I’m from Charleston, WV, spending another fantastic week at Edisto Beach with my wife’s family. This is my third visit, and I would really enjoy getting on some water for a day (I’m running out of books already!). I’m not picky whether it be off-shore or in-shore. I don’t have much experience in saltwater, but I’ll follow directions and be as helpful as possible. I’m not concerned with taking a cooler-full home, and I’m happy to help with some costs.
I figure this is a long shot, but you never know unless you try.
If I get no bites, I’ll be the guy riding island circles on an old beach cruiser. Nothing wrong with that. Thanks for looking.
Ah, I’ll be down right when you are leaving. Otherwise I would have taken ya out. You should think about picking up a little jon boat or kayak then you can enjoy Edisto from the water, the best way!
I thought folks might enjoy an update on my beach crabbing…
Though my mother happens to be a high school librarian, I’m not one who enjoys spending an entire week reading books when there is an ocean literally staring at me, taunting me. I’ve been researching things to do on Edisto for several weeks, and saw quite a few posts on this blog and others claiming what great fun and success crabbing from the beach could be. After my initial post looking for an open seat on a boat with a friendly Edistonian (or visitor), I took action. I was exploring the storage room here at our friends’ house, and stumbled upon a real honest-to-goodness crab pot. This thing is cool to a mountain guy like me. Coated chicken wire, tricky holes, funnels and hidden chambers, re-bar on the base and a yellow float with about 25’ of rope. I was set!
I quickly read through the SCDNR information on crabbing, and decided that because this was no fold-up recreational trap, I’d better get one of those “Non Resident 14-Day Saltwater Fishing License”. Well folks, at least I don’t mind giving the palmetto state a few dollars…
License in hand and pot readied, I hit The Pig for some high quality frozen chicken necks. I’ve read that discarded fish are best, but I was short in that department. I took several necks out of the package and let the sun warm them up, and waited on the tide.
The clock approached 7:00 p.m. and dinner was finished. I stuffed the entire package of frozen, semi-thawed, and ripened necks into the bait box in the trap. This was to be a family affair. My wife, her sister and parents are used to my antics, so of course they wanted to come watch the experiment unfold. The tide was to be at it’s lowest around 7:15 p.m, so we headed to the beach.
I waded out past the groin near Beach Access 31 and placed the pot in water that was chest deep, as instructed on the blog posts. We could alread
Ah dang it. Thanks for the hospitality regardless, Optiker!
There is a boat at the house, but not for guests. We have access to a surf kayak, but no fishing gear to speak of, and i’m not familiar with the creeks or saltwater tactics for that matter (see my post on beach crabbing as evidence…).
I might try to launch at the marina and paddle upriver (if launching is allowed?), just for something to get in to. Its not the most efficient yak, but it floats and its all I have.
Still open to lend a hand if anyone is heading out on the water!
quote:Originally posted by Optiker
Ah, I’ll be down right when you are leaving. Otherwise I would have taken ya out. You should think about picking up a little jon boat or kayak then you can enjoy Edisto from the water, the best way!
Great story! I’m heading down there on Saturday and we will be staying for the week. I’m going to take my daughter out to the lagoon in the back of our house and try to pull up some crabs there (while scanning for gators!) Unfortunatly I don’t have access to a boat but I’m going to surf fish and maybe hit Jeremy Kay(sp?)for some flounder.
I’ve had the same thing happen years ago with a brand new pot. Not enough weight on it. Had like 5/8" rebar. My nephew thought it would do better if it was farther out. LOL Mine went 4 groins south. It got hung on something and never got it up even pulling it with a boat!! Off front beach or in the deep swift creeks you need more weight. Current rips pretty hard and the bottom is flat. Use like 1" rebar or double the 5/8" or add two bricks - then it will hold. The commercial guys pots have 1" rebar. Also fish is the only way to go on the bait in a pot! Check seafood markets and they will hook you up. Chicken is for hoop nets and handlines. It holds up better and last longer.
Hey - at least you got your pot back! Always next year.
So I wasn’t crazy to try?! Is the point a good place to set? I might try again tonight. I’ll definitely drop by fish market this afternoon, any specific fish to use?
Going to look for a couple of bricks or four now!
quote:Originally posted by jford
I’ve had the same thing happen years ago with a brand new pot. Not enough weight on it. Had like 5/8" rebar. My nephew thought it would do better if it was farther out. LOL Mine went 4 groins south. It got hung on something and never got it up even pulling it with a boat!! Off front beach or in the deep swift creeks you need more weight. Current rips pretty hard and the bottom is flat. Use like 1" rebar or double the 5/8" or add two bricks - then it will hold. The commercial guys pots have 1" rebar. Also fish is the only way to go on the bait in a pot! Check seafood markets and they will hook you up. Chicken is for hoop nets and handlines. It holds up better and last longer.
Hey - at least you got your pot back! Always next year.
Great story! If you find that much excitement in crabbing there are multitudes of other excitements that Edisto has to offer. Something to look forward to on other vacations! Heed Strikers advice. The front beach is, of course, sand. Sometimes you will catch stone crabs on that kind of bottom. What you want is pluff mud bottom, and you will find that in Big Bay creek. Take your yak and paddle it out in the creek and drop it somewhere overnight. You will be pleasantly surprised with your take in the AM In our creek we will have 5 or 6 within an hour, just for reference. Another thing you should pick up sometime is a cast net. You can youtube how to throw it. Then you can throw it in the creek and you might catch enough shrimp for a nice little dish at meal time. Enjoy!
And for that matter Charly presently I do not live on Edisto we will be build there very soon but have no reservations of offering you the use of my 18 foot CC with a 90 Yamaha for you and Your family to enjoy the rest of your stay. Just say the word.
Wicked fishing
175 CC Pioneer Bay sport
90 Yamaha 4 stroke
I am not sure how long you will be here, but I can get you some big whole mullet for your crab trap and if you want to borrow another one, I got 3 here at the house. I will give you one of the banged up ones so if it floats off, no big deal. I don’t get home now til 7pm but after that I can get you going.
I think you would have a blast with a cast net. There are some brownies and white shrimp around you can get to on foot. The whites are small yet (45-50ct) but fresh shrimp are awesome. I can have you opening a net in 10 mins.
I have a tilt trim issue to fix or I would go out on the boat. Working these 11hr days has me not wanting to do crap when I come home. Shoot me a pm with your number if you want to get anything tomorrow. I saw a blue accord at the pig yesterday with W.V. plates, might be you?
I’m overwhelmed and grateful for the helpful advice and generous offers!
I took jford’s advice to check the seafood markets. Flowers was helpful in saving me a bag of menhaden.
I biked over to check out the public dock, per Striker’s suggestion, but I’ve yet to toss the pot in. There were two men fishing, and I didn’t want to break etiquette (being unfamiliar if such unspoken rules exist?). I may try to swing back over later this evening to drop the pot baited with the menhaden.
If I have any success, I might take you up on the offer for some mullet, Matt. I’ll definitely shoot you a pm, learning to throw a net sounds awesome. I watched a guy throw from the dock this evening. I also wouldn’t mind some tips on places I can reach.
Wicked, your offer is beyond generous, and I look forward to another visit’ perhaps once you’re an islander, and we might take a trip sometime.
Thanks again for the great responses everyone. Keep the advice coming!
I’m enjoying all this info on crabbing. I’m headed down Saturday for a week and have been thinking about trying this for the first time. Still trying to decide whether to tow the boat down or not. The extended forecast shows 60% chance of rain for several days. May also try a cast net for the first time. With all that being said where is the best place to buy a cast net and crab pot ?
If you are going to Edisto Via I26 through Columbia then swing by Sportsman’s Warehouse. It is right off the interstate and they carry a good variety of cast nets at a reasonable price. I bought a Betts from them and while I know there are nicer nets it serves the purpose of catching bait fish. I will be down the 4th-11th and may try the 40 or 60 weather permitting. Seems like every time I have gone to the coast this year the wind blows like crazy and weather limits activity.
Thanks for the Info SCBigBen28. I’m definitely heading down I26 and may just stop by there if I don’t find something at Academy Sports here in Spartanburg !
gregsc,
I’d definitely look around for nets off the island. The True Value has a 6’ net for something like $55. I did check the price on their crab pots, which look very nice, same design as the one I’m holding in the pic, but a little fancier with different color coated wire on parts of it. They have 5 right now, going for $65/each. Keep in mind, there a difference in the law between a pot and a trap. You have to have a recreational saltwater license to use up to two pots, but you don’t need a license for using up to three traps, nets, strings. (Folks, feel free to correct me!)
I threw my pot in a creek this morning on the recommendation of MattR. Just checked it at high tide and the float was there, so I’m optimistic!
It was quite another adventure setting that pot!
Two things I hadn’t planned for:
1.) DEEP MUD
that happens to be
2.) Slicker than snail snot!
No major issues, but I went barefoot into the slick stuff. Took about three steps in and then sunk my right leg down to near my boys, if ya follow. That was a wake-up call! Haha! Fortunately I had a small bucket with me, so after setting my pot I was able to clean off most of my leg creek side and took a bucketful of water back to my truck to clean up again before leaving (if you consider cleaning black mud off with sweet tea colored water!).
I’ll be returning this evening to check the pot with a cooler full of fresh water, some better shoes (either old sneakers or rubber boots), and a towel to sit on in case I do hit the mud bank
I’ll post some photos later this evening or tomorrow with an update on today’s adventure.
quote:Originally posted by gregsc
I’m enjoying all this info on crabbing. I’m headed down Saturday for a week and have been thinking about trying this for the first time. Still trying to decide whether to tow the boat down or not. The extended forecast shows 60% chance of ra
In our creek we will have 5 or 6 within an hour, just for reference. Another thing you should pick up sometime is a cast net. You can youtube how to throw it. Then you can throw it in the creek and you might catch enough shrimp for a nice little dish at meal time. Enjoy!