August/September, 2010 This begins one of the best times of year for fishing the Low Country. August is still hot and the tarpon bite has moved all over Beaufort County. The mullet have grown now so you are able to find 8” mullet almost anywhere you look. So can the tarpon, and there is nothing better for a tarpon to find than a big mullet away from it’s school. I seem to have the best luck this way even if it is early July or August. This month you will find tarpon from Whale Branch to Bay Point. Some of the bigger schools of fish have found their way inland to structure and deep holes that are around docks and points right around where we live. Having good fresh bait is the key here. Don’t go to your hole without a nice live well full of mullet or menhaden. Even if it takes you over an hour to get it, it’s that important, don’t leave without it. For you guys with a fly rod this is one of the ultimate fish to catch. We have some large fish around here, 80lb to 120lb are normal so you will need at least a 10# or 12# rod. Big deceiver patterns that imitate a menhaden or herring seem to work the best. We also have some nice flounder laying around our inlets this time of year. Most seem to be off the beaches or sandbars and will take a finger mullet well. As we were saying the mullet have grown and some times it will be hard to find a finger mullet this time of year. In that case a mud minnow is good, sometimes better. I have seen a 16” flounder eat a 8” mullet. In the fish world flounder seem to have a bit of an attitude. Near shore we have some great wrecks and artificial reefs. Any of them will produce nice sea bass, an occasional cobia and one of my favorite fighters is the spade fish. A lot of us overlook these guys but what a fight they will produce. It’s like catching a 12lb bream. The main ingredient is jelly balls for bait. Here is another instance where you don’t go out there without them. You will need a net with about a 6’ handle. Troll around the mouth of the sound (either one, Port Royal or St Helena) and look for what looks to be jellyfish without tentacles. These jelly balls will not sting you, although they will leave a sensation on your hands and don’t rub your eyes. You can find spade fish directly over the wreck or structure. You slice the jelly balls into strips of bait and the fun begins. After Labor Day it seems to begin our inshore fall season. The month of September starts the water cooling back down. Bait is plentiful this month, especially shrimp. Everything in the water eats shrimp, even shrimp. Trout and redfish come into our creeks on a much larger scale this month and continue into the fall. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch some of the Low Country’s finest fishing. We are blessed to have some of the biggest redfish anywhere, they really have some shoulders on them. I use a medium light rod and sometimes they win, but it sure is fun during the fight. Try live shrimp on a cork or on the bottom if there are no shells. This will generally find these fish. Our offshore waters are a lot of fun as well the month of September. I have caught more sailfish off Edisto during September than any other month. The kingfish are also easy to find now. Trolling about 7 knots in about 120 feet of water over live bottom will produce these and also dolphin (mahi-mahi) which are my favorite fish to grill. While offshore don’t forget about those hungry grouper. I like to take some live bait or frozen cigar minnows with me to drop down for these guys, nothing like a grilled grouper sandwich. We have something for everyone and all types of fishing available during the fall season in the Low Country. Book a local charter captain and find out for yourself how much fun this season can be. Half day inshore charters start at about $350 and near shore charters start at about $450. Trolling goes up from there depending on the boat and where you go. It will be worth the time and effort. Tight lines, Tony Constant Dockmaster Port Royal Landing Marina

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