on a jig head and the other on a small float.
We usually do pretty well casting Gulp shrimp and swimming mullet on jigs, but were a little lazy this Sunday and decided to still fish.
Several other folks we spoke with at the landing had reported similar catches of mostly over slot redfish and just a few flounder. We did not hear about any trout being caught but just talked to a few folks and the DNR at the landing.
This fat 25" was caught and released by my wife…her first over the slot. It was quite a fight! She did a fine job of keeping the fish away from the pilings on 12 lb. line (with a 40 lb. flouro leader)…that fish gave her a real workout.
We did see a good bit of bait in the creeks…both mullet and menhaden.
PioneerLouie
Pioneer Venture 175, Johnson 90
Summerville, SC
…just wanted to verify Wolfie’s post about the schools of reds that hang out near the subs…they are there almost all the time…
While we were going downriver one day 2 years ago, we saw a school of porpoise circle a school of redfish in the corner above the subs. They were tossing huge redfish around like a cat playing with a toy. It was incredible…we slowed down as slow as possible so we could get a good look at the spectacle but could not stay long…if you come off a plane in that area you are sure to get an armed military escort until you get around the bend past the subs. We’ve seen a school hanging out there many times. It is a hearbreaker to not be able to go over there. Many good spots that we fished in the past are not accessible now because of the heightened security in the area.
PioneerLouie
Pioneer Venture 175, Johnson 90
Summerville, SC
I’m sure you are aware, but a reminder to those who do not may be needed. You need a saltwater and freshwater fishing license in that area. The saltwater demarcation lane is around the subs. Above that, you need a freshwater license to fish.
“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 - the supposedly official demarcation line is the mouth of Bushy Park. Head left out of the mouth - freshwater; head right - salt. That’s according to Mr Greenjeans who seems to talk to me every time I fish there.
The ‘Freshwater/Saltwater Dividing Line’ is on page 16 of the latest DNR rules & regs and it says as follows:
#7
“On Cooper River the dividing line is the seaward shoreline of Old Back River at the confluence of Old Back River downstream from Bushy Park Reservoir.”
The puts it slightly downstream from the landing. We buy both licenses every year since we tend to go upstream most of the time. You will eventually get checked if you fish up there. We usually get checked several times every year since we are out there so much. Be safe and buy both licenses. There are some places upriver where you can regularly catch largemouth bass and spottail bass in the same spots and they will hit the same lures.
You really don’t want to go upriver from Bushy without a freshwater license. Seriously.
PioneerLouie
Pioneer Venture 175, Johnson 90
Summerville, SC
