Inshore:

Being the avid trout fisherman I am, now is the time of year that I look forward to most! Large “gator” trout are most abdundant in the spring time, and so far 2013 is proving no different. Though the month of May has always been my favorite time for big trout in 22″ plus range, April has already seen quite a nice run of quality fish well over 20″s. Target structure and feeder creeks with a good current flow in 4-8ft of water. Baits such as live shrimp and live menhaden are always a cant fail, but artificials such as the Trout Trick and Zman PaddlerZ can and will also produce many trout. The majority of our redfish have transitioned from large winter schools over to smaller pods of fish, but this means they are readily available to anglers fishing all kinds of habitat. From fishing under docks at low tide, to tailing redfish at high water up in the grass flats, the reds can be found almost anywhere. As always, live minnows and cut mullet are a sure bet but don’t over look artificial baits such as Gulp! Jerkshads, chatterbaits, and DOA shrimp. Bluefish have begun schooling up in the harbor and around the Charleston Jetties, a sure bet for fast action. A #00 clarkspoon or 1/2oz casting jig should be all you need to tangle with these saltwater pirahnas.

Offshore:

The past few weeks on the offshore side, when the wind would allow, yielded some great reports of wahoo and blackfin tuna. Well as of this past week, you can now add a solid Dolphin bite to the hoos and tuna as well. The handful of boats that were able to slip out the past 5 or 6 days with a weather window came back with typical reports of 5-15dolphin per boat, in addition to decent numbers of wahoo and blackfin thrown in the fish box with the dolphin as well. While the blackfin and wahoo have been targeted most in 140-250ft of water, some of the better dolphin reports were out a little deeper in the 400-600ft range….or wherever they were able to find a decent temp break.

Scott Hammond
Manager – Haddrell’s Point Tackle – West Ashley
843-573-3474

Inshore:

With water temps pushing up into the mid to upper 60′s this past week, the fish have been responding accordingly. Most consistent action has been on the spotted sea trout, with average reports of 15-20 fish per trip coming in regularly. More important than the numbers of trout being caught is the size we have been seeing. Great numbers of fish in the 20-22″ range have been common, and quite a few fish exceeding 24″s…officially putting you into that “gator trout” category. Creek mouths and shell rakes in 5-7ft of water have been most consistent on the trout, however many of the large breeder trout have also been found in 10-15ft of water near heavy structure. Live baits such as minnows and shrimp are a cant fail, but artificial baits including the 17MR MirroLures and Zman StreakZ have also been producing very well. Reds are in a bit of transition time of the year, meaning while many fish are still schooling up on the shallow flats, there is also some good action to be had fishing docks and rock piles. Cut mullet, live minnows, and Gulp! shrimp have been the baits of choice lately. Sheepshead are scattered about anywhere from inshore dock pilings to our nearshore reefs a few miles offshore, and while fiddler crabs are always a good bait choice for the sheeps, oysters and live shrimp can and will also produce for you as well.

Offshore:

If you are still putting together the odds and ends on your offshore boat right now, you are starting to miss some great action. Great reports of wahoo this week have been flooding in from the Georgetown Hole and SouthWest banks areas, as well as solid numbers of blackfin tuna. Common reports have been boats with 3-5 wahoo per trip and 3-15 blackfin tuna. Try to find a warm water eddy where you are fishing, and you will be in some great fishing. Pull small baits (sea witches and small chuggers) and cedar plugs for the blackfin, and larger lures with medium or large ballyhoo for the wahoo. While with it being spring the water and where to fish can change daily, best reports have been from 150-200ft of water. Many wahoo have been large, with countless wahoo being caught being over 50lbs and quite a few in the 60-75lb range.

Scott Hammond
Manager – Haddrell’s Point Tackle – West Ashley
843-573-3474