I am planning on bringing my boat down to charleston labor day weekend. I have never fished out of charleston before but have spent alot of time between 8-50 miles offshore off the emerald isle area of nc. I have a pioneer 197 sf with 150 yamaha 4 stroke. If the weather is right I want to slip offshore about 10 miles and do some fishing. Is the charleston near shore reef a good place to go? What’s biting and what Rigs should I bring?
Thanks for your help
Cliff
2006 pioneer 197 SF 150 4s
Hey Cliff. Our bottom here slopes very gradual. To get to 100’, you have to go out to about 30 - 35 miles.
That being said, what are you after? If you want quality Grouper and such or just let the kids catch some small fish, you have to go to vastly different areas around here.
I was thinking of trolling for some kings with some pogies if I can find some or some dead cigar minnows. But I have not ruled out some bottom fishing, since I am not familiar with the area I figured I would ask.
Cliff
2006 pioneer 197 SF 150 4s
With your rig you’ll do fine staying inshore and whomping on some spotails. The shrimp are in the creeks, and Billy Bass is bittin’.
You could motor out to the jetties, or stay inside the intracoastal and fish the cuts and slews and oyster banks with shrimp. Pitch a 1/4 crab up under a couple of docks up the Wando, or try float fishing some shrimp around the old railroad tressel in town creek. There plenty of action if you don’t mind checking a few places out.
Any big bull reds hanging around?
Cliff
2006 pioneer 197 SF 150 4s
As big as you can stand. Fish The Grillage, dynamite hole, the boneyard at Bulls Is., etc. Takes at least a few try’s at all these spots to figure them out…but they always produce. Of course a 28" spotail on light tackle in the Wando River is fine and dandy, and many a dock along the intracoastal waterway will hold some bruisers if you have the right bait…live shrimp and mullet always have a chance of working. The fact is…you could surf fish off of Capers Is. and hit a run of bronze bulls. It’s all happening right now, and it could last pretty good until Christmas.
your Pioneer 197 is a nice ride and will serve you well around here. Troll the channel markers past the jetties for kings. Also, troll from the south jetty to the Charleston 60 (about 12 miles) for kings and then fish the 60 rock piles (I think it says cooper river bridge rubble on the SC DNR site) for BSB. The GPS numbers can be found here:
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/reefguide/artificial_reef?p_location=Central
You will see the numbers there for the Charleston 60. The nice thing is that the troll ride from the south jetty to the charleston 60 is a well known area to catch kings. So, troll your entire way out to the bottom fishing area.
Be safe and have fun. make sure you pick your day.
“If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel .” Benjamin Netanyahu
GW 205
F200 Yam
Sshaarda thank you for giving me some specifics. That was exactly what I was looking for.
Cliff
2006 pioneer 197 SF 150 4s
The king bite is usually on fire in late September. The fish school up nicely–not usually very big ones but a lot in the 8-20 lb range. Slow trolling menhaden/balloon fishing is the best, but I have done well trolling ballyhoo or lipped plugs when I’m feeling lazy (afternoon trips).
Try fishing the cage buoys–good action in close. The Chas 60, Fred Day, Edsito 40, Edisto 60, etc. are good areas to fish when the weather is nice.
Pat Condon
www.ksamarineinsurance.com
(843)568-8559
This thread is loaded with solid advice. might have to bookmark this one.