LOWCOUNTRY FISHING
Seasons and Species
The Redfish is the staple, year round fish here in the South Carolina Lowcountry and has proved to be the perfect gamefish. They can be sight fished on fly or artificial lure on flood tide grass flats, mud and sand flats, or up tidal creeks at lower water levels. They can also be fished using live or cut bait.
Other common species caught include Black Drum, Speckled Sea Trout, Flounder and Sharks. Throughout the year some species are in more abundance than others and some seasons hold different surprises as migratory fish move through the area.
Winter in the Lowcountry is special because the water can become gin clear due to the lack of nutrients in the water with water temperatures in the upper 40s and 50s. Redfish will school up in large numbers and provide anglers with excellent sight fishing opportunities at lower tides
As the water temperature begins to warm in the Spring bait fish begin to move into the interior waters. The food source becomes slightly more abundant and schools start to break up and spread out to more zones.
In April and May the Cobia begin to show up to spawn in our estuary. The Cobia can be taken on the fly or artificial on the surface when weather and sea conditions line up.
Summer months afford the angler the most variety. In addition to Redfish, Black Drum, Sea Trout, and Flounder other species frequent a variety of scenarios. Tripletail, Spanish Mackeral, Ladyfish, and Bonnethead Sharks are all fun species to target on light tackle and fly but the big schools of large Jack Crevalle are high on the list of gamefish to be hunted this time of year when the sea conditions are calm enough. Tarpon also visit our water during Summer but are generally on the bottom in deeper water.
Once the Fall season comes into play, we see relief from Summer temperatures, the baitfish mature, and the shrimp move into the creeks. It seems like everything gets fired up! Bull Redfish have a tendency to move back into estuarine waters to feed. When the water is calm enough Bull Reds can be targeted on the surface out in near shore waters where they are spawning this time of year.
The Flood Tide Fishery here In the Lowcountry provides the angler with one of the most unique ways to catch Redfish on fly or light tackle.
Surrounding the Full and New Moon phases and once water temperatures reach the upper 60s and 70s we will experience higher than normal high tides. During this short window on a tide cycle redfish will follow the fiddler crabs up onto the high marsh. Anglers with technical poling skiffs can follow suit and find tailing fish in shallow water that they can present a fly or lure to.
Spring through Fall this scenario is one of the most picturesque, unique and fun ways to stalk fish.