Lowcountry Saltwater Fishing Report - 10/29/2013

Fishing Report for the Coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina:

Sight-fishng via flyrod for trout and bass is great when the temps cool and the water clears up

Charleston Inshore: Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West says that judging by the recent reports there must have been a jailbreak because the convict fish (aka sheepshead) have been absolutely on fire. Reports of fish in the 2 to 8-pound range have been rampant with catch numbers from 5 to 25-sheepies per trip. Live fiddlers and live shrimp are two of the best baits you can use and target the sheepshead around jetties, bridge pilings and any heavy structure in 6 to 20-feet of water. The fall trout bite has hit high gear, with great reports on live minnows, live shrimp, Zman DieZel minnows and Slayer soft baits fished around shell banks. Don't overlook the ever popular Trout Trick lure as well for good numbers of specks. The redfish have shown signs of schooling in larger numbers on the shallow low tide flats, where a chunk of cut mullet or a Gulp! shrimp are always hard to beat when casting to these schooling fish. For the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Haddrell's Point.

Beaufort Inshore: Craig Lupton at Buck, Bass and Beyond begins by sharing that the trout fishing remains good. Lots of numbers of trout are being reported plus some nice-sized ones are mixed in. The trout are eating the new VUDU shrimp under a popping cork and free lining a DOA shrimp in Avocado color is also working. Of course, live bait rigged under a popping cork should draw a strike when fishing near oysters. The redfish have begun schooling and anglers targeting them on the flats are using Zman paddlerz with a ProCure scent on it. The BIG red drum are still out there at the nearshore reefs and wrecks, and they are chewing on cut mullet, or Craig's pro tip is the SPRO bucktail jig tipped with a chartreuse Gulp swimming minnow. Weakfish, bluefish and black sea bass are also available at the wrecks right now. Flounder gigging is going great with the water clearing up nicely. The flounder are also eating well, with the Gulp chartreuse jerk bait, or the pearl swimming mullet the baits of choice.  The 170 bridge is producing good numbers of sheepshead and black drum, and the Paradis Pier at Hunting Island has been overrun with red drum. For more store info, and for their guided hunting offers, visit the Internet at Buck, Bass and Beyond.

Offshore: Craig has heard that lots of vermillion snapper, trigger fish and black sea bas are eating squid in 120-feet of water. The cobia are still out there and one customer saw four swimming together and ended up landing two of them using a big live greenback herring!! The herring was for the bottom fish, but when they were finicky, this resourceful angler put them to good use on the passing cobia.

Scott shares that the fall sailfish bite continues to just be so-so in nature, but there are acres of blackfin tuna holding along the ledge to provide some fast-paced action. Wanna try something different for the blackfins? Try throwing a large 'chugger' style topwater lure on a spinning reel into the school of tuna for some heart-stopping hits on the water's surface. If the tuna are down deep, just break out your jigging rod because nothing says 'Here fishy fishy' like a butterfly jig in their face! Some quality wahoo are still coming to the store scale in the 40 to 75-pound range, with most being found in 140 to 250-feet of water. Bottom fishing in 80 to 125-feet of water is producing vermillion snapper, triggerfish, large black sea bass and some decent grouper. Cut squid and cigar minnows are always a must have for some bottom fishing, but don't forget your sabiki rigs so you can jig up some live baits that are perfect to fool any finicky grouper holding down below.

To view past Lowcountry saltwater fishing reports click here.