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Yearly Archives

2023

Kiawah Fishing

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Kiawah Fishing

Fishing Kiawah

Jeff already had the bug for targeting big redfish and this time he brought his Dad along too. Eating heartily ahead of the big storm system, reds whipped the rods over again and again. Cut mullet was the bait of choice. By the end of the charter, the redfish averaged over ten pounds while David set the bar with a 13 pounder, his biggest fish ever!

 

Charleston Family Fishing Trips

By Fishing, Fishing Report, Uncategorized

Charleston-Family-Fishing-Trips

Started as the tide began to fall and had some luck around docks. Once the tide started rolling the popping corks started dropping! Trout ate both live shrimp and mud minnows with our biggest trout at 3lbs. Headed to the flats where reds were happy to hit cut mullet. Things went so well that Jake even let his dad catch a few. Make Charleston family fishing a part of your next vacation!

Charleston Fishing Report – April 2023

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Kiawah-Fishing-Charters

At the beginning of March, Charleston had begun to shed the effects of Winter. The bite improved noticeably and then two weeks of storms and windy weather slowed things down again. Redfish are available and trout can be found too if you work the right lures. Temperatures will surely rebound in April and with it so will the fishing!

The big schools of redfish found during the winter are breaking up as these fish are more active.  Anglers should consider using artificial plastic lures that mimic baitfish. One good choice would be “jerk shad” lures that have become popular and come in a variety of colors. I’ve been finding that hues of silver and blue have been working great and produce even when water clarity is poor. These lures work best paired with a size 3/0 flutter hook.

The trout bite should really begin in earnest this April. With water temperatures warming, it’s hard to believe they won’t become aggressive feeders before too long. The preferred setup of live bait under a popping cork is hard to beat. Live shrimp is now available and will give you another option than mud minnows. It’s a fine idea to start carrying your cast net and see if you can catch some finger mullet. Finger mullet under a cork is plain deadly.

Flounder are now present and eating. We’ve been catching them usually when fishing with mud minnows on the bottom or mud minnows under popping corks. You’ll need to focus on structure when targeting flounder. Docks and pilings are good places to try. Flounder will stick to the bottom in hopes of ambushing their prey, so you’ll need to keep that bait down and in their strike zone.

See you on the water!

Since 2009, Capt. Geoff Bennett has operated Charleston Charter Fishing providing light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of 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.

 

Sullivan’s Island Fishing

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Sullivan's Island Fishing

Lots of bait in the water! Warmed up redfish heartily eating mud minnnows on jigheads and cut mullet on the bottom. Had good success as the reds came out of the grass and then congregated around docks at low tide. Shorts and T-shirt weather to top it off!

Stono River Fishing

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Stono River FishingThe reds were a little wary to start the charter. A few times our rods tips would bend slightly then spring back. This all changed once the water started moving! Our rods whipped over time and time again. Broke off plenty of big fish as they quickly dove for structure. Managed to get a few to the boat with the biggest at 32″!

Charleston Fishing Report – March 2023

By Fishing, Fishing Report

 

Charleston-Fishing-Report

One of the warmest Winters on record has our fishery primed to get going early this year. You could even say it never fully went dormant as days in the 70s have kept water temperatures much higher than normal. Bait fish that usually disappear have been present and kept the redfish feeding. Trout should be ready to go in mid-March. It’s time to break out your reels and rods and get ready for a great season!

Having spent the last few months avoiding dolphins and laying low, redfish are now focused on feeding instead of simply surviving. Low tide will be the best time to target big schools of redfish that can number in the hundreds. These fish are still spooky, so a subtle and quiet approach is very important. On many days, it pays to rest in one spot when you find a school and wait for them to come to you instead of pushing them away.

As these reds are nervous, I’ll try to disturb them as little as possible by minimizing my casting. This is a perfect time to fish with bait on the bottom.  I’ll put a chunk of blue crab or frozen mullet on a size 3/0 circle hook and just let it rest until the redfish swim over it. Make sure the barb of your hook is fully through the bait and the point is cleanly exposed. Place your rod in the rod holder and get ready for it to rip over once the circle hook sets itself!

As trout begin to feed, popping corks cast over oyster beds and along grass banks will be a good bet with mud minnows attached. I usually pair a 18”-24” fluorocarbon leader with a size 1 circle hook. While there is no shortage of choices, I use oval shaped corks that are heavier and can be cast further. When using a popping cork, do your best to keep slack out of your line and when that cork drops under just reel without lifting the rod tip. You’ll find that the circle hook rarely misses as long as your line is tight.

See you on the water!

Since 2009, Capt. Geoff Bennett has operated Charleston Charter Fishing providing light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of 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.

Folly Beach Fishing Charters

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Kiawah Island Fishing Charters

Very windy conditions forced us to seek shelter in the creeks making docks our only option and it was……..awesome! Huge redfish were smoking cut mullet on the bottom. With our drags tightened all the way down, it was all we could do to turn these fish. We even broke out the shark rods towards the end. Battled many, landed some with the heaviest at 16 pounds and the longest at 33″.

Kiawah Island Fishing

By Fishing, Fishing Report

Kiawah Island Fishing

Found plenty of big schools on the flats but not many takers. Switched over to docks and the bite really turned on at slack tide. Julian did a great job wrestling this stud out from tight cover! Cut mullet the choice of the day.