Winyah Bay holding plenty of bull reds

Capt. Steve Roff said Winyah Bay is full of bull redfish like this one.

Peak fishing in Georgetown area will last into November

Catching bull reds is a major thrill for inshore anglers, and the Georgetown area is one of the focal points for those pursuing inshore action.

According to Capt. Steve Roff of Barrier Island Guide Service, now’s the time to test your tackle on a 40-inch red.

“This is the peak time to catch bull reds in (Winyah) bay,” said Roff (843-446-7337). “The bull reds stack up in here from October through the middle of November.”

Anchoring in deeper holes off of the main channel and casting out large chunks of cut mullet is the key. The incoming tide is better than outgoing and a good sunlit day will produce more strikes.

On a trip last Friday, Roff put four five that all measured more than 42 inches long in the boat in less than 30 minutes. While that kind of action isn’t necessarily “normal,” Roff said, “It’s not abnormal to get these fish being really aggressive.”

Any angler that hasn’t had the feel of a 40-pound redfish stripping a hundred yards of line from his reel is missing one of the greatest adventures in angling. Catching bull redfish is a catch-and-release adventure. All of these fish exceed the maximum 23-inch size allowed by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, but that doesn’t stop the pursuit of these mighty fish.

About Pete Rogers 161 Articles
Pete Rogers of Taylors, S.C., is employed with the USDA Wildlife Services and has been a sporting writer and photographer for over a decade. He has a real passion for trapping and enjoys sharing his outdoors experiences with his wife and five children.

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