The best areas to fish for redfish are within the coastal estuaries that bless the South Carolina coast. The shallow water and huge beds of grass make it necessary to cover large areas with relative quickness. If the fish are present, you will catch them.
Where can I find redfish in Charleston?
Area guides will tell you to look for redfish near structure, points, oysters, grass banks and mud flats, but these describe virtually all the Lowcountry habitat. There is just too much good-looking water, so narrow it down by finding a good low tide flat and fish near it. The next step is being able to find them.
Where is the best place to catch a redfish?
The best redfish fishing is often done in shallow flats near the mangrove shorelines or grass flats. Redfish prefer shallow waters between one and four feet deep along the edges of bays with submerged vegetation. When fishing for redfish, it’s generally best to focus your attention on the areas with good structure.
Where is the best red fishing in South Carolina?
Top South Carolina Redfish Fishing Destinations
- Murrells Inlet. 102 fishing charters.
- Mount Pleasant. 80 fishing charters.
- Hilton Head Island. 59 fishing charters.
- Little River. 118 fishing charters.
How many redfish can you keep in South Carolina?
Redfish in South Carolina must be between 15” and 23” in length to be legally retained. The daily bag limit is 3 fish per person.
What kind of bait do redfish like?
The baitfish that redfish love to hunt are pogies, mullet, pilchards and greenies. They also feast on crab and other shellfish, but the baitfish are easier to catch. If you’re fishing for redfish in the spring, look for large baitfish schools, like pogies, on the warm tidal currents.
What is the best time to catch redfish?
The best time of day to catch redfish is in the morning before the sun heats up the shallows and in the afternoon off in deeper water features like jetties, wrecks, and bridges. Redfish funnel back into deeper water in the afternoon because it is both cooler and holds more bait than the shallows.
How deep do you fish for redfish?
You can catch redfish from just about any water depth from 6 inches in the back country shallows to more than 100 feet deep when you are fishing the offshore reefs, wrecks and oil rigs.
What color lures do redfish like?
Finally, wherever you go, redfish like the color gold. Everyone knows that a simple gold spoon is a redfish staple, and for good reason. Having some baits littered with gold flake, like Golden Boy or the new Beer Run color, is always a good idea when reds are the target.
Are redfish and red drum the same?
The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), also known as redfish, channel bass, puppy drum, spottail bass, or simply red, is a game fish found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to northern Mexico. It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops.
Where can I fish on the shore in Charleston SC?
The beaches around Charleston are Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms. Folly Beach: A favorite spot to sit back and cast a line among the locals is at the end of the Morris Island Lighthouse Trail. This is due inpart to the incredible scenery, but mainly because that is where the fish are.
What is the season for redfish in South Carolina?
Finfish Size & Catch Limits
| Finfish: Inshore & Offshore | ||
|---|---|---|
| Species | Closed Season | Size Limit |
| Red Drum | May not be harvested by gig Dec. 1 – Feb. 28 | 15-inch to 23-inch TL |
| Saltwater Catfishes (Hardhead & gafftopsail catfishes) | Possession prohibited | |
| Sheepshead | 14-inch TL |
What fish are running in Charleston?
Inshore species include:
Sea Trout – Year Round. Flounder – Spring, Summer, Fall. Black Drum – Year Round. Bluefish – Year Round.
What pound test should I use for redfish?
Most of the time 15-pound leader will do the trick if you’re fishing for speckled trout and white trout. If you move up to redfish, you should move up to 20-pound or 30-pound, especially if you’re tackling bull reds.
What state has the biggest redfish?
The redfish records vary quite a bit from state to state, and you might be surprised that the world record for the biggest redfish ever caught is not from Florida or Texas! The redfish world record comes from North Carolina where a 94 pound 2 ounce redfish was caught!
Can you keep red drum in SC?
The South Carolina General Assembly passed a law reducing the daily catch limit for red drum from three fish to two per day and imposed a daily limit of six red drum per boat. The slot limit remains in effect with anglers only able to keep red drum that measure at least 15 inches but no longer than 23 inches.
Can you gig redfish in South Carolina?
This time, it was an 18-inch redfish, which are legal to gig in South Carolina during the summer months. Gigging is an often-overlooked past-time that offers many benefits to anglers. Aside from helping stock the freezer, it allows them to see a different aquatic world than they usually see in the daytime.
Do redfish taste good?
In short, Yes, Redfish are good to eat. But, you may want to focus on Redfish smaller than 24 inches or so. Redfish are a very popular with anglers across the Southeast. Overall, It’s a great food fish and can be prepared in many different ways.
Will redfish eat frozen shrimp?
Dead or alive, fresh or frozen, shrimp are one of the best baits for inshore saltwater fishing. Black drum, bonefish, flounder, grouper, jackfish, pompano, redfish, snook, sea trout, sheepshead, tarpon, and whiting are among the species you can catch with this crustacean.
What size hooks for redfish?
The best all around hook size for catching keeper size redfish is a 1/0 circle or j hook. A 1/0 hook size is stout enough to bring in a slot sized redfish without straightening out but is small enough to catch the smaller redfish too. Redfish are one of those fish that can get HUGE.
Can you catch a red fish from shore?
Redfish can be in really shallow water and very close to shore! They’ll be cruising the troughs chasing baitfish and on top of sandbars feeding. Make sure you have baits out in different places so you have the best chance to find their feeding zone.