Sound & Sea Archives - Page 11 of 23

May 26, 2026

Pier fishing: It’s about much more than catching fish

Fishing piers offer many advantages to anglers over fishing from the beaches or from boats. But for most pier anglers, it’s about much more than just catching fish. […]

Ethanol-free gas is more expensive and harder to find than fuels that are a mixture of ethanol and gasoline.

Mixing fuels is a no-no

Brian Cope

Chris White of Awendaw looked at his brother-in-law, excited about fishing after seeing trip photos for days, and said, “Just kick back and relax. We’ve got about a 15-minute ride to the fishing hole, and the weather, the tide — everything is just right. We’re going to wear the fish out.” […]

This speckled trout is a keeper, but just barely. If you are in doubt, it’s always safer to throw it back.

Portable rulers you carry

Brian Cope

It’s an early June morning, and while you know the sweltering heat will come soon, now it’s relatively cool, and you’re hoping for a quick limit so you can get back to the dock before the sun gets too high. And BAM! just like that, you’re into them.

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Guide Robert McCarley said spadefish are among the strongest of all saltwater panfish; they get to nice sizes around nearshore reefs.

Go to the reef, in spades

Brian Cope

That’s the fish right there that you want me to hook? I’m gonna yank him straight into the boat,” an angler told guide Robert McCarley one day last May, while fishing a nearshore reef out of Georgetown. […]

Fix your boat and trailer before anything breaks

Brian Cope

April is a great fishing month, but it’s also a common month for anglers to break down on the water or on the side of the road due to poor boat and trailer maintenance. […]

Spinning reels without bails don’t take much time to master, and they’re easier to use than models with bail wires.

Held without bail? Great!

Brian Cope

Even though they vary in size and quality, spinning reels are some of the most-basic fishing tools for both inshore and offshore anglers, no matter what species is being targeted. […]

Rick Percy of Reel Chance Charters caught this winter trout on a Norton Sand Eel fished on a Rockport Rattler jighead.

Add noise to winter lures

Brian Cope

Fishing can be tough in the winter. Aside from the cold air temperatures that keep many anglers off the water, the lower water temperatures also slow things down for most fish, including their appetites. […]

The disappearance of live bait as fall ends leads to artificials taking a lot more trout in December.

How to rock a speck

Brian Cope

Ask Steve Chanilo of Murrells Inlet Outpost what he’s fishing for this month, and he’ll sound like a broken record. That’s because he believes in the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” approach. […]

Capt. Garrett Lacy caught this redfish on a D.O.A. shrimp fished under a popping cork.

Just stuff a cork in it

Brian Cope

Most anglers’ first memories of fishing involve a cork with some type of live bait dangling beneath it. […]

These monster Grand Strand specks were all fooled by topwater lures.

Time for lures over bait

Brian Cope

Ask any saltwater angler in South Carolina to choose his or her favorite fishing month, and a good many will tell you October is the one they look forward to all year. No matter what your favorite fish is, the chance of catching good numbers are high this month. […]