Well summer has officially arrived. After a long windy spring, the winds are starting to subside and the water temperature is around 80 degrees. It is about time, this is the first year that I can remember since 1989 that Charleston had a true spring conditions. Typically in a 2 week time we go from 65 to 85 degrees.
I fished almost everyday in in March and April. March started off strong with some good numbers of trout and some aggressive reds on the flats, but with the changing weather conditions, wind, and approaching fronts fishing was hot and cold. We had numerous days of catching 30-40 redfish and trout, then the following day would struggle to catch 2 or 3 fish. The wind kept on blowing in April as we fished inshore and chased the reds and trout who seemed to change location on a daily basis, but on the light wind days we ventured out to the local nearshore reefs and live bottom areas and proceeded to catch large numbers of Black Sea Bass, Bluefish, Spanish, Flounder and Weakfish. In May the water temperature stabled out in the low 70’s and the fishing became consistent as the reds ,trout, flounder, and sharks started to get into their summer patterns and location.
On May 8th while fishing with a local customer we got the biggest surprise of the month by hooking a 50-60 pound tarpon on an artificial lure and 10 pound spinning outfit. We were working the rocks at the jetties casting Strike King Rattle Traps, and picking at some blue fish ( 2-4 pound range), then we landed a nice Spanish Mackerel, next I located a fin that I assumed was a Jack Cravelle. The next cast was perfect about 5 feet in front of the fish and the fish inhaled the lure and turned giving me a clear look, after picking my bottom jaw of the deck I started yelling poon, and for the next 7-10 minutes we chased the fish up and down the rocks as he put on an aerial display, before the fish leaped over the rocks and breaking the line. I really do not know who was more excited me or my client. That is what I love the most about saltwat