Posts Tagged ‘Folly Beach Fishing’

While traditionally this season conjures up thoughts of the holidays, don’t write off fishing until the Spring. One of our fisheries’ greatest phenomenon is taking place as the temperature drops. Redfish are building into huge schools sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Casting into a pod of redfish so big it looks like a dark cloud in the water will make any angler’s heart skip a beat.

These schools form as the redfish’s metabolism slows down with the dropping water temperature and they seek protection in numbers from the faster dolphins. The redfish will try to stay in as shallow water as possible and come up onto the flats at low tide in hopes of evading their predator. In addition, on sunny days, the mud flats will hold a few extra degrees of temperature which attracts these schools as well.

As you might expect, these fish are spooky and if chased will not eat. Once a school is located, it is often best to wait until the school eventually comes close to you. There is nothing more effective now than a chunk of cracked blue crab putting out a scent trail in the water. Rig these baits with a size 3/0 circle hook and it is imperative that the hook point come cleanly out of the bait. Put the rods in a holder and wait until the reel starts singing before you pick it up.

Bait isn’t the only way to catch these redfish. Fly fishermen have an advantage here as flies can land softly and quietly. Darker flies have been working the best with a size #2 black wiggler drawing some fantastic strikes. Should black not work don’t be afraid to rotate over to a size #2 white/chartreuse clouser minnow. As always, aim towards the edges of the school; a cast right over the middle will send the fish running for cover.

Sheepshead, also available, have begun their seasonal migration offshore although there will still be some stragglers around. You’ll want to target these fish around barnacle covered pilings or docks. Fiddler crabs and pieces of oyster have been working well. Suspend your bait vertically next to pieces of structure using a small sinker weight a short distance above your hook. The bite of these fish, sometimes referred to as “convict” fish because of their black stripes, can be difficult to detect. Given their fight and taste though, anglers find them well worth the challenge.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

Fishing in October was superb and anglers can expect November to be just as good if not better.  Cold nights serve as a reminder to fish that they had better eat now or it will be a long few months ahead. As usual, artificial lures become very effective for both redfish and trout. Take advantage of those sunny days and go catch a mess of fish!

Targeting the rapidly growing schools of redfish is a popular pursuit this time of year. We’re starting to find schools of fifty or more redfish.  Darker colored artificials remain the most productive patterns especially those with some sparkle. A significant majority of the time we are using flutter hooks that have a weight on the shank that makes the lures dart and dive. You’ll want to flick your rod tip to really make that lure dance. Scared bait fish rarely flee in a straight line!

It’s hard to think of a better way to catch a trout than with a live shrimp rigged on a popping cork. I’ll attach a two foot leader to the cork and a size 1 circle hook on the other end. Cast along grass banks, over oyster beds and at creek mouths and watch for that cork to dive under! It’s so hard to do but when that cork drops, reel the fish tight and let the circle hook do the work. Using a big hook set will sometimes rip the bait right out of the fish’s mouth.

Fly fishing has been better at low tide than at high tide. Even when we could find plenty of redfish up in the grass, they just didn’t seem to be that interested. On the other hand, you could watch pods of fish race each other to eat a fly on the flats. Not unlike artificials, flies in darker colors, especially black, proved to be the most effective. Remember when casting to a school of redfish, try to land your fly on the edges so as to not spook them.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

Cool days and lower water temperatures are setting our fishery on fire! Redfish and trout know they need to eat heartily now or go hungry over the winter. Fortunately, our waters are teeming with shrimp and mullet encouraging these fish to strap the feedbags on. If you have put fishing on hold for the rest of the year, get your tackle out and hit the water – you won’t regret it!

Redfish have begun to start schooling up as usual during this time of year. It has made for some fantastic fishing on the flats. On several charters, we’ve watched packs of redfish with their backs out of the water rushing up and down the banks chasing bait. Sometimes, the action has been so frenzied that birds will hover overhead picking up the scraps. Water clarity has been mixed so we’ve been casting darker artificial lures at these schools. Black with gold flakes has been a particularly productive color.

For trout, artificial paddle tail lures have begun to really produce. We fish them on a 1/4oz. jighead and vary the rate of retrieve. Again, we’ve been staying with darker bodies and Bass Assasain’s Chicken On A Chain or D.O.A.’s Fiji Chicken both work well. To make that jighead even more attractive, try putting a piece of shrimp on the hook. You can use pieces of live or frozen shrimp and it will put a scent trail on your lure that is hard to resist.

At the end of September, we had some massive tailing tides with high tides over seven feet. It made for a great opportunity for fly fishermen to stalk redfish up in the grass. The standard spoon fly with a good weed guard worked best. Watching redfish explode in a foot of water when they eat your fly is downright heart stopping. It can take lots of casts to get just one fish but it is worth the effort. Note that we have another series of big tides at the end of October.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.