I just moved to Charleston a couple of weeks ago and I’d like to get into some surf fishing. I’ve been a handful of times near Destin, Florida with a friend who knew a lot more about what he was doing than I did. So I have some experience, but I’m definitely still new to this.
I have a basic 10’ surf rod that I used in Florida and I got the tackle for a rig that consists of a pyramid sinker>plastic bead>swivel>fluorocarbon leader(about 2 feet)>circle hook(I have a 2/0 on there now and I also got some 5/0).
The guys at Haddrell’s set me up with this stuff and also a dozen live mud minnows that I took down to the surf at about 6:30 near Ft. Moultrie. The picture I attached shows exactly where I was. I was there til dark and didn’t get any action at all. My bait stayed alive the entire time and I didn’t lose it til the end. Not sure if it was was taken by something or what.
Does anyone have any recommendations for better spots, better bait, or any other tips? I’d love to get some reds, but my understanding is that they’re a lot more common later in the year. Thanks!
That is usually a decent spot. I’ve found with fishing there that you are super dependent on reading the tides and structure. As with many places though I guess. Also, that spot has been a little slower than usual. Maybe try giving the north end of folly a try.
I’d say a good rule of thumb is 2 hours before/after a high or low tide. As for the structure look at the area on Google earth to get a feel for it. Try and put your bait around where water goes from fast to slow around any structure, or basically around an eddy. I tend to do best there around low because that beach is pretty flat until ya hit the shipping channel.
Early morning, late afternoon are usually better. Catch the tide moving like stated above. Buy fresh shrimp, the ones you would eat. Fish in the suds right where the waves are breaking, fish the trough in a sandbar or right behind it as stated above. It takes practice, but the fish are there.
Thanks for your responses! When you say the trough of a sandbar, do you mean one end of it where the water rushes around it? And when you say to fish behind a sandbar, does that mean I should be trying to land my cast on the shore-side of the sandbar or the far side? I know these aren’t the most intelligent questions ha.
The trough is the deeper section running parallel to the beach that is either between two sandbars or the beach and a sandbar. The area where water rushes out is called a rip. Predator fish will hang out at the corners of rips. When he says behind a sandbar he probably means on the far side out to sea. The closest set of breaking water is the first sandbar, so get your bait beyond that. Google combinations of “surf fishing how to read a beach” and you will get plenty of info.
I found an excellent article a couple of years ago about this same subject and did not save it…sorry…too tired to search now…when I find it I will post.
