New member on the forum..... Lexington SC

Saltwater Inshore Reports
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Hey Folks,

Jim here from Lexington SC.

Been in SC for 10 years now and want to learn inshore and nearshore fishing along the coast of SC.

My wife and I came from West Palm (she is native Floridian, I am mostly from Savannah) – where we had a small sportfish and a 17’ TwinVee we pulled back and forth from the Bahamas.

We had great luck fishing and snorkeling / shooting fish and lobsters over there – but I think it was because of WHERE we were fishing (target rich environment) and also dogged determination on my part – much more so than skill.

For the last 10 years, we have only had a pontoon – and my wife has now relented – we just bought an 18’ Maycraft with 115 4T Yamaha. Good flair but only has a 10 degree deadrise.

This is by no means a blue water set up but I am going to work to do plenty of river / creek / sound fishing and some nearshore fishing on the artificial reefs and wrecks.

My first project is going to be a sheepshead trip – as soon as I can find a weekend day that has a 1’ forecast.

Always looking for fishing buddies and would love to find another boat that wanted to go to do a nearshore trip – simply for safety (but I am also going to wickedly pick the brains of the folks that know how to fish).

The area I am most interested to learn is Edisto, Beaufort, Fripp, Hilton Head – as my wife and I vacation for a week each year at St. Helena – typically early August. Charleston appeals too because it is a little closer for me.

Also, if there are fishing clubs or just loose groups of friends in the Lexington / Columbia area – I would love to get connected.

We are in our late 50’s and are Jimmy Buffett type folks….

Thanks –

Jim and Jo
803 479 8975 cell

Landlocked - former Bahamas fisherman - will be free to roam the Bahamas again in 2024 full time - come on retirement!

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Welcome. There is a lot of great info on here, but live and archived, and a lot of great inshore fishermen that are pretty generous with advice. If you follow the forum you will figure it out pretty quick.

Hydra-Sport 3300VX
18 Key West

3

Thanks, Fortunate Son - will definitely follow along.

Many thanks!!

Landlocked - former Bahamas fisherman - will be free to roam the Bahamas again in 2024 full time - come on retirement!

4

if you happen to be in Charleston this coming weekend for the boat show or Lowcountry Oyster Festival on sunday you should consider dropping by the James Island County Park on Saturday for the CF.com member’s oyster roast. Costs a couple of bucks to get in the park but the roast is free. It is supported solely by other members of this board. The best opportunity to meet as many of these knuckleheads in one place as you will ever find. details here http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=157091

The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org

5

Be sure to steer clear of Bonzo, Pea Pod, D-Freedom, and 23Sailfish. Do that, and you’ll be fine…

“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”

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^^^one of the snapperheads I referenced earlier :wink:

The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org

7

I didn’t choose the thug life; the thug life chose me…[:0]

“I’m not a hundred percent in love with your tone right now…”

8

Thanks guys!

Right now, I am leaning toward a small bucket of fiddlers, some oysters for bait and a nearshore trip - provided I can talk by bride into it!

Looks like 1’ seas and 60 degrees.

Appreciate it!

Landlocked - former Bahamas fisherman - will be free to roam the Bahamas again in 2024 full time - come on retirement!

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“Landlocked - former Bahamas fisherman - will be free to roam the Bahamas again in 2024 full time - come on retirement”

Well Jim you have my attention. I bought a cat and plan to explore the Bahamas in maybe 2017-18. Been there on a sail boats but never on my own boat. Would love swop some local knowledge while wetting a line. I fish out of Charleston.

“If we ever forget that we’re
one nation under God,
we will be a nation gone under.” - Ronald Reagan

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Hydro

We primarily fished and dove Bimini on the short trips.

When we had time, we went to the southern end of the Berry’s - Chub Cay. To say that it was phenomenal is a vast understatement.

Also did one trip down the Exuma chain and it is very remote and nothing short of breathtaking.

If you want to fish blue water, the best I ever saw is “the pocket” by Chub Cay when you can catch a SE wind in May. Plan it…

Thanks!

Keeping my eyes and ears open…and trying to learn.

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local knowledge. You cant go wrong with finger mullet any were on S.C. coast. they are hard to find this time of year but may through November they are stacked every were in the shallows. Mud minnows will get the job done and are at every tackle shop that sells bait. Any were you can find eddies behind rocks pilings oyster shells etc. there is a potential salt water game fish. Z-man baits work great and are very durable. The water is cold now so fish slow! You never know what you will catch. I got a 52 # flat head cat fish a couple weeks ago On a mud minnow. boy was he hungry!
I was fortunate enough to fish the pocket last April briefly but caught a nice dolphin. We crossed the stream and passed Bimini after the customs office had closed. So we headed to Chubb key through the night to check in. Saw sporties doing circles and broke out the ballyhoo! We ended the trip at Stanial key. All I can say is WOW!

“If we ever forget that we’re
one nation under God,
we will be a nation gone under.” - Ronald Reagan

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^^^^^Concise and spot on local knowledge right there hydrotherapy. I’ll add to pay close attention to the tidal flow. It can catch newcomers off guard and leave you wishing you’d brought more beer.

16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120

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I’m in Columbia. You into wading? I’m all catch and release. And I’d be happy to wade you around the three rivers for smallies and stripers this spring. I do quite well. But I really like to put most all my catches back and would ask the same of anyone who comes along.

No matter how many variables I have control over, I never expect a bite. I only hope.

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Roddy may I ask you how slippery the rocks are in the rivers. My daughter lives in Columbia. And I have seen a lot of pictures of stripers from that area. Just been to busy to try,them out. Do you wear hip waders or chest? I totally agree with catch and release. The population of stripers are making a good come back in the Charleston area on account of good management.
Have you caught them on fly as well?

“If we ever forget that we’re
one nation under God,
we will be a nation gone under.” - Ronald Reagan

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quote:
Be sure to steer clear of Bonzo, Pea Pod, D-Freedom, and 23Sailfish. Do that, and you'll be fine...

You just made the list.

“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?

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Guys - thanks for the welcome and info, great help!

Hydro, think I saw your catfish photo, that was a whopper. I typically fish once a year in the Diversion canal and is a great place to load up on cats. Have not caught a giant like that one though!

JLee - that running out of beer is a perilous thing and one to guard carefully against.

Roddy - would love to learn wading the rivers and have many of the same questions as Hydro. Catch and release is fine with me - freshwater fish are just not that high on the “must eat” list. Many thanks for the kind offer.

Jim

Keeping my eyes and ears open…and trying to learn.

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Hey Jim - I’m in the same boat as you in learning inshore fishing in the Charleston area. Primarily I’ve been searching for reds, but they’ve been elusive for me. Trout and flounder are available, tho. Only had one red in the boat (since I started trying to learn mid summer 2015), but plenty of trout (as recently as last week, but right at keeper limit so let them go - photos attached). So far this winter, super slow retrieve with live and artificial bait (shrimp) on a Carolina rig on mid tide (out or in) on banks where you can see some oyster beds at low have been a given for trout. Also, and I’m sure everyone will tell you, live shrimp, and artificials (Gulp new penny best for me), under a popping cork fished up against the banks at mid tide around structure/oyster beds, trout will hit on. Fished mud minnows a bunch but never got a hit - better results on artificial shrimp, but that’s probably more about my skill set and learning than the bait. Most of my fishing has been done off the Cooper (Clouter and Yellow House Creek), and only a couple of times in the intercoastal north of the harbor but south of Dewees. Planning on getting up around Romain this spring. Best of luck in your inshore/nearshore quest. If any of you savvy veterans have any more inshore tips for us newbie/rubes, I’d appreciate it. Trying to learn and tons of info out there. Hard to separate the real from the - well…not real…

2001 BW Ventura 180
2015 Key West 239FS
“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.”

  • Mark Twain,
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Great pics Gamecock - stay after them, you are well ahead of me!

Keeping my eyes and ears open…and trying to learn.

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Welcome aboard, Jim.

There are tons of fishing clubs on Lake Murray some competitive and some laid back. The Midlands Striper Club is one and they have their own forum on CF.com. You should check it out.

I’m also a huge fan of wading the downtown Columbia area for smallmouths and stripers. Depending on the water conditions, we’ve hit the river as early as March. There is a small population of resident striper but they typically start showing up in force in April and into May. Depending on the weather, March and early April wading trips usually call for uninsulated waders and wading boots. When it warms up, we go in shorts and felt sole wading boots. I carry a small backpack to carry my baits, food and drink. I use spinning gear when fishing in the river. Usually a 7’ m or mh with a 20 to 30 size reel with 10lb braid. If it gets real clear, and it will sometimes, I’ll use a 10lb fluorocarbon leader if I’m not throwing topwater baits. We’ve caught smallies out of there as big as 6lbs but the average is closer to 2lbs. Some big stripers come through the area as well but the average is between 5-10lbs. You can bring bigger gear but that takes the fun out of it for me.

Good luck and hope to see you out there.

In the future, where every stranger poses a potential threat, knowing the predator mindset is the only safe haven.

Xpress H20B Bay Series
Yamaha 115 SHO

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As hard as it is for me to get down to Charleston to fish, I may have to hit up some of you Columbia fellows and check out these rivers y’all keep talking about.

“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?