We live in Summerville and vacation at Edisto every year. We didnt do quite as good crabbing this year (July 4th week) There werent really any crabs out front on the sound end but I was able to get some in the crab pot by the creek near the serpentarium. I have heard thatcrabs move up the creeks/into the ocean according to the salinity of the water.
My question is does anyone know if the crabs have been out front or way up the creeks? We are coming down Saturday morning and I am just trying to put a gameplan together.
My other option would be to try and run over to Otter Island but I have a 14ft Mckee and three small kids and not too sure how that trip would be. Of course the weather would have to be cooperative too.
I would greatly appreciate any advice or recent experiences you may have to offer or share!
I’m no experts on where the crabs are at certain times of the year; however I can tell you when fishing, I see crabpots all over the place in creeks, places that are even brackish in nature so obviously they are everywhere.
You shouldn’t have any problem getting to otter from the marina, just venture out bay creek and follow the beach until you see the water tower and then line yourself up with fish creek and the water tower and you should be fine. If it is lowtide be careful if you dont’ know where you are going becuase there are some shallow spots and you have no idea unless you are familiar.
I see a lot of folks crabbing at what I call the point which is the end of the beach and where big bay creek starts, so you may want to try over there.
Taking a 14’ boat to Otter this weekend may prove to be difficult. When the hurricane passes by it will give us some good size swells. However if the weather is good; what Baycreek said.
Please do not attempt to go to Otter this weekend in a 14’ boat with kids. Unfortunately, I am Edisto Towing and Sea Rescue, and I do not want to have to come get you. And especially your children and/or bodies. Be safe, and have fun.
Capt. Steve Fralin
Ugly Ducklin Charters
The Longest Established Inshore Fishing Guide at Edisto
Edisto Island, SC 29438
843-869-1580
843-908-2071 http://www.edistofishingcharters.com
The crabbing has been down this season. Not sure of the reason, but I do know that SC Wildlife Magazine was planning on doing a Crabbing article with pictures, but with poor crab results the article was put on hold until next season. That tid bit of information came from the great outdoor photographer Phillip Jones.
I also would be hesitant on going into open water this weekend by boat or swimming. Surfers may enjoy it but swimmers and kayakers may get ripped out to sea.
“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”
Thanks for the heads up guys…because I totally forgot about the hurricane! I would never attempt to do anything that would put my family in jeapordy. I really would only want one of those days that I have seen down there where it is smooth all the way across before attempting to go over to Otter. I would also want to be as certain as you can be this time of year that the conditions on that day wouldnt be ripe for afternoon storms.
As for the crabs, Baycreek brings up a good point that the crabbing is probably going to be the best where the most crab pots are.
We will probably just head down to the sound where it meets Bay creek and let the kids have fun and hopefully get lucky
We were in Edisto just before summer, so I’m sure things have changed, but we couldn’t keep the crabs from filling our pots. In 30 minutes off the dock where we stayed, we had 8 keepers in our pot. We were up a creek, staying in a house on Palmetto Rd. Nice place, got it through a Young Life auction for a great price. They said they’d never rented it before, only used it for family. Keeper crabs were as consistent as they get. Got some snapper from Edisto seafood to pair with the crab, delicious.