Anglers from Kiawah, Folly Beach to Isle of Palms have enjoyed amazing fishing the past few weeks as hoards of bait, shorter days and cooler temps signal a change of seasons is under way. These three occurrences trigger fish to feed as they prepare to fatten up for winter. This is one of the best times of year to put some quality sized catches in the boat. Live and cut bait will work on big redfish, sharks, flounder and trout. Get yourself a cast net and hunt down some shrimp, menhaden and mullet and you should be good to go. All presentations should work from bottom fishing, popping corks, tipping jigs with live bait and live lining just to name a few. If you have want to learn how to use a variety of artificial lures now is the time to do it. The new topwater baits by Z-Man, Live Target shrimp or DOA Terror eyes or CAL swim baits are a perfect choice for this time of year and will continue to produce even when live bait becomes scarce. So if you learn to use them effectively now you will be performing at “expert level” when fishing over the cooler months. Work with your local tackle shop to find the rod and reel setups to maximize your casting distance. Don’t minimize the importance of the right line and leader for the job as well. I have found that using the lightest line that is appropriate for my presentations makes it much easier to detect bites, especially with fish that tend to inhale baits. Your local tackle experts will get you on the water with the right stuff every time. As always email, call or book a trip with me to find out more. These folks in the pics below did!
Captain Kevin Blair