Are the spanish in yet? What would be the best way to catch some for a first timer? Thinkin about goin out to the harbor/jetties/castle pickney. Just troll gotcha plugs?? Is their any live bait to troll also so we have backup? Should we troll in the shipping channel into jetties or around the harbor or what? I’d like troll some mullet or menhaden under the gotchas for Sharks or Spanish, does anyone else do that? What us the best speed to troll and depth?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
IN florida we catch LY’s and just put them on a hook with a 60lb leader about 24" long and no weights, the LY’s always get a hit floundering around. Thats sitting still when a school come through, but trolling I like Clark spoons or Gotcha plugs.
Are the spanish in yet? Yes. for the next 2 months at least, you’ll be able to find them from the bridges to the 60 and past.
What would be the best way to catch some for a first timer? The easiest methods would be to troll gotchas and spoons (see below for more), with more casting spoons rigged to throw (hammered metal such as hopkins, or gotchas). the best time to do so is early morning when things are calm- you will be able to see them blitzing on anchovies/menhaden nearshore, just look for the excited terns (not seagulls and pelicans) and shiny fish coming straight out of the water. they will be topwater as long as it’s not too bright and there’s food around. “run and gun” with casting spoons when they make an appearance- you will be hooked!
Just troll gotcha plugs?? troll plugs and spoons, silver and gold, big and small, heavy and light, fast and slow, then repeat the things that work. small clark spoons in silver and gold are a good place to start. if twist becomes an issue with your spoons, try 20-30 FEET of 30+lb mono with a trolling weight and swivel at the top.
Is their any live bait to troll also so we have backup? Trolling live bait is more for kings, but you will get spanish if they’re around. menhaden don’t live very long, and they have to be more drifted than trolled (SLOW). keep live bait such as FMs to put under a float if you prefer it to throwing spoons- that method works at the jetties while fishing the rocks on anchor as well.
Should we troll in the shipping channel into jetties or around the harbor or what? yes. trolling in the harbor off any dropoff (castle pinckney, the channel edge of the JIYC, patriots pt, etc) or any water deeper than 10-15’ at the jetties/channel/offshore.
I’d like troll some mullet or menhaden under the gotchas for Sharks or Spanish, does anyone else do that? see above. trolling for sharks sounds like going around your elbow to get to… you know.
Thanks barbarawang! That’s incredibly helpful. Not thatt I really want to troll for sharks but we might have my 8yr bro on board so need some excitement. Do you troll in the prop wash or under it?
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the mud minnow.
I don’t know whether this is apropos to the Charleston area but down in the Broad River at the Hwy 170 bridge the Spanish are schooling heavily - last week they were herding up greenies (thread-fin shad) and free jumping everywhere - we caught a 28" Spanish that weighed 6.5lbs on cut bait on the bottom - last year, I caught an 8 pounder the same way. Next time I go, I’m going to carry some light spinning rods to cast for them while the cobia fishing is slow. Point is I think BW is right on the money - if you find schooling bait in deeper water inshore, you’ll find Spanish in the immediate area.