All in One Charters reports on May inshore bite
The water temperatures around Charleston are warming up, and that has many summer species of fish moving inshore, said Capt. Ronnie Kinner of All in One Charters (843-330-3272).
“Fishing in the Charleston waterways is year-round, however, as our waters warm up and our summer species move in, we are gearing up for our inshore fights,” he said.
The presence of bait is strong this month, and Kinner said anglers should have their cast nets ready to take advantage of that.
backwater creeks
Shrimp make up a good portion of that bait, and Kinner said that’s a great bait for numerous species, including redfish, black drum and sheepshead.
“Floating a popping cork with live shrimp next to grass lines, and next to dock pilings, with an occasional twitch will bring bull redfish to action,” he said.
The technique for catching black drum and sheepshead is a little different.
“Black drum and sheeps will be actively going for shrimp and fiddlers,” he said. “Anglers will catch their share by jigging the bottom of structure, whether it be dock pilings or settled debris.”
Aside from shrimp, mud minnows also make up a great deal of baitfish that are inshore this month. And they are equally as effective as shrimp for certain species.
“If you run across a nice eddy to the entrance of a creek, that’s a great place for sea trout,” he said. “Fish a long leader with a mud minnow or a shrimp, and you just might find your next trout honey hole.”
But don’t put the minnows away once you turn away from those creek entrances, he said.
“You can also find some spotted sea trout when you are out and about,” he said.
Hit the harbor
Fresh menhaden, another popular baitfish, are also available in big numbers, Kinner said.
“They are running along the ICW Ben Sawyer Bridge and throughout the harbor,” he said. “If you’ve got a cast net, get your pancake skills down.”
Using these menhaden as cut bait is highly effective for catching bull redfish in the Harbor.
“Use No. 7 circle hooks and cut pieces of bait, and toss a line,” he said. “The bull reds are chomping,” he said, speaking of the big redfish that flood the harbor this month.
“Bull reds are bottom feeders. They don’t want to chase bait, so we use fresh cut menhaden or mullet as bait,” he said.
These bull reds typically range from 32 to 40 inches in length, and are often even bigger.
When targeting bull reds with this method, anglers will also catch some sharks. And they can be just as much fun for anglers.
“Shark fishing is an adrenaline rush, and can be a great experience if you’ve never fought one before,” he said.
The species of sharks in these waters are numerous, and include several types of hammerheads, bonnetheads, and others, all of which can give you a fight to remember.
Book your trip with All in One Charters at www.allinonecharters.com. ■
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