OT: Anybody from the Lowcountry, South Carolina?

[nemhed]

I'm going to be spending spring break with my wife, kids, and in-laws on the coast in South Carolina, Fripp Island to be exact. I intend to spend as much time fishing and crabbing as I can while everyone else is sightseeing. We spent a week camping on Hunter Island a year ago last October so I'm kind of familiar with the area. This year we're doing the condo thing (not my choice). Anyway, I need advice on saltwater fishing in the area. We did a little crabbing while down there last time, but I'm a born and raised midwesterner so any help would be appreciated. I'm not much on the idea of going out on a chartered boat or with a guide. I do intend to bring a canoe and small kayak. Thanks!

[Pisgah]

It's been many years since I fished down there, so I can't give you any current info. I can say, though that the salt marshes and creeks around Fripp are a fisherman's paradise. If no one on the forum comes forward with advice, you might try contacting the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and see if they can put you in touch with a local. BTW, in SC that's "Bew-fort", not "Bow-fort". "Bow-fort" is in NC.

[rjohns94]

I spent lots of time in Beaufort and Charleston, YK is from Charleston. You should enjoy your vacation there. Use that canoe to get back in the salt marshes and fish for sea trout under a large popping cork with a three foot leader and a shrimp, in and around the sand bars. If you get out to the river mouth, you can dunk whole bunker for sharks, tarpon, and a variety of other spicies.

[Bogie35]

I've always had more success with a standard 2-hook ocean rig (2oz weight in the marshes and on piers, 3oz in surf) using small shrimp (or halved large shrimp). One hour before high tide to one hour after high tide in the marshes. Surf fishing is my favorite. I seem to have good luck regardless of tide, casting just barely beyond the breakers (not too far out). Also, in early Fall, I've had great success catching sea trout using Gotcha plugs, but I'm not sure about Spring or Summer.

Crabbing is one of my favorite. There's nothing like a good ol' boiled blue crab from a Carolina marsh! Mmmmmmmm!

Have fun!

bogie

[nemhed]

If you get out to the river mouth, you can dunk whole bunker

I don't even know what this means!

I can say, though that the salt marshes and creeks around Fripp are a fisherman's paradise.

This is definitely the kind of fishing I want to do, beside the crabbing. Crabbing is such a great thing to do with kids.

I appreciate the replies and the advice. I'm going to try to keep things simple and I will call ahead to get advice from some locals.

[Bill_Rights]

Yeh, I'm from there. Spring, eh? What exact month? Anyway, my favorite fish, the sea trout (spotted weakfish) won't be in till much later. I could tell you how to fish for those. But others that are year-arounders, like flounder, have some of the same habits --> going up in the marsh to feed or hide from bigger stuff. To get at them, concentrated, fish at the mouths of small (10-15' wide) creeks on the rising tide just before the marshes start to flood; another chance is the out-going tide as the marsh empties.

On Fripp, without a boat, you can surf cast or go to the fishing pier at the south end of Hunting Isl. Off the pier is "bottom fishing" with weighted dead shrimp. Or you can float a live shrimp or minnow. Or, we even play around with "free shrimping" (or minnow). You never know what's coming through that sound with the tide.

If you do bring your canoe or kyack, you can fish the marshes behind the island. Neither is big enough to go out in the sound or off the beach unless the weather and seas are dead calm. It takes all you can do to manage the craft, much less handle fishing tackle. Behind the island, you can try marsh creek mouths, like I said above or, if you can find a deep (20-28') "hole" with rocky bottom, little black sea bass are year-arounders and a bottom rig and dead shrimp will get them (along with some trash species). I don't know those waters well enough to tell you if/where the holes are. Hint: the outside side of creek bends, 1/3 in from the shore.

If you want to spend a few hundred dollars to rent a boat (marina is there), post again and I'll go over the options that opens.

[coastalsc]

Look at charlestonfishing.com, look for the Beaufort/Hilton Head forum and ask some questions. Fishing is funny here, tide is everything. You're coming at a nice time, enjoy.

[Ysabel Kid]

YK is from Charleston.

I WISH! I love Charleston. Used to have customers down there and got to visit about 4-5 times a year. No such luck now.

I live in upstate SC, just across the line from Charlotte. Never have done any coastal fishing. Good luck!!!