Fishing Reports

Charleston Weather & Buoys Weather: Mostly Cloudy   Feels Like: 69.0º

Fishing Reports are updated regularly so check here often for great tips from an expert, Scott Hammond, General Manager of Haddrell's Point West Ashley:

Last Update: March 1st, 2010

Offshore:
Lets start with some positive signs on the offshore front. Last week we were fortunate enough to have some great weather for about 3 days, and quite a few boats were able to slip out. While many of them went bottom fishing, numerous did venture out to drag a few baits. In addition to several nice wahoo being caught, there was nice blue marlin caught...yep, a February marlin! As mentioned a few wahoo were caught, but also a few stray dolphin were found on a temp break out about 70 miles from charleston. The bottom fishing was solid during the weather window, with great reports of large black sea bass being taken in 60-70 feet of water along areas of good live bottom. Use Jigs, cut squid, and/or cigar minnows for best success on the black sea bass.




Inshore:
The sheepshead and Redfsih bite continues to be strong, with the reds still up on the tidal flats at low water levels I equate winter redfishing to being kinda "feast or famine". You may hit 3 flats before you locate a school of reds, but when you do find them, you will commonly find them in schools of 25-100 fish. Use GULP! jerkshads rigged on a flutter hook, small gold spoons, or Rattling Copperhead fly if you want to present a fly to them. If all else fails, swing by the store here and get you a couple dozen mud minnows as a "dynamite" option. Sheepshead are still being caught along bridge pilings and rock piles, though we are starting to see an increase of the larger "breeder" fish heading to the nearshore reefs to spawn currently. Fiddlers, clam strips, or oysters are all fantastic baits to drop vertically for a sheepshead. Don't overlook a pretty good Black Drum bite going on at the jetties and nearshore reefs currently as well. The drum will readily take almost any cut or live bait, from cut shrimp to live minnows and even fiddler crabs.


Personal Report:
February 21st 2010 - Finally got a nice weather day to coincide with one of my days off, so I lined up Michael Johnson from the store here and a good friend of mine Royce Breland to head out early Sunday morning for some reef fishing for sheepshead and black drum. Left Wappoo around 6:30am and by 7:30am we found ourselves on top of one of my favorite reef structures to fish south of Charleston on a flat calm ocean. The day started out slow with only a pile of black sea bass taking our fiddlers. Stuck with it and by 9:00am we finally started to get bit by sheepshead. First one to the boat was about 5 pounds, as well as the second. We ended up fishing several pieces of structure and ended up producing 12 sheepshead (released) and 8 black drum by just after 12:00pm. Of course we caught 50-60 black sea bass as well that ranged in size from a measly 4inches to 17 inches. Never did find any big sheepshead, our bigger fish were all around 5 pounds, but we had an absolute blast on a calm ocean. Capt Mike Able Jr also reports that the reds have been schooled up extremely well lately on these nice sunny days we are finally getting. Mike has been producing some nice fish on the fly, as well as still doing well with them on convential gear. He still recommends jerk shad style baits to present to schooling reds, and has recently been doing well with the ZMAN streakz jerk shads in combination with Pro-Cure scent gels.


**Spring is fast approaching, and we are wrapping up our reserve orders for Bionic Ballyhoo. Don't get caught late season with "summer caught" ballyhoo!!!**

Personal Report from Capt. John Fuss of Haddrell's Point:
Blackfish 2010: Ran out with 3 buddies to some live bottom in 70 feet of water. The plan was to make a quick morning trip, catch some blackfish, and motor back in before lunch. It was a short ride to the fishing grounds on a slick calm ocean, and once on the numbers we steady caught fish until we had enough. Tactics: Double drop or "chicken" rigs with squid for bait.We had a fine time and have some fantastic eats to show for our efforts! There's no time of year that one can NOT find something to do in the Lowcountry!



Questions? Comments? Reports? Never hesitate to contact either store location for even more up to date information!

Tight Lines and Calm Winds!!

Scott Hammond
Asst Manager
Haddrell's Point Tackle West Ashley


Additional fishing tools:
Fishing Hot Spots
Charleston Fishing
Fishing Works
SC Coastal Saltwater Fishing Guide

•   "Preparing Boat for Upcoming Fishing Season" with Capt. Mike Murphy of Hanckel Marine
     February 22nd 2010, 6 pm at Haddrell's Point (Mount Pleasant); RSVP 843-881-3644;   FREE
  
  
•   "Fly Casting Classes" with Capt. Mike Able and Randy Hamilton of Ross Reels
     March 6th 2010, 1 pm at Haddrell's Point (Mount Pleasant); RSVP 843-881-3644; Limited to 8 per class   FREE
  
  
•   "Spring Reds on the Fly" with Capt. Peter Brown of Saltwater Charters
     March 7th 2010, 3 pm at Haddrell's Point (West Ashley); RSVP 843-573-3474;   FREE
  
  
•   "Inshore TopWater Seminar" with Capt. Mike Able Jr.
     March 9th 2010, 6 pm at Haddrell's Point (West Ashley); RSVP 843-573-3474;   FREE
  
  
•   "Turkey Hunting Q and A" with Scott Hammond
     March 12th 2010, 6 pm at Haddrell's Point (West Ashley); RSVP 843-573-3474;   FREE
  
  
•   "Fly Casting Classes" with Capt. Mike Able and Randy Hamilton of Ross Reels
     March 20st 2010, 1 pm at Haddrell's Point (Mount Pleasant); RSVP 843-881-3644; Limited to 8 per class   FREE
  
  
•   "Spring Redfish Seminar" with Capt. Geoff Bennett of Charleston Charter Fishing
     March 21st 2010, 1 pm at Haddrell's Point (West Ashley); RSVP 843-573-3474;   FREE
  
  
•   "Cobia Seminar" with Capt. John Fuss
     April 11th 2010, 1 pm at Haddrell's Point (West Ashley); RSVP 843-573-3474;   FREE