Edisto's Ugly Ducklin' catches redfish

It helps to know the tried and true productive fishin' holes when its hotter than the hinges on the back door of hell in August! Captain Steve Fralin of Ugly Ducklin' Charters has that information and put it to the test on July 30 with three anglers from Augusta in town to catch some redfish. Pointing his skiff way up 'de crik' we anchored on a likely creek bend, after I had had been pressed into cast net duty to gather a few finger mullet and a 3-inch croaker along the way. The tide was dead low and the sun was high noon strength and brothers Ryan and Richie Andrews and friend Daniel Blanton began to reach for the cooler for some relief. Finally, Richie bailed out of the boat in search of cooling creek waters and the first redfish of the day hit the rod in the holder closest to him - and he literally fought that fish from the mud bank, which is where I made his photo. Next up was Ryan Andrews and his redfish was a true whopper that doubled his rod over, tested the drag system on the reel, and left tongues wagging for reasons other than the extreme heat. Blanton got the next fish, and this regular Masters patron reeled in a smaller redfish that was 'inside the leather' - and more of a gimme than a memorable ace. When the breeze was determined to have died, the hook was pulled and Edisto marina had one more fish tale to tell.

PhotoByJeffDennis: The fish of the day was this 30-inch, 10-pound red drum that was caught, tagged and released - and was easily the 'daymaker' for the boys from Augusta (Capt. Fralin with brothers Ryan and Richie Andrews)

Daniel Blanton says 'Whatup' to a juvenile redfish up da creek

Capt. Fralin doing duty as the net man when the big redfish was at the boat

Richie Andrews always fishes from the bank, whether he came by boat or not!