Cooler weather hampers fishing

***image1***  Daniel Island Fishing Report

The week between Christmas and New Years was great for fishing. The weather was unusually warm and the fish bite was blazing hot. Before Christmas the water temperature was 51 degrees. On New Years days, the water temperature had climbed to 56 degrees. Fish that had been lethargic and slow to bite early in the week are now biting with gusto.

On the day after Christmas, I decided to do a little scouting for some trout. My father in-law, Dick Artmeier, would be visiting later in the week and I wanted to make sure he caught a few trout during his stay. I concentrated my fishing in creek bends that had oysters or docks. The trout were holding (and biting) in several of the locations I checked. After catching and releasing twenty or so trout, I left them biting to search for some reds. Poling my skiff into a small and very shallow creek, I found a good school of redfish in the 30 to 33 inch range. Feeling lazy and not wanting to rig a 10 pound class rod, I picked up the light-tackle outfit I was using for trout and cast an 1/8 lead head jig tipped with an Electric Chicken at the smallest fish in the school. Naturally, the largest fish took the lure. After about 10 minutes of serious disagreement, the red gave in and was released. Surprisingly, the school did not spook or leave the creek and I was able to release another 3 fish. Not a bad day for a scouting trip. The rest of the week produced similar results. If you want to catch some trout and redfish now is the time to go (before the next cold front drops the water temperatures).

If you have any questions about fishing in the waters surrounding our Island, please feel free to email captaingreg@shallowwatercharters.com.

Freshwater Fishing Report at Lake Moultrie

Largemouth Bass: Fair, cast spinnerbaits, plastic worms and lizards along docks and structure. Also cast Rattletraps and Rapala lures around Pinopolis Point and Old Hatchery. Striped Bass: Fair, casting and trolling. Crappie: Good, using small to medium minnows and Beetlespins around fish attraction areas and brush piles. Catfish: Excellent, using cut shad, herring, menhaden, mullet, live large shiners and nightcrawlers 25 to 40 feet deep on bottom. Bream: Fair. Try using crickets, redworms, and small minnows, around manmade fish attractors, crappie beds and around the dam around grates at powerhouse. Shellcrackers: Slow, try redworms and green worms along the banks along river runs and points.

Saltwater Fishing Trends at the Piers

Winyah Bay Fishing and Observation Pier (Georgetown): Open 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, with free parking and fishing. Visitors also enjoy great bird watching. A Freshwater Fishing License is required due to brackish water. A second fishing pier on Winyah Bay has now opened called Hobcaw Point Observation and Fishing Pier. Slow activity reported.

Folly Beach Pier: Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. April through October. Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Nov. Open 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Dec. through Jan. Slow activity.