South Carolina Report

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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
I spent the last 2 weeks at my girlfriend's house at Edisto Beach, South Carolina, USA. First time I have been there.
Obviously I was super stoked to be in such a fishing haven and did lots of research before I got there but still nothing beats actually being there.
I quickly discovered that the tidal flows there are super strong making the water even murkier than the usual East Coast USA muddy water.
The 2nd day I picked up 2 speckled trout at the mouth of an inlet. Small but gutsy fish! Caught on a Zombie Lures ZKiler 105
 
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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
But what I really wanted was to catch red drum on the shallow water flats. After a really good tip I went the next evening to the recommended spot. At the official high tide time there was still no water on the flats but soon after the water started moving in. I could hear the drum feeding in the thick chest high grass but there was no way I could a lure in or the fish out of that stuff and I just sunk deep into the mud if I approached the channels. Frustrating!!
Much wading later and with the sun setting, I saw some signs in knee deep water that looked like a small fish feeding at the base of some grass near some grass free flats. Casted for the sake of it and felt my lure hooking the grass. Oh well, another F'd up cast. Reel in quickly and then as the ZMan shrimp was 2m away, this drum shoots out from the direction I had casted and absolutely nails the shrimp. Fight on!
After a good fight in the skinny water, I released a 60cm drum!
Next cast at some more signs that looked a small mullet feeding I had the fish take the Zman as it hit the water but quickly lost that one. 2 casts later, I had a big take and can see this fish is much bigger after a great fight I had 4.5kg drum in my hands and kept it for the BBQ.
By then it was getting dark and I had family obligations so had to leaving the still feeding fish. Not happy LOL
 
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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
Unfortunately that was the last time when the evening high tides were good for shallow water stalking and so spent the rest of the time in a kayak or boat. Got 2 flounder, and 3 seagulls!!, for the rest of the time there. Wasted 2 sessions on what I thought were small tarpon on the surface only to finally see they were alligator gar! Weird fish!
But I learnt alot and we are planning to spent up to 2 months a year there if we can get the work thing sorted... View from the porch

 
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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
The best thing is the great seafood at a great price.
Steam Pot and Shrimps and Grits!
 

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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
Some other notes-

The boats there are big. Everybody seems to have 20' and bigger boat with huge engines!! For example, my girlfriend bought the house that came with a boat, a Carolina Skiff 235 with 115hp Yamaha! Yes, the inshore waters are very big by SA standards but... it's an 'Merican thing. Although I did see the true locals use flat bottomed small aluminum skiffs with electric sneaker motors. That's what I would get.
The tackle is pretty crude for the most part and pretty mismatched. You will often see a guy use an 80pd boat rod with roller eyes to cast from the shore!
Rigs and baits are similar. You can buy ready made rigs that are all wire including the sinker line. Add in a massive clip for attaching your 2/0 hook. Baits are just a chunk hooked on.

On the good side-
The fisheries are well protected. They have realized that recreational tourist anglers bring more money to the local economy than big commercial firms.
Lots of slot limits for fish which are very progressive.
The inshore waters are a just HUGE! I drove on her father's boat from Savannah to Edisto on the Intercoastal Highway, which is an inland water road for 2 days following natural waterways and some cuttings and/or dredged channels. And you never even see the sea. Just tidal marches, channels and sounds. You can take a boat from New York all the way to Miami in the same way. In South Africa terms think 1500km plus of estuary in width and stretching far back 30km and more.
The sea is very flat. Did one day going for wahoo out to the continental edge and its like the calmest day in SA.

Can't wait till my next trip!
 
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Dr halibut hoffman

Moderator
Good reading.. and thanks for the bit on the progressive nature of the fisheries. Imagine 1500k's of estaury in good condition and a well-managed fishery, with South African species..Ok that's a dream..cannot have it all!
 
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EugeneC

Sealiner
Nice post, thanks for sharing @Jacques. It's an interesting part of the world, you'll see a lot of extremes down there. I spent two years working around Miami / Keys / Bahamas and thoroughly enjoyed it.

In Florida it's common to see guys fishing for sharks from the beaches with offshore gear designed for big pelagics mounted on the front of their trucks. They land these little 100kg bull sharks and you scratch your head thinking about what shark anglers back home do. Then again you see the serious tarpon anglers in the Keys and these guys are fully kitted with state of the art gear and will give you serious stomach ulcers if you had to fish against them in a comp.

You've got a nice view from the porch there, looks like you're in for some real fun! Well done on the redfish by the way, that's a good size for your first.
 
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Jacquesdw

Senior Member
Thanks Guys!
It is such a contrast to Singapore, where I now live. Highly pressurized waters, government that sees no benefit in recreation fishing but then you have some of the best fishing gear in the world and the guys use it properly. Very technical.
 
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