Fishing the South Carolina Coast

Inshore

The South Carolina Redfish is the most sought after fish by anglers and the methods used are dictated by the seasons.  The low-country has many miles of rivers and creeks that presenting itself with a variety of fish and environment.  Let’s first  investigate what happens in the cold weather… The yellow and gold hues of the Sparina grass offer visual proof of the end of summer.  The alga shrinks and the waters transforms into clearer blues.  Ruling schools of redfish gather and remain in water temperatures above 50°, while the pups (smaller reds) remain in the rivers, bays and sounds until they reach maturity and head for open ocean waters.  Once in the ocean they can reach 50 to 70+ pounds and are known as Bull Reds.    

As the weather warms the flats begin to flood and become active with aggressive hungry reds feed on crabs while standing vertical commonly known as tailing. A rattling-float rig seems like too much gear to place near a tailing fish.  The weather is usually very clear and the fish are flighty.  A noisy rig will most certainly spook them.   As the larger Reds returning home from the ocean they are accompanied by other game fish including flounder, ladyfish and sea trout.  The migration to cooler waters from Florida involves the Crevalle Jack and Tarpon or more interestingly known as the Silver King.       Anglers would be wise to compete with the natural foods by using finger mullet, shrimp and blue crab quarters with the back shell removed.  While using a rattling float it would behoove you to use live shrimp under the float in order to get a lot of bits from non-target fish, like pinfish.  If shrimp aren’t available you can use finger mullet.  After casting the float up current let it ease into the activity without vigorously popping the float. Rattling floats can be used for redfish from the edge of the marsh grass all the way out to the jetties that dot the coast.       No longer are redfish allowed to be harvested commercially.  As a gamefish, there is a limit of two 14 to 27” redfish allowed.  However, careful handling and release will encourage the growth and appreciation of the redfish.  South Carolina saltwater anglers who think they have been catching a few more redfish lately are right. Current survey results indicate that conservation measures recently implemented are having a positive effect on the abundance of redfish in South Carolina's estuaries.

Offshore

You can experience enjoyable year-round fishing on South Carolina's marine artificial reefs.   The busiest time of the year on the artificial reefs is from May through November, but of course anytime of the year is enjoyable fishing for both the experienced and inexperienced angler.         During the spring as the water warm bluefish, cobia, amberjack, Spanish mackerel and king mackerel can be landed by trolling or drifting bait or artificial lures.  At the same time, bottom fish such as sheepshead, black sea bass, porgy, red and black drum can be hooked with live bait, squid or cut bait.  Spring and early summer bring the crevalle jack, barracuda, pompano, spadefish and shark can be found near the shore reefs.  If you travel further off shore to the reefs you will find tuna, dolphin, mackerel and sail fish.  During the summer months, Flounder, grouper, snapper, black sea bass, are found while bottom fishing.  Cobia, king mackerel, red drum and spotted sea trout replace the summer fish As the fall and early winter approach and during the coldest winter months of the year the large black sea bass, sheepshead, drum and grouper are active.

It is a privilege for the angler to reap the benefits of an artificial whether it is to catch or simply observe a wide variety of fish and lobster or to bring home a reward for a day of fishing.  There are no natural reefs in the waters of the continental United States above the southern tip of Florida.

There is a sandy bottom several feet deep off the South Carolina coast and only a small percentage of hard bottom will allow formation of a reef.   Where a “hard bottom” is along the coast there is over utilization by fishermen and divers, thus the need for artificial reefs. By choosing an appropriate spot on the bottom an environmentally safe material, most often concrete or steel, is put in place and nature takes over with countless of colonizing living organism cozying up to even the most minutia of surfaces.

North Carolina’s artificial reef program began in 1973 and is managed by the DNR marine resources division.  These 38 reefs can be found in waters 9 to 110 feet deep ranging from inshore to 35 miles offshore.  These reefs can be constructed of simply scrap materials of steel and concrete bridges and pipes to sophisticated   Ex-military aircraft and missiles.  Even heavy-duty cost-effective plastics can offer quality reefs. The artificial reefs  range in size from small to a mile square and are often located by 4-ft tall masts with radar reflected rafted buoys.  While buoys are placed to aid in locating an artificial reef they are not to be messed with, as strict federal laws prohibit such behavior and stiff penalties will be enforced.