Warm weather has arrived and with it comes a host of seasonal species like Spanish mackerel, shark, and ladyfish. The traditional targets, redfish and trout, feed more aggressively as bait fills our waters. Our fishery is teeming with action and opportunities for anglers are endless. You have more reasons now than ever to get fishing!

It’s time to make the most of live bait when fishing for redfish. Menhaden is a favorite choice whether fished as cut bait or live. We’ve caught some big redfish by pitching chunks of menhaden under docks. You’ll need to use enough weight to keep your bait in place so it won’t drift and get snagged. I use pinch-on split shot that can be easily adjusted and just add or remove these weights as needed.

Topwater trout action at first light has returned! My favorite lure is a Heddon’s Super Spook Jr. in chartreuse and black while an easy fallback is their silver mullet color. Make sure to try a variety of retrieval speeds when working these lures. When that fish hits, resist the temptation to lift the rod tip and reel the trout tight instead. It’s hard to beat those amazing strikes!

Spanish mackerel are beginning to arrive, especially in the harbor, and can be best found at first light. If you find schools of fish slashing across the surface, throw reflective casting jigs and reel them quickly through the school. Alternatively, if you think fish are present but not eating on the surface, try trolling Clark Spoons at different depths and different speeds. Check your leader often as it only takes catching a few of these teethy fish to cut through it.

Per usual, sharks have arrived with the warmer water temperatures. Just watch the shoreline and you’ll witness bonnethead sharks slicing through the water as they seek out prey. These predators will eat most anything, but live shrimp and chunks of blue crab can be especially productive. Shark fishing is a great way to get younger anglers involved as sharks are usually hungry and put up hard fights.

See you on the water!

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.

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.