Overall I did not fish as much as normal over this past month, but I was able to make the most of the days that I did get out on the water. To start with the shrimp have come in solid, I have been catching 10-15 pounds of nice sized shrimp out of the deep holes with in four to five throws of the cast net, so needless to say we have been eating pretty good this month! As for the fishing, the inshore trout and redfish have been firing off around the creeks and shell bars with moving water as they feed on small shrimp and baitfish. We have still been taking nice sized reds off of the short grass flats with the fly rod. The big bull reds have also been coming in to the river in good numbers. Over three days of fishing for them in the past two weeks we have caught close to twenty bulls up to 40
pounds. Fall fishing is just around the corner so lets get after em! Captain Charlie

Poor Mans Tarpon – Lady Fish

With the dog days of summer we are seeing some of the best fishing of the year. To beat the heat of the day; we decided to get an early start on the days fishing, and leave the dock at day break. There is nothing like the feeling that you get while running down the river in the early morning with low light and you know that you’re on your way to a favorite fishing hole. We pull up a feeder creek that empties into a small bay of oyster bars and mixed spartana grass. The tide is falling out of the creek and bringing with it an abundance of shrimp and baitfish. We get set and immediately start to hook up on “the poor mans tarpon” known more commonly as ladyfish. We can’t keep bait in the water for more than a few seconds before one of these hungry monsters gobbles it down. For an hour we see this steady action and then, as if someone turned off the fish switch, it’s over. Who knows why they stopped but we sure had a great time playing with them while it lasted. To hear more tails of whoppers and mishaps give me a call and let’s put together a fishing trip and until then “catch em up”!

Fishing Forecast Beaufort, SC

By this time of the year the water temperature has warmed up significantly and the fishing season is in full swing. July fishing can be summed up in two words, “mixed bag”. There is so much to catch this time of year and the days are so long you may never find yourself at home. Weather is less of a factor inshore, and we will still be looking for calm days to venture out towards open water.

This months feature is Tarpon Fishing

The largest and most powerful sport fish migrating through our inshore waters is the mighty silver king. These magnificent fish are sought after world wide for their explosive bites, acrobatic leaps and hard runs. Tarpon are long lived fish, some of the older fish being over 60 years old. Average low country tarpon run in the one hundred plus pound range so when you hook into one of these bruisers I would suggest hanging on for the ride.

Inshore Fishing

If you’re looking to catch a trophy fish this is the time of year to do it. Our inshore waters are holding good numbers of big sharks and tarpon. Look to catch tarpon in the 100 to 150 pound range, these bruisers fight hard and put on a powerful aerial show. This is also a great month to fish the flats for tailing redfish and to work the creek mouths for sea trout and ladyfish. Near shore we have huge schools of spanish mackerel, blue fish and jacks which can be seen from great distances as they push glass minnows to the surface. These fisheries create a good opportunity for those of you who like to toss flies at big fish. Finally, shrimp season has arrived…if you enjoy eating shrimp, try eating them on the same day that you caught them.

Offshore Wreck Fishing

The offshore wrecks are still holding quite a few cobia and king mackerel. Along with cobia and kings expect to catch sharks (some exceeding 200 plus pounds), jacks and various bottom fish. Due to the fact that these wrecks are located in open water we generally look for light winds and calm seas to go offshore.

We experienced some really good fishing over the past month. I spent most of my time fishing the inshore waters for redfish and flounder. Overall the redfish bite was pretty good with many double digit days. The other nice thing about the reds that we have been catching over the past month has been the size. We caught more 8-10 pound reds in shallow water than I seen in a while. Late in the month the shrimping turned on, a few days ago we spent about 45 minuets shrimping and pulled in about twenty pounds of nice sized shrimp for dinner. Moreover, the bull reds have started to show up, not in large numbers yet, but that fishing is starting to get going. Until next time, catch em up! Charlie

Leaps and Bounds-Beaufort, SC Tarpon Fishing

It’s another summer day on the water and with questions about passing afternoon storms we decide to head out on a monster tarpon quest. As I set the anchor I catch a glimpse of a tarpon boiling up on a passing school of menhaden from the corner of my eye. I know that he is probably not alone so I hurry back to the pit to get my baits out and establish a chum line. With in a few minutes we have a full spread of baits out and were waiting for the big bite…and we wait…and wait…and wait until I start to wonder if were going to get a bite at all. With tarpon feeding all around the boat but nothing as much as sniffing our offerings, we get ready to move. As were pulling in our lines the top long bait goes down hard! The line is dumping off of the reel so fast that I worry were going to get spooled, “there he is, he’s jumping”! The fish is out about 150 yards putting on a great ariel show, but at this point I’m looking to dump the anchor and go after this fish. The first moments of the bite will usually dictate as to whether or not you’re going to catch the fish, and we were lucky on this trip to keep him glued until we could motor up and give him chase. We fight the fish for just over an hour; he gets a little, then we get a little, but that’s the way it goes when you’re dealing with a 150 pound fish that’s fighting for its survival. After a hard fight and a quick photo we release the worn out tarpon back to the water for another day. To hear more tails of whoppers and mishaps give me a call and let’s put together a fishing trip and until then “catch em up”!