My sons and I are planning to try our hand at shrimping in Bulls Bay this year…
I am hoping to get some recommendations on affordable accommodations and general tips/how to.
We appreciate the help… Tom
Best advice is to ask specific questions - we have no idea what you know or don’t know - use the search function on this board and read up on what has already been discussed then you should ask what you don’t understand. You will find plenty of answers here and lots of posters eager to give you their advice/opinions.
Welcome to the board!!
186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke
I’m sorry… I guess I posted in a hurry…
I’m thinking bulls bay, and looking for affordable accommodations there, close to a launch…
I will be with my two boys 11, 14…
I watched a few videos on YouTube last night… They make it look easy.
Looks like you need to play the tide as in all fishing…
So if anyone knows about a place to stay I would appreciate it… Tom
yeah, people always make things look easy on youtube haha
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
Closest motels/campgrounds are in Mt. Pleasant and Georgetown. Best launch is Buck Hall just south of McClellanville. There is a campground at Buck Hall.(Federal site - part of National Park service I think) Reservations are required during shrimping season as it gets crowded.
Bulls Bay is a big mud flat. If you are not careful you can get caught by an outgoing tide and spend 4-5 hours waiting on water to come back in.
Three most important factors in catching shrimp -
- Set up where there are shrimp.
- Know where your bait is.
- Open your net and hit your bait.
Lots of nuances to those three - but those are CRITICAL.
186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke
Buck Hall is minutes on the water from Bull’s Bay. Camp sites (Tent Only) are $18 dollars/night. Other sites for RV’s fill up quickly and may already be full. There are a few cabin/house rentals nearby available depending on what you want to pay. There is a link to some of them on the home page of this site. Also in another post, someone listed a link to another site that may help you.
Go Gamecocks
We use KOA on 17. Get a cabin or pitch a tent. Pretty cheap and not too far. Watch the bay; navigation is not for the unprepared beginner. The bottom will sneak up on you in a real hurry. The type of vessel you use can also affect your time in the bay. Not but a couple ways in or out from the ICW. Plan your trips in and out around the tide. If done right, it is lots of fun and can yield good shrimp. Good luck
Thanks for the tips guys… Looks like the biggest challenge will be navigating… Are there any channels at all in the bay? Marked or not? Might be best to ride down prior and map it out… Tom
I would certainly take the time to make a navigation trip. My boat gps is quite useless so I use the Navionics app on my iPhone to help with depths and such. Not the easiest method, however better than nothing. If you know someone that knows the area, take a trip or two with them to map out your course. Good luck and leave some shrimp for me.
x2 on the recon trip- i would try in august during a tidal cycle similar to when you anticipate first shrimping there. that will give you an idea of depth relevant to your next trip, and you can free cast looking for some spots to go back to.
make it a “fishing trip” with your boys and get away with it even easier!
for the channel-type info, i would show up with a nautical chart in hand and ask people at the gas station, the bait shop, the ramp, etc if they can point out good routes into the bay. i’m a visual learner, so that’s where i would start.
I was told that from the ICW head straight toward the island. Before the island, turn right and follow the channel out beyond the island. Did this last year and didn’t have any issues with water depth at either tide. Do have to keep and eye on the depth finder though.
Go Gamecocks
This is from Buck Hall landing.
Go Gamecocks
Buck Hall will bring you in more to the north. Checked out the camping last year ; pretty nice. Little farther than I want to drive. Been using Gaddis, but time restrictions make it less desirable.
no matter which direction you take…even the best directions can leave you high and dry very easily…bulls bay is tricky…especially for people unfamiliar with it…not trying to discourage you in any way…but would definately reccomend you taking at least a couple daytime trips there or having a buddy system to navigate…esp at night. might post on here prior and pair up with someone else going. Nice that your boys will be tagging along…they will have a blast. take some fishing poles for the “waiting time”…and dont forget the camera!
miss’n fish’n
212 SEAHUNT CC
Sea Squirt 16
If you are looking for a house, rather than camping then I would recommend Dixie Plantation. You can find them on VRBO.com or HomeAway.com. We stayed with them last year. Very nice family and a fantastic location about 500 yds north of Buck Hall landing. They have floating dock on the Intercoastal.
Buck Hall is great, Gerris Landing even better…be careful though!! Gotta know where youre going! and if you have a decent size boat…then forget it! dont forget the bug spray!
The best advice I can give you is try somewhere else for your very first time. I would do the mud bay portion of Winyah Bay. Shrimp there are smaller, but much more dependable. I don’t think I have ever left there without almost filling a cooler. There is a nice Hampton Inn at the Marina to stay at to boot. Heck, you can leave your boat overnight at GLM also. I have left Bulls Bay without so much as 1 shrimp before, and calling it a giant mud flat is being kind.
The best advice I can give you is try somewhere else for your very first time. I would do the mud bay portion of Winyah Bay. Shrimp there are smaller, but much more dependable. I don’t think I have ever left there without almost filling a cooler. There is a nice Hampton Inn at the Marina to stay at to boot. Heck, you can leave your boat overnight at GLM also. I have left Bulls Bay without so much as 1 shrimp before, and calling it a giant mud flat is being kind.
Did a little recon trip last weekend and decided to wait on going to bulls…
Gonna take the kids to Beaufort for a first trip… Got a buddy who shrimps down there every year… We’re all gonna tag along together… Perhaps try around Charleston without kids next trip… Thanks guys…
Hope you do well and the weather …and the shrimp are good to you…
miss’n fish’n
212 SEAHUNT CC
Sea Squirt 16