Temperatures have warmed considerably in the last couple of weeks. At present surface water temperature is in the low to mid 60’s. What a dramatic change (from 48 degree to 65 degree)! Small menhaden are in the rivers and creeks. Still reports of lots of small seatrout. The redfish bite has heated up as temperatures have risen! There plenty of shrimp at local bait shops. Once you locate a school of fish these fish are fat and hungry. Locating the schools sounds simply but all areas are not producing fish. For best chances of success fish close to the sounds and fish a drift (moving water), if one area is not producing try another. Fishermen are starting reports catches of whiting. The catches so far have been small. The bait of choice this is week for whiting is squid. Cold water sharks are presents on the sandbars. Still a little to cold for the other species. The striper bite has slowed down considerably. Still some stripers in local waters but anticipate the striper bite to come to a stand still as temperatures warm and these fish return upriver. Seatrout action is heating up! Allen from River Supply said one customer reported catching nice seatrout while pitching grubs off his dock. With water around 62 degrees this is an excellent time to pound the sandbars for stag bass. Matt Starling said a friend caught five stags! Spring time fishing for stag bass seems to have gotten better and better in the last few years. This is an excellent time to target large red drum around the outer sandbars. One young fishermen (Reid) last week caught a 40 inch stag with me while working the sandbars. Remember all fish over 23 inches need to be released so handle with care.
Tides for the remainder of the week are small. Generally small tides mean slow moving water. These tides are generally easy to fish but can be difficult to fish if you are not around moving water and the fish. Should be good tides for sheepshead, whiting, redfish and seatrout. For seatrout finding moving water will greatly increase your odds!
Whenever possible release your redfish for another day! Schools that seem large can be quickly depleted with five fish limit. I always recommend catch and release for redfish or when keeping fish, keep a South Carolina limit which is two fish. One DNR Department of Natural Resources publication stated that 90 percent of the states population lives within 100 miles of the coast. In short that translates into an enormous amount of fishing pressure. As Spud Woodward (DNR biologist) has said the future of our redfish fishery is catch and release. If you are involved with a local fishing club or participate in tournaments when given an opportunity encourage and participate in catch and release events. The fish you release one day, you or a loved one might catch another day! Keep a few fish when you want to eat some, otherwise release the rest!
Good Fishing! Capt. Jack McGowan