Lowcountry Fishing Report - 7/24/2012

Fishing Report for the Coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina:
Charleston Inshore Report:  Bart Manley with The Charleston Angler has now migrated from the Market Street location up to the Summerville store in order to work with the Summerville fishing club and the new Summerville Chapter of CCA! In his final fishing report he relates that water temps at the end of July are hovering in the high-80's. With more and more flood tide levels occurring, the redfish are waiting to move up into the flats at high tides in order to do some tailing and really work over the fiddlers. The trout bite has been particularly hot though, and extremely dependable. Bart shares high hopes that spawning appears to have gone well last winter, and that anglers may continue to see higher numbers of trout into the future. Fish for trout during the last few hours of the incoming tide for best results, using D.O.A. shrimp under a popping cork. The flounder bite is doing well, and they are eating mud minnows or artificial lures with regularity. For all the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Charleston Angler.

Hannah Wheeler and Sean Pendarvis with a nice
double-up on redfish, before releasing them

Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West Ashley says don't get caught sleeping in on your day off! The early morning hours are producing an awesome topwater bite for trout and reds casting Super Spook Jr.'s and Rebel Pop-R's. Begin the morning fishing in shallow waters and then slowly move back to deeper water with structure in it. Then rig a Cajun Thunder float with a live minnow, finger mullet or a shrimp about 3.5-inches down to test out the trout bite. Don't want to mess with live bait? Then try out the new Trout Trick soft plastic bait, rigged on a gumball style jighead, or go with a MirroLure 17mr. The sheepshead bite is still consistent using fiddler crabs at the jetties, with some black drum mixed in. Bull redfish can also be found at the jetties, dynamite hole and the grillage. Tarpon have showed up in good numbers with numerous reports of jump-offs and catches from North Edisto Inlet up to Bull's Bay. Finally, spanish mackerel have been steady in the tideline extending out from the jetties for anglers looking for some light-tackle or fly-tackle fun. For all the latest seminar information visit Haddrell's Point.

Charleston Offshore: Scott says that while billfishing usually hits a downward turn and the meatfish bite isn't far behind, this year the bite is staying steady. Captain Joseph on Game Day reports dolphin in shallow around 120 to 130-feet of water. The sailfish are now being found in water 250 to 500-feet deep. Bottom fishing for black sea bass is strong in 50 to 100-feet of water using jigs and live pinfish, with some grouper reports coming from 75 to 125-feet using butterfly jigs.

Bart says that the offshore results have slowed down a little bit, but that dolphin and wahoo are still being caught in good numbers, typically in deeper waters. The July weather pattern of rain and heat really serves to keep the wind down, so plenty of anglers have ventured out to try bottom fishing. Black sea bass have been easy to catch in 55 to 100-feet of water and the grouper bite is going great guns over live bottom in 90 to 120-feet using cigar minnows and live pinfish.

To view past Lowcountry fishing reports click here.