Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in April redfish will be almost completely broken out of their tight winter schools on the flats, although there will continue to be docks that hold good numbers of fish. Although they can be a little finicky, cut mullet will be a good bait for reds this month as will live shrimp. As temperatures continue to rise they will feed more and more on fiddler crabs, and tailing activity should get better and better on high water. Trout fishing will also improve in April in moving water, with small live shrimp, mud minnows, and grubs all working. By the end of March big trout were already showing up and biting well. Topwater activity for trout and reds should also start this month during low light periods. This month many of the larger sheepshead that have moved offshore will return inshore, where they can be caught around docks and other structure on fiddler crabs. By the latter part of the month some cobia should arrive and perhaps other migratory species such as bluefish, ladyfish and more.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that March fishing will depend on weather conditions, and at some point river flats redfish will start to break out of their tight winter schools. There were some early signs this was happening at the end of February. Early in the month sight-fishing should be productive, and both live bait and artificials can catch fish. Later in the month fish should start to spread out more and forage for fiddler crabs. At the same time, structure like docks that hold fish virtually year-round should fish well throughout the month. Trout should continue to get more active in March, particularly in clean, moving water, and they will take live shrimp fished on a jighead or under a cork. Finally, this month many of the larger sheepshead that have moved offshore will return inshore, but there are also plenty of small and medium-sized fish that never left. They can be caught around docks and other structure on fiddler crabs.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that February should look a lot like January, and redfish will stay in tight schools. On the river flats they will sometimes be focused on avoiding dolphins, but in the clear conditions you should be able to sight fish for them and get some reaction strikes. Both live bait and artificials can catch fish. There should also continue to be a good bite around creek docks, as the population of redfish in the Beaufort area is clearly strong and structure seems to hold fish 12 months a year. Captain Pat has seen but not yet caught trout after the snow, and this month some fish should be caught in moving water on soft plastics fished on ¼ ounce jigheads. If you can get live shrimp they will often work even better. There are also tons of juvenile sheepshead that can be caught inshore this month, while the bigger ones usually head out to the reefs or the deepest inshore structure to spawn.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in January redfish will get in even tighter schools. In January sight-fishing is an excellent way to target fish on the flats with natural baits or artificial lures in the clear conditions, but if it gets very cold at some point they may get more lethargic. There can also be reliable fishing around docks, particularly those with some oyster beds nearby. Trout should continue to be caught in deeper holes in the creeks on soft plastics fished on ¼ ounce jigheads as long as it does not get super cold, and they will also take mud minnows – or live shrimp if you can get them. There are still black drum around inshore that will eat cut shrimp, and until the bulk of the better sheepshead move offshore next month they can still be caught on deeper structure with fiddler crabs.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that as the water clears in December sight-fishing will become a better and better pattern, particularly on low tide but also when the water is first getting in the grass. Look for fish to be aggressive since water temperatures have not yet bottomed out. Scented soft plastics as well as natural baits will all work. Additionally, there should continue to be large numbers of fish found around docks and other cover as Beaufort has an abundant population of redfish. The trout bite has been strong in November and could get even better December. Look for fish in current seams where they will eat soft plastics on ¼ ounce jigheads, and they will also feed on mud minnows – or live shrimp if you can get them. Finally, expect sheepshead and black drum to be found around inshore structure until temperatures force them to move deeper.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in November fish will only continue to ramp up their feeding, storing up reserves since they are about to lose their bait supply. They know that most shrimp and baitfish will eventually leave and crabs will go into hibernation. Redfish should bite better and better on low tide even as they start to group up a bit more, and on very high tides they will continue to tail for the first part of November. Mud minnows, finger mullet, cut mullet and shrimp are all good bait choices. The trout bite will accelerate this month as temperatures drop and fish will be caught around the mouths of creeks and current rips in moving water. Late October was very strong. Shrimp under a popping cork are usually hard to beat, but as shrimp become more rare a variety of artificials will work. Flounder will be caught on mud minnows and finger mullet until water temperatures drop into the lower 60s, and black drum will also feed up more and more this month on shrimp and crabs.
Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in October fish will eat more and more, storing up reserves since they are about to lose their bait supply as shrimp and most baitfish eventually leave and crabs go into hibernation. Redfish should bite better and better on low and moving tides, and on very high tides they will continue to tail throughout October. Mud minnows, finger mullet, cut mullet and shrimp are all good bait choices. Trout will be caught around the mouths of creeks in moving water, and shrimp under a popping cork should be hard to beat. Artificial lures like DOA shrimp can also be very effective. Flounder fishing should be good around structure on mud minnows and finger mullet, and there should also be some tripletail around well into the month. Black drum will also feed up more and more this month on shrimp and crabs, and the bull red drum will eventually show up in area inlets and off the beaches. To start the month water conditions are a little down, with lots of debris and floating wood, so exercise caution navigating.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in September the tailing pattern for redfish should continue to be strong, but as the reds’ metabolism speeds up the low tide bite should get better and better. It was already good at the end of August, and fish were feeding on everything from shrimp to mud minnows to mullet to Gulp! baits around pretty much any structure including docks, oysters and creek mouths. As a bonus, very soon the fish that are starting out the month just under the slot will be keepers. The black drum fishing should also continue to improve on shrimp, and more large trout will be caught as temperatures cool. Numbers were already strong in late August. More keeper flounder should be caught on mud minnows and finger mullet, and migratory species like tripletail, bluefish and ladyfish should be around until temperatures cool. And the silver king, tarpon, will likely continue to prey on schools of mullet and menhaden all month. Overall, by the end of August and beginning of September the fishing was getting really good, and for the next two months it should be flat-out excellent.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in August redfish are often a little lethargic, but there should still be some good tailing action on high tide. July had some excellent tailing activity. Additionally, they fed surprisingly well on finger mullet and mud minnows in deeper sections of small creeks on the outgoing, and that should continue this month. Docks should also be productive. After an unusually good late July for trout they are optimistic for August, fishing live shrimp or even soft plastics off deeper drops in the creeks. Flounder fishing can be good with live finger mullet or minnows, even though a lot of fish are likely to be short, and the rising tide often offers the best opportunities. Sheepshead fishing will probably continue to get tougher as July was worse than June, but expect to still find a mix of sizes including some nice keepers. Fishing fiddler crabs around docks or oyster beds is the best pattern. Migratory species like jacks, tripletail and tarpon should be around until the fall. Finally, don’t overlook sharks which can provide a ton of action for anglers.
Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly (843-962-3503) reports that in July tailing redfish can be found on good flood tides when they are in the short grass eating fiddler crabs, and on moving tides fishing live or cut bait in areas where they ambush prey is a good bet. There should also continue to be a good bite on lower tides around docks and other structure. The trout bite was very good in June and should continue into July, and fish will be caught on both live shrimp and imitation shrimp drifted around grass lines and in front of shell beds in clean, moving water. There should also continue to be a good topwater bite for both species early. Jacks and tarpon showed up in late June and should be around until the fall. Flounder fishing can be good with live finger mullet, mud minnows, or soft plastics, but catching legal fish can be a challenge. Sheepshead are also around inshore, but generally they are on the small to medium side. Finally, keep your eyes open for tripletail in the rivers – especially closer to the ocean.
