It’s not a fishery that lots of people know about – much less take advantage of, but big flounder are showing up around nearshore reefs and wrecks outside Port Royal Sound, and they’re there for the taking.
Capt. Dan Utley of Fishin’ Coach Charters in Bluffton said that big flounder congregate around the Betsy Ross reef and other nearshore reefs and wrecks anywhere from 45 to 70 feet deep. They overwinter around the structure, and fishermen can get to them on nice days.
“The winter is when they really stack up there – the flounder, big redfish and sheepshead,” said Utley (843-368-2126). “The flounder like to be on the downcurrent side of the structure.”
Utley said that savvy fishermen will pull up right on top of the actual reef or wreck and start to drift with the current, watching their depthfinders carefully. As soon as the edge of the structure is cleared, baits are dropped to the bottom, and the drift continues for another 50 to 100 yards.
“You drift, then you pick up and go back on top, and you drift again,” he said.
The rig most-often used includes a triple swivel, with one 3- to 4-foot leader and Kahle hook, and a second leader off the other eye of the swivel to a bank sinker – the weight depending on how fast the current is flowing.
Top baits are mud minnows and finger mullet.
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