Lowcountry Fishing Report - 3/20/2012

Fishing Report for the Coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina:


Charleston Inshore Report: Bart Manley at the Market Street location of The Charleston Angler reports water temperatures steady at 64 to 65-degrees, and the redfish have started to break away from their schools. Increased redfish activity includes anglers seeing the fish on the flats during high tides that are sufficient to flood those areas. An imitation crab lure such as D.O.A. or Gulp have been producing strikes, but live mud minnows should do the trick too. Cut mullet and blue crab chunks are just two of the best stink bait options where the pig redfish can nose their way into your float plan. The trout bite is sparse, but not altogether obsolete when trolling Z-man grubs along the marsh edge or when fishing oyster bars using a D.O.A. shrimp under a popping cork. For all the latest seminar information on the web visit Charleston Angler.

Whether it's Tournament Time or a charter, Tucker pushes the limit.

Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West is almost too busy to fish since he is busy running in-store sales and making trips into the turkey woods, however his customers who target trout are seeing some consistency. Not too many in terms of big catch totals but solid days with between 5 and 15-trout running from 14-18 inches in length. The trout are biting Zman paddlerz, D.O.A. shrimp, live shrimp, or even a good ole mud minnow (or mumichug). Redfish continue to transition into a warm water pattern and can be located under docks, on the flats and around structure like rock piles. Live bait and cut bait are still a no-fail option for spot-tails but Gulp artificials and Refish Magic spinners are working reasonably well. Solid reports of sheepshead are coming in from the jetties and the nearshore reefs, but plan on weeding through several black sea bass before nailing the sheepies. For the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Haddrell's Point.

Captain Jody Tucker with Looking For Tail Charters is fishing the tournament trail pretty hard, but his charter customers are finding out that the redfish bite is strong. Tucker reports water temperature around 69-degrees in the ICW and the redfish are being found around oyster beds, under docks and on the flats. Other redfish delights include live finger mullet, mud minnows, or live shrimp under popping corks are working well. Carolina rigs with cut mullet is Tucker's go-to bait for working reds in deep pockets under docks, while scented soft plastics work in the tighter spots. The trout bite is erratic but Tucker can find one or two around deeper oyster banks in 4 to 8-feet of water. If it's sheepshead you want, Tucker says they are being found at bridge pilings and will eat fiddlers, oysters and clams. Looking for Capt. Jody Tucker? Try LookingForTailCharters@gmail.com or call 843-870-5245.

Charleston Offshore Report: Scott sounds joyful in reporting that the bluewater has awakened with some awesome fishing! Unless you are under a rock well inland, then anglers have heard that the wahoo bite is going off right now. Reports of 5 to 10-wahoo per boat have been pouring in from boats fishing in the 150 to 300-foot range, while a few report success in 700-feet of water. Most boats are fishing to the north in the neighborhood of the southwest banks and the Georgetown Hole. The deli area has begun serving up some slinger dolphin (perfect for a mahi sandwich), and blackfin tuna are being found along the ledge. This is one of the best starts to the offshore season in recent memory, and may be related to the mild winter, which may translate into the gulf stream being more robust.

Bart relays that offshore results have been varied thanks to those March winds that roared like a lion. Black seabass have started to move into the offshore and nearshore wrecks, and although anglers are not allowed to keep them, they can provide a morale booster. The mahi bite should start to pick up towards the end of the month, and it could be sooner rather than later that the first schools come through. The moon has been good for the wahoo bite when trolling dark colors like black, purple and orange using an Ilander lure and ballyhoo combo.

To view past Lowcountry fishing reports click here.