I recently started using my boat for fishing versus only pleasure. I have twin boys who love to fish, and I do not know where to fish short of the jetties. I know sweet spots are kept close to the vest, but can anyone point me to a resource i.e. books or classes that would help me venture away from the same area. For that matter, I’m not sure if I’m making the most of my trips to the jetties. Seems like all we catch is black sea bass. Even if I knew where to fish, I’m not confident that I’m using the correct bait (minnows, frozen mullet, shrimp or the all too confusing artificial baits). I appreciate any ■■■■■■■■.
Hire one of the guides on here. Go to haddrells and ask alotta questions. Then buy stuff.i just saved you alotta time and $$$. I promise
If you want to catch them, now is the time. Assuming you want to catch reds and trout that is. Ol Peapod is correct though, it can only help to hire a guide. Just don’t let them catch you hammering their spots everyday. Right now if you pick a good creek mouth at outgoing, or any point with your current, you should have a great day. I’m an artificial guy, but mud minnows are doing well right now. I’ve been throwing Zman paddlerz and DOA shrimp and have had no issues bringing fish to the boat. Cruise around the Wando or Cooper, something will strike you as a good spot.
Don’t listen to Juice. He’s high (more than likely) and always blanks when he goes fishing (mainly because he’s high and uses catfish stink bait all of the time).
Actually, he’s telling the truth (even though I can count on one hand the number of times he’s used actual bait). As far as artificials, minnow (finger mullet/mullet) imitations (primarily paddle tail swimbaits) and shrimp imitations (DOA and Z-Man) lures seem to be producing best, as well as Trout Tricks. Vary your retrieves. I prefer a faster retrieve so that’s usually how I start out but pay attention to the fish and they’ll tell you what they want and how they want it. Rule of thumb this time of year is if you think you’re working the bait slow enough, work it slower. If the fish are hitting the bait aggressively, try a little faster retrieve to trigger a reaction strike.
Sorry, but I have to run. I have to take Juice to his NA meeting. Drugs are bad. Don’t do drugs, m’kay.
God bless the “ignore” function.
Not not sure how young your boys are, but if a bit young for throwing artificials, and you just want a simple way to put some fish in the boat, try throwing some shrimp on a carolina rig around docks in creeks near oyster beds and you should be able to pick up some blk drum right now. Frozen shimp from any bait store are all you need.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
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Elcid; link to dnr site gives a ton of info for harbor area ;;check it out!!! I used to take my 2 boys and drown shrimp on bottom rig between crab banks and Mt.P down to Pit st… Caught whiting , b-drum , blues ect,ect… Can also anchor up around middle ground and do the same and sometimes pick up reds, ya never know!!!
www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/tagfish/pdf/CharlestonHarbor.pdf
George McDonald ; MAD Charleston
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When you see “Old Glory” waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen hero’s that makes it wave.
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I appreciate the ■■■■■■■■! My twins are 12, and I also have two older boys 21 and 19 that never turn down a boating trip. My goal is to instill a love of fish in my boys that they can pass along. The joy I get watching them put fishing in the boat is priceless. I used a guide twice, and he was terrific. Unfortunately, we only fished the jetties, not the creeks. I’m taking note of all the suggestions. Thanks again
The most productive times for fishing are sunrise and sunset. Being that its winter with cold water the sun set and afternoon fishing will be more productive since the water will be warmed up. Fish structure with moving water, or the drop off where the slope of the river bank changes to steep. Live bait and cut bait does the work for you but in the winter the fish aren’t as active so you got to find them. I only give it 30 minutes with bait before I move when the actions no good. If you fish dock A and there’s fish there at mid tide, those same fish will stay in a 3 mile radius for the whole winter for the most part and mostly within the same mile or couple spots. If you work one arwea you can dial it in and it will teach you about their patterns. Fish follow a lot of the same patterns in every river. Learn to fish the tides and work on your stealth. In winter fish are easier to spoke because they are so familiar with there surronding from staying so localized.
The main problem with people new to fishing is confidence. You got to believe in what your doing and be confident in your skills. This comes with experience. Time on the water is unbeatable. Go at low tide and look for spots after you have marked a few fish them as the tide comes in. Different spots fish differently. You can find spots for every tide, so that way when you get a window to go you will have a spot with good chances.
Artificials
Suspending twitch bait. Mirrodine or badonkadonk x rap
Jig.
Anything that looks like a minnow, chartreuse and natural colors work for me , slim swims trout tricks.
Topwater.
Super spook jr,
What area are you trying to fish?
I launch my boat at Sullivan’s Island. Outside of the jetties, I ventured one time into a creek off ICW just beyond the Ben Sawyer bridge. Another time we worked a creek off ICW near the tip of goat island. Honestly, the possibilities for fishing spots are overwhelming. My goal is to make the ICW, the Wando, the Ashley and the Cooper just a little smaller, and I want to catch different fish.
Dnr site is great. I’m new to the area as well but have been able to catch at every spot I tried from there, though nned to use the right bait for the fish, right tide and right time.
Studying the bait helped me. For instance watch how and when bait moves in and out of the little feeder creeks then sit and wait for the fish to come feeding.
there are literally hundreds of spots just around the marshes and icw at iop. For instance now a bend or creek mouth wih an oyster bed is going to get some fish on the outgoing tide.
Also what bait for what fish. For instance black drum only eat crustacians, so shrimp or crab. Spotted trout liked minnows for me but shrimp would work at the right time. Reds seem to eat anything, dead or alive:)
Also I make my own carolina rigs with flouro and play with the lengths, none of the pre made rigs produced for me.
Best advice I can give you is to pick a section of the river/harbor and work it until you know every piece of structure, bump, contour, etc.
Get to know what tide works best for each spot.
Keep a log.
I used google earth for a while. Dropped pins and made comments. After some time you will visually see the patterns.
I spent 2 years developing my spots on the Ashley. Then moved out into the harbor and spent a year at the south Jetty.
Keep experimenting and find what works.
There is a reason why fisherman keep their spots secret, it can take years to find them and more time to develop the patterns and adjust from one season to the next.
If one spot is not producing it’s not a loss, but a way to eliminate water.
Not saying this is the best method but I have found spots I thought would be really good and stubbornly sat on them through entire tide cycles. Some paid off, others didn’t. I sure do remember the ones that did.
Some spots are only good for half an hour or an hour twice a day. Key is determining what time the fish show up.
Don’t be discouraged, keep at it, time on the water will pay off in the long run.
I appreciate all the ■■■■■■■■!
Oyster beds are usually bountiful. I scout out oyster beds at the lower tides to find structure I like. Oyster beds near a feeder creek are cash money. They’re all over the place, you just got to find your own! I prefer bottom rigs or popping corks depending on the water. Keep your line tight and clear of the oyster beds. Lost many fish to oyster beds.