Fall has arrived bringing with it cooler weather and shorter days. But don’t put your rods and reels away just yet because we’re about to experience the best fishing of the year! Fishermen will continue to find success with live bait but artificial lures should become increasingly productive. Make time to get out on the water, you will have a blast!
Redfish have been hungrily eating cut and live bait fished on the bottom. Mullet especially are pervasive in our waters and can be easily netted. We’ll rig the bait on an Owner size 3/0 circle hook paired with a carolina rig. You can use this setup on the flats as well as under docks. Just put your rod in the holder and wait for the reel to start screaming as the fish hook themselves.
Artificial lures have started to really work for trout and the traditional paddle tail design has been great. I’ll use a 1/4oz. Trout Eye jighead and tie a loop knot to give the lure even more action. Vary your rate of retrieve as you prospect different spots for pockets of fish. To make your lure even more attractive, try putting a piece of shrimp on the hook. You can use pieces of frozen or live shrimp and it will put a scent trail on your lure that fish find hard to resist.
Even as artificial lures become more effective, keep tossing those popping corks. Live shrimp, mud minnows and artificial shrimp have been working great when suspended about 18″-24″ below the cork on a fluorocarbon leader and an Owner size 1 circle hook. Redfish, trout and flounder alike will eat these baits as they pass by suspended in the water column. Corks have been working best fished along grassy banks at mid and high tide.
With the colder water temperature, redfish are starting to form bigger schools. These large schools make for excellent sight fishing on low tides. On clear days, you can see these redfish swimming in circles with their golden backs flashing in the sun. Use patience when approaching the schools and when you make your first shot make sure to cast to the edges so as not to spook the school. Jerk shad artificial lures rigged on Gamakatsu size 3/0 flutter hooks are the way to go.
See you on the water!
The Tipton family joined me for a half day charter and we weren’t sure what to expect post Hurricane Florence even though Charleston received very little rain. Well, it fished great! A dozen fish at the first spot as reds and trout alike hit mud minnows under popping corks. Most of the reds were of modest size and then one rod got smoked. After an extended battle, we landed this sweet nine pound red and it was truly a family effort. Great job!
The Fall is the best time to fish in Charleston as cooling water temperatures let fish know that they better eat heartily because food will begin to disappear shortly. There is still time to catch summer seasonal species like shark, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish. However, by mid-September they will begin to head out in search of warmer climates. To top it off, lots of anglers will turn their attention to hunting and football which will leave you plenty of open water!
Redfish will begin to increasingly take artificial baits as usual during this time of year. Artificial plastic lures that resemble the minnows in our waters are quite effective. Zman’s 3 ¾” streakz in smokey shad is a great choice. I pair this lure with a 1/8oz. jighead but conditions sometimes call for a heavier weight. Vary your rate of retrieve as you work a spot. Just slowing down or speeding up the pace of the lure can make the bite come to life!
When targeting trout, popping corks remain the best option. While live shrimp is an excellent choice small fish will often eat that shrimp in seconds. As a result, we have been sticking with mud minnows paired with size 1 Owner circle hooks. Once hung up on structure or on a shell rake, popping corks can be hard to recover. While it’s rare you will get the whole rig back there is a simple trick that will save you time and money. Attach 20-pound test line to the top of the cork and attach a 15-pound test line to the hook from the bottom of the cork. When you pull hard, the line will snap at the hook and you will get your cork back.
Anglers are regularly catching bull redfish (36” inches plus) currently at the jetties or at nearshore reefs. During this time of year, these same fish come increasingly more into the harbor and inlets as they follow schools of large baitfish. A great set up for these fish will have a stiff rod paired with a heavy test braided line connected to a 50-60lb. leader and 7/0 circle hooks. Fresh chunks of mullet, menhaden or smaller fish are effective baits. Target spots where there are marked changes in depth and wait for the massive strikes!
See you on the water!
With a very low tide to start the trip, it was the perfect opportunity to fish for sharks in the inlet. Once set up on a ledge, the rods started whipping over as soon as the cracked blue crab hit the bottom. Got to the point where we couldn’t even keep two rods out at one time. Everyone on board was into the hot action. Fantastic way to start a charter!
John booked three mornings well in advance to make sure we had the best low tides for sightfishing on the flyrod. We were able to find agreeable fish every day but the bar was set high right out of the gates. In the first hour of the first day, John fought a fish for such a long time I thought the drag on his reel was set too light. I was very wrong as the fish turned out to be a 31″ redfish, the biggest on a flyrod so far this year. Great work!
Our fishery is in full swing with lots of bait and an incredibly diverse mixture of fish to target. During August, it will be key to get out early to beat the heat. You’ll not only be more comfortable fishing in the morning but also more productive. The high temperatures in the afternoon can put species like trout down. You may lose some sleep but launching at first light has plenty of rewards.
Popping corks are very effective this time of year. You can catch so many different types of fish: redfish, trout, flounder, ladyfish, shark etc. I use a weighted popping cork so I can increase the distance of my cast. I run an 18″-24″ fluorocarbon leader from the cork to a size 1 circle hook. When your cork drops under water, reel until you feel the weight of the fish and then lift the rod tip. Mud minnows, shrimp and artificial shrimp all work well as baits.
Topwater is a fantastic option when you are starting early. Try to get to your spot just as it is becoming light. Fish will strike topwater lures based on the commotion they make on the surface and aren’t able to see that the lure isn’t a real struggling baitfish. These lures work well for trout, ladyfish and redfish. Heddon’s Super Spook Jr. lures in chartreuse and black or red and white are the ticket.
This time of year you’ll want to carry your cast net not only for shrimp but also for baitfish like finger mullet and menhaden. Finger mullet under a popping cork are deadly for trout and can’t be torn to bits by little bait stealing fish. Menhaden fished live on the bottom with big circle hooks are great for reds and sharks. Fresh cut menhaden or mullet put out a scent trail that few fish can ignore.
See you on the water!
July is one of the most productive months of the year for fishing. The combination of traditional targets like redfish and trout and summer seasonal species like shark, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel make for a very active fishery. Anglers can expect lots of different opportunities during all tides!
Don’t leave the dock without your cast net. Menhaden and finger mullet are readily available and choice baits for redfish. Target redfish while fishing these baits around structures like docks and rock walls. You can hook the bait on a size 3/0 circle hook going up through the lower lip and out through the top. Place the bait on the bottom with a Carolina rig using enough weight to hold your bait stationary so it doesn’t snag.
As for trout, popping corks paired with live bait is the way to go. We have been using mud minnows as pervasive little fish will steal live shrimp right off your hook. Choose a popping cork that you can easily throw and see. Oval corks weigh more and cast farther. Orange can be easier to see than green or yellow when there is chop on the water. Throw your cork in an area with current and you will be catching loads of trout.
All species of shark have appeared. Sharpnose and blacktip sharks have been present for over a month and bonnetheads are becoming more present. The same menhaden mentioned above make for great shark bait. We still use circle hooks but go up to size 7/0. Try fishing one line with a live menhaden and a second with a chunk of menhaden. You’ll find out quickly which one is preferred!
This is the strongest season in recent memory for Spanish mackerel. We have been finding them in heavy numbers in places where they have rarely been seen. These fish are great fun for all anglers and easy to catch. Cast reflective jigs through schools of busting fish and reel as fast as possible. Expect dynamic action as these fish knife through the water chasing your lure!
See you on the water!
Enjoyed a week of perfect conditions with no rain and low water with perfect clarity. Rainbow and brown trout were both very active feeding below and above the surface. With fantastic visibility, it was easy to watch trout coming up to eat your dry fly or chasing your nymph. Only fished big bushy dry flies with smaller nymphs dropped off the back. Great family fun and a chance for me to go fishing for a change!
