Charleston report (8/13-16)

[Lowcountry CB]

Just returned from another trip to Chucktown. Brought the boat down with me for three days with the family. Fishing was hardest I've ever experienced in the area with two skunker days--finally got some OK action Tuesday. Report follows for those interested:

TOUGH fishing on Sunday and Monday--my worst days in Charleston. Weather was mostly coudy both days with water at 83-85d. Couldn't buy a bite on mullet or any number of plastics. Threw everything I had at 'em in the Cooper River and usually productive creeks. Didn't run into too many other really successful anglers--those I did had live shrimp on corks and bottom rigs and loaded their boats. Guess I needed to find the shrimp--though I didn't spend the time to go get 'em in the creeks. Tide was high at noon and a monsterous 6 feet--flooded us out of action for the afternoon. Didn't even see a redfish working the flats. Lesson #1: in August, find shrimp.

Tuesday was a different story. Had my father in law aboard. VERY HOT (water at 85-87d) and hard to buy a bite. Again, had a boat load of crab and mullet, but no shrimp. Started at the jetties and had four hook-ups between 8 and 9 am with a 5 foot bonnet head and about a 12 pound red to show for it (and a toadfish I won't talk about). Action turned off like a switch for everyone around 9.

Motored around for the rest of the afternoon trying to find fish as the creeks flooded. Ran across some other boaters who were catching good numbers of small trout on shrimp--again out of luck. Did manage to catch two giant mullet in the cast net--didn't know they grew that big. Just added salt to the wound...

Finally at about 3pm tried some dock coverings out of desperation. BAM! Hooked up with two keeper sized trout on a bottom-rigged mullet right at the shade line about 5 minutes apart. Gave the rig to my father in law. Had a nice 13 incher to show for it with several other good hits. Lesson #2 re-learned (...again): when it gets hot, look cool. We managed a small flounder on the way out.

Looking at the other reports on the Charleston board, think we did OK on Tuesday's effort. In any case, looking forward to getting back to cooler water and shrimp baiting season in October.

[Hillbilly Boater]

LC, Thanks for
the report. Looking foreward to getting down to that area soon. Hope the bite picks up, however.