January 29

Morning surface water temperatures are back to about 46 in the creeks around Hilton Head and the water is unseasonably clear – for a season when it’s normally fairly clear anyway!       

This week Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) has fished a few times since the snow, and he reports that there are a couple of inshore patterns going right now.  

You can catch redfish in around ten feet of water around holes and docks, particularly on the outgoing tide. They are biting Gulp! shrimp on jigheads fished very slowly. 

But the really fun way to fish in the super, super clear water is to look for the big schools of fish on the river flats. When they locate them in the morning they haven’t been feeding, but if you give the water a little time to warm up by the afternoon the fish will eat baits that are worked very, very slowly. You need to cast just ahead of the fish and allow them to swim to the baits, and it’s almost necessary to “dead-stick” lures right now. But the rewards can be great, and yesterday afternoon Captain Kai was able to catch fish on the flats by working flies extremely slowly. 

Finally, Kai notes that he hasn’t seen any trout since the snow but will be looking for them. 

January 15

Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 46 in the creeks around Hilton Head. The water is getting very clear.   

It’s gotten so cold that Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) reports that he bought a heater for his clients, which has been a big hit, but the inshore fishing has somehow remained good even in the brisk conditions. It’s all about the redfish right now, and Captain Kai reports that he is catching them in a bunch of different locations. Some are coming at the mouths of small feeder creeks on dropping tides, some are coming over white oysters on mid-tides in either direction, and some are coming around mud flats and docks on lower water. He is exclusively using artificial lures except when they are anchoring around docks and he is using mud minnows. 

That’s similar to the report from Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634), who is very surprised by how much fish were still moving around yesterday even in the intense cold. The pattern is still the same, and at low water Captain Trent’s boat is targeting large schools on the flats. Swim baits and Gulp! shrimp on a jig have been working well, and about the only modification he has had to make is having clients really slow down their retrieve. You can also catch schooled up fish on cut mullet. 

At high water the schools are staying together, and fish are holding in isolated grass patches and not moving as much or feeding as well as on lower water. When they are in this mood then casting mullet chunks in and around the grass has been the best way to approach them. 

While neither angler is pursuing trout in these cold conditions, Captain Kai points out that he hasn’t seen any dead trout and so he’s hopeful that temperatures have dropped slowly enough that they have been able to adapt. 

January 9

Morning surface water temperatures are about 53 in the creeks around Hilton Head and dropping. The water is getting very clear.   

This is fast becoming a favorite time of year to fish inshore for Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters(843-301-4634), who reports that the visual prospect of getting to watch large schools of redfish move in black clouds across the mud flats on low tide is incredible.  The fish are definitely acting differently as it gets really cold, and the reds are now allowing boats to get close to them without spooking as easily. Swim baits have been working best for Captain Trent, with a slow retrieve, and Gulp! shrimp on a jig have also been good.

At high water the schools are staying together, and fish are holding in isolated grass patches and not moving as much or feeding as well as on lower water.  When they are in this mood then casting mullet chunks in and around the grass has been the best way to approach them.

January 8

Morning surface water temperatures are around 54 in the creeks around Hilton Head, but dropping. The water is pretty clear even with the wind and some big tides recently. 

The inshore bite around Hilton Head has been better than expected recently for Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475), and Captain Kai reports that they have been catching a fair number of big trout at the mouths of small creeks that pour into the Broad River on the dropping tide. While live shrimp would certainly work they have been having success with soft plastic shrimp under a popping cork. 

Unfortunately, with the coming cold snap Kai doesn’t expect to be able to lean on the trout as much and instead expects the redfish bite to see them through the next couple of weeks. Fortunately the action for reds has been very good, and so far they have been very aggressive. Huge wads of fish up to about 33 inches are schooled up on the flats, and they will take anything including a fly that gets put in front of them. While they will almost certainly get more lethargic, they should continue to bite.

They are also picking up some redfish dock fishing, throwing minnows or cut mullet around pilings. And there are also a fair number of good sheepshead still around deeper docks with 5-15 plus feet of water. These fish seem to move up and down with the temperatures but there is enough depth to hold them in the winter. 

December 19

Morning surface water temperatures are around 57 off Hilton Head, but varying in the creeks.  

It’s been a better inshore bite on the dropping tide for Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475), who reports that they are catching lots of slot redfish around docks and other structure. Then as the water gets within an hour or two of low tide then they are moving to the flats and finding giant groups of fish schooled up in 1-2 feet of water. This is a perfect time for sight-casting, and (if you can believe it) the go-to lure is a Spook. It’s probably not the most efficient way to target the fish, but if they are aggressive it's about the most exciting. 

Similarly, Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) reports that he is also throwing topwater lures at the fish, and the bite has been really good. If that isn’t working he will switch over to swimbaits.

The best spots that Captain Trent has found still have plenty of finger mullet around, and he has also found the best bite two hours before low. The fish seem to be concentrated on mud flats where creek mouths dump out, leaving the bait no choice but to drain back out or be left high and dry. Trent hasn’t fished high tide enough to know how the isolated grass patches that were so productive for him last winter are doing, but it’s probably coming. Trent’s boat is catching a few smaller trout mixed in with the reds, but occasionally there will be a better one in the 16-24 inch range. 

While it’s a slower pace of fishing, Captain Kai is also targeting trout specifically in some of the deeper holes in creeks and cuts. Mud minnows on the bottom are working, and you can also bounce the bottom with a Saltwater Assassin paddletail grub on a 3/8 ounce jighead. 

December 4

Inshore surface water temperatures have dropped to about 62 degrees around Hilton Head. 

Unsurprisingly finding the inshore redfish is all about finding the bait right now, and Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) reports that he was really surprised to see how quickly the mullet thinned out this year. However, if you find the finger mullet the reds are stacked up with them, especially in areas with clean water. There is nothing special about the areas where he is finding the redfish, and the incoming and outgoing have both been about equal – it’s just all about riding around and checking spots until you find the bait. 

With live bait accordingly hard to get, Captain Trent’s boat has been fishing artificials this week and they have had the best success with swimbaits on a fast retrieve in the middle of the day. Jigs have picked up a few fish but have been less successful. 

They have also caught a few small trout but mostly reds. 

In contrast Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) has been targeting trout more than reds, but he acknowledges they aren’t on fire the way that they were. On high tide they are catching lots of smaller trout, but the bigger ones seem to be a little deeper in 8-10 feet. They are on grass edges and white oyster points in the main rivers and sounds.

Captain Kai is catching most of the trout on mud minnows, as well as some redfish. However, when he has found redfish schooled up on the flats they have been very willing to eat DOA shrimp. 

November 20

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are still very warm, about 70 degrees around Hilton Head, but those should start to drop very soon. 

It’s still a stronginshore report from Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475), who advises that lingering warm weather means the patterns have changed very, very little. He is still on a good trout bite, and although they would certainly take live bait his boat is still catching fish on soft plastics, fishing both high and low tide around oysters and grass in the larger creeks. The trout are in 4-8 feet of water, and finding cleaner pockets of water is essential for locating them.  

Captain Kai is also picking up some slot-sized redfish at low tide around docks, and they are biting mud minnows. 

When he’s not fishing inside the lagoons, where the action remains fantastic for big red drum, black drum and more, and there is protection from the wind, Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) reports that he is still on similar patterns for slot and over-slot redfish. For him finger mullet are still king and he is fishing them on a free-line in shallow water, adding a split shot to adjust to deeper water. On the outgoing tide he is having the best success at small creek mouths, and on the incoming isolated shell mounds off the bank have been most productive.   

Captain Trent notes that he is also catching some fish throwing jigs and swimbaits, and first thing in the morning they are catching reds (and some trout) on topwater lures. 

Finally, Captain Kai reports that the bull red drum are still in the Port Royal and Calibogue sounds. It’s been an extended season because of the warm water, and usually by now dropping temperatures would have pushed them out. That may happen in the coming days.

For now the fish are in 15-40 feet and they will take most any cut bait. 

November 14

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are still very warm, about 70-73 degrees, around Hilton Head, but with the extreme tides and strong winds this week the water is pretty dirty. 

As usual this fall we have a stronginshore report from our Hilton Head captains, and Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) reports that he is still on a good trout bite.  Although they would certainly take live bait his boat is still catching fish on soft plastics, fishing both high and low tide around oysters and grass in the larger creeks. The trout are in 4-8 feet of water, and finding cleaner pockets of water is essential for locating them.  

Captain Kai is also picking up some slot-sized redfish at low tide around docks, and they are biting mud minnows. 

When he’s not fishing inside the lagoons, where the action has been fantastic for big red drum, black drum and more, and there is protection from the wind, Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) reports that he is still on similar patterns for slot and over-slot redfish. For him finger mullet are still king and he is fishing them on a free-line in shallow water, adding a split shot to adjust to deeper water. On the outgoing tide he is having the best success at small creek mouths, and on the incoming isolated shell mounds off the bank have been most productive.   

Captain Trent notes that he is also catching some fish throwing jigs and swimbaits, and first thing in the morning they are catching reds (and some trout) on topwater lures. 

Finally, Captain Kai reports that the bull red drum are still in the Port Royal and Calibogue sounds. It’s been an extended season because of the warm water, and usually by now dropping temperatures would have pushed them out. The fish are in 15-40 feet and they will take most any cut bait. 

October 30

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are down to about 70 degrees around Hilton Head and the water has been very clear.  Bait can be a little tricky to find and it seems to be very scattered. 

It’s still a very strong inshore bite around Hilton Head, and Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) reports that on the live bait side finger mullet are still king because there are so many pinfish around that shrimp are hard to fish. While his boat is picking up some smaller trout Captain Trent is still mostly keeping lines tight with redfish. On the outgoing tide they are finding the best action in the smaller flows where fish are feeding on bait being swept out. On the incoming the bigger creek mouths have fished well when the tide reaches the shells. 

While finger mullet are very productive, with the water temperatures at a peak feeding level you can also catfish redfish on artificials. At lower tides throwing jigs has worked the best while on higher tides swimbaits have been better. 

On the other hand Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) has mostly been targeting trout, as even though there is still bait around it was getting harder to catch mullet and menhaden for bull reds in the areas he was fishing and so he decided to switch over to something that would eat artificial lures. The best pattern for catching trout has been fishing slow to medium-paced moving water in relatively clear areas, and he is targeting the fish with a DOA shrimp under a popping cork when he is fishing four feet of water or less. When he moves out to five feet or deeper then he goes with a curly-tail grub like a Saltwater Assassin on a ¼ ounce jighead. The best areas have been river banks and larger creeks at least 30 feet wide, although there should also be some trout back in the smaller creeks. 

The bait situation made catching bull reds less rewarding, but Captain Kai didn’t stop fishing for them because they weren’t biting. The action has still been incredible, and one of his captains actually released 36 drum to win a tournament Saturday! They are off the beaches and in the sounds in 10-40 feet of water around tide rips, rock piles, bridges, and other structure. Both live and cut bait on the bottom is working. 

October 17

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are down to about 75 degrees around Hilton Head. 

Offering one more piece of the inshore fishing picture is Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634), who reports that the redfish bite continues to be really good. Finger mullet are still king, but first thing the topwater bite is strong and you can also catch some fish on swimbaits and jigs. Both tides have been fishing well, but the outgoing tide has been just a little bit better when bait is being flushed out of the creek mouths. You can also catch fish on banks with dead oyster shells or beds. 

As noted the catch has been heavy on redfish, but they have picked up a very few trout on topwater lures and a couple of nice flounder on finger mullet. 

October 16

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are down to about 75 degrees around Hilton Head. 

Life has been good for Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) the past couple of weeks, and he reports that inshore there has been a really good trout bite. Of course the fish would take live shrimp but they have been biting just as well on DOA shrimp under a popping cork, and he is catching them in all the rivers and creeks where there is clean, moving water. The best spots have been in 5-10 feet of water a little out from the grass and over oysters. When he fishes closer to the grass they pick up redfish, which are holding a little shallower.

Overall most of the fish are in the mid-teens and they are pretty much all keepers. The gator-sized trout usually show up once it gets colder. 

While there will probably be a few tarpon around until temperatures hit the lower 70s, for big game the bull red drum bite has been the best thing going this week. In the sounds Captain Kai’s boat is catching them in 10-40 feet of water around tide rips, rock piles, bridges, and other structure. Both live and cut bait on the bottom is working. 

October 3

Inshore surface water temperature temperatures are up to 81-82 degrees around Hilton Head. 

The inshore fishing is still very good in Hilton Head, but while Captain Trent Malphrus with Palmetto Lagoon Charters (843-301-4634) knows that he could still be catching redfish free-lining mullet over oyster shells, he’s had the opportunity to do some fun-fishing on his own and found a lights-out bite with artificial lures. In the fall Captain Trent likes to fish spots with a hard sand and broken shell bottom in 6-12 feet of water where shrimp congregate, and with 4-inch DOA shrimp he has been lighting up the reds on the last of the outgoing and first of the rise.

The lagoon bite is also outstanding right now for a variety of species, including black drum, redfish, and trout. 

 

While he’s not doing a ton of inshore fishing, Captain Kai Williams with Awesome Adventure Charters (843-816-7475) is on a trout pattern. The numbers and the fish aren’t as impressive as they will be when temperatures drop, but the in all the feeder creeks you can catch trout on the outgoing tide with DOA (or live) shrimp under a popping cork. 

But Captain Kai has mainly been targeting bull reds in the sounds and ocean. They could be 10 miles offshore or 20 miles up the rivers, and about the only place he isn’t finding the really big ones is in the marshes. Yesterday they caught them in 13-26 feet, and 10-35 feet is a pretty general depth range. While cut and live bait are both working around a wide variety of structure from ledges to rock piles to bridges to shell bottoms, they have also jigged some up on big curly tail grabs. 

While they are seeing some tarpon around Kai isn’t targeting them as much as earlier in the year, but at least yesterday 5-8 pound jack crevalle were mixed in with the bull reds. On cloudy days you can sometimes find both jacks and reds together on the surface – like yesterday.

There are also Spanish mackerel around in the area, and luckily sharks have not been too thick.