It’s that time of year along the South Carolina coast, and Captain Dan “Fishin’ Coach” Utley (843-368-2126) reports that the trout bite has turned on – particularly in medium-sized creeks that have some structure such as docks or trees.  The key has been fishing the last three hours of the outgoing tide and then the beginning of the incoming again – windy conditions have limited fishing at higher stages of the tide.  Mud minnows on a Carolina rig have been working well, and casting a white screwtail grub on a ¼ ounce jig around the tips of tree branches has also worked.

To go along with a very good trout bite the redfish bite rates as “good,” and Coach reports that fishing for redfish is also faring well in the creeks.  From the time when the water comes out of the grass until it starts to go back into the grass again fish have been hanging around oyster beds near pockets in the creeks.  Redfish are hitting cut mullet on Carolina rigs fished around the oyster bars and with cooling temperatures they are starting to take Gulp! a bit better.  Fish can also be found out on the main rivers along the edges where grass, oyster and small creeks come together – when conditions permit fishing on the bigger water.