Tag: fishing

Out in the Cold

Brody waiting to get out of the cold.

Given back-to-back winter storms, my fishing has been somewhat curtailed.   When I have braved the elements, the redfish bite in the shallows has been pretty good.  Trout are still around but the cold water has been acting pretty lethargic.  For both species, a slow “do nothing” retrieve seems to get the most bites. Typically, I fish until I cannot feel my fingers anymore.  This usually happens in less than an hour.  So, my trips have been fairly short.  Leaving Brody and me with a lot of spare time.  Let me tell you, Idle paws are the devil’s work. Brody is bored.  When Brody is bored, we both get into trouble. 

On Thursday afternoon, in preparation for high winds and freezing temperatures, I took down all the hanging baskets.  My wife takes pride in the hanging baskets.  Especially the smaller ones.  However, Brody thought the small baskets were toys and picked one up.  I told him the baskets were not toys.  He acknowledged and put the basket down. 

That night, Brody was wildly running around the yard.  I called him to see what was up.  He came carrying a small hanging basket in his mouth.  I laughed and we played catch with it. The next day, all the small baskets were spread across the yard and completely destroyed.  Amy was horrified.  Thinking quickly, I speculated that the local deer herd must have eaten them. This made sense to Amy as we have had a bit of a deer problem.  About then, Brody came bounding up with a small basket in his mouth.  Amy was not looking so I took it and threw it into the woods. Unfortunately, Brody thought we were playing catch.  He ran into the woods and brought the basket back to Amy.  Trying not to laugh, I speculated that Brody had retrieved the basket from the menacing deer herd.  I could not pull it off.  Laughing, I confessed.  Amy did not see the humor in it.

So, Brody and I are fishing again.  Regardless of the weather.  You could say we are out in the cold.  Figuratively and literally.

Get out there

Slow Pitch Mutton

Taking your boat to the shop for annual maintenance can be a real hassle.  Especially when your full-size truck is not quite big enough to pull a 32-foot Yellowfin out of the water.  It is an unsettling feeling when the weight of your boat pulls the truck backwards on the boat ramp.  It is even more unsettling when Brody (the amazing fish finding and stock trading dog) says, I told you so.  When your dog is smarter than you are, it is truly unsettling. 

Thankfully, a friend with a heavy-duty truck helped me tow the boat to Longshore Boats off Clements Ferry Road.  While getting the boat to Longshore was a hassle, my service experience there was definitely not one. Maintenance and repairs were completed on time and on budget.  Jackie and Paul provided great communication and excellent customer service.  They even helped me to launch the boat and move it back to the dock!  If your boat needs maintenance, Brody and I highly recommend Longshore Boats.

With the Yellowfin back in service, Elliott (my son), Dave (my brother), Brody and I decided to do a quick fishing trip.  Our plan was to run offshore about 24-miles and target Grouper around some live bottom and ledges.  We did not catch any Grouper because American Red Snapper and Amber Jack kept eating our slow pitch jigs.  Red Snapper are out of season, so we carefully released them.  However, a couple of huge sharks began milling around the boat and eating the fish were letting go.  The sharks were so big and so aggressive, that we decided to move to another area.

Upon arrival at the new spot, a live bottom area in 70-feet of water, Elliott and Dave dropped Shimano Wing Fall jigs to the bottom.  Elliott hooked up with a nice Mutton Snapper that we invited home for dinner.  A few Vermillion Snapper and Black Sea Bass were also guests for dinner.  Back at the dock, I got stuck filleting the fish.  Elliott, Dave, and Brody took the skiff to invite some Trout home for dinner.  They returned in short order with a few more fish for the table.  That evening, we enjoyed a fresh fish feast.

In the Lowcountry, we are lucky to have a year-round fishery.  Right now, both inshore and offshore fishing are very good.  So, get that winter boat maintenance done and then get back out there. 

Rough Seas

Sometimes, even with the help of a fish finding and stock trading dog, catching fish can be a challenge.   Saturday was one of those days.  Elliott, Brody, and I launched the boat at 6:30 in the morning.  Our plan was to run offshore and target Wahoo in 180-feet of water.  The weather was crisp.  Cool enough that that I put on a light jacket for the run offshore.  Upon exiting the jetties, we encountered rough, washing machine like conditions.  So, we decided to try vertical jigging for Grouper a little closer to shore in 90 feet of water.

On the ride to our first Grouper spot, I could tell Brody was feeling a little seasick.  You are asking, how does one know your dog is seasick? Because Brody threw up on my shoes.  Twice!   Thankfully, he began to feel a little better upon our arrival at a ledge 24-miles offshore.  Well, at least he stopped throwing up.  However, he was in no condition to help us find fish.  For the next two hours, Elliott and I dropped jigs to the ledge.  We could see schools of fish on the depth finder but only managed to catch one Grouper.  Sea conditions continued to be rough, and Brody gave me the “this is not fun” look.  So, we called it a day.

On the ride back, the ocean laid down as we approached shore.  Brody started barking.  This got my attention, and I scanned the horizon.  A school of Atlantic Bonito was feeding aggressively a couple of hundred yards ahead of us.  I pulled back the throttles and Elliott grabbed a spinning rod rigged with a Shimano 21-gram Colt Sniper jig.  We let the boat drift near the school and Elliott made a long cast into the feeding frenzy.  Boom! Fish on. 

We enjoyed non-stop action with the Bonito until we got tired of catching them.   They were not the target species, but we had a blast catching and releasing them.  Other than Brody being seasick and me needing a new pair of shoes, it was a very good day.

Brody is Bored

Brody in Costume

Recently, I have been nursing a badly sprained ankle.  So, Brody (the amazing fish finding and stock trading dog) has not been fishing very much.   Let me tell you, a bored dog is a dangerous dog.  Here are a few examples.

With a little extra time on his hands, Brody has been dabbling in cryptocurrency.  Now, I don’t much about this stuff.  Thus, I am inclined to do what Brody says.  When Brody said to by Solana, we did.  It went down.  Then he said to buy the dip.  We did.  Then it went down.  If my ankle does not get better soon, I will corner the Solana market (and also need to get a job).

Thankfully, Brody got distracted from buying Solana when he got to thinking about Halloween.  Never ever take a bored dog shopping for Halloween costumes.  First of all, the choices are nearly endless.  Who thinks of all this stuff?  After hours of trying costumes on, Brody selected a shark outfit.

Upon returning home, my ankle was killing me.  But Brody wanted to fish.  Against doctor’s orders, we launched the boat and anchored adjacent to a submerged oyster bar.  I cast a Z-Man EZ Shrimp to the bar and let the current sweep it along the bottom.  Not my preferred way to fish but I could do it while sitting down.  My ankle was throbbing.  To my surprise, the Trout were crushing the EZ Shrimp.  I wondered if that is how it got its name.  None of the Trout were particularly large but they were fun to catch.  It also kept Brody from buying more Solana.

If you come to my house for Halloween.  Brody will probably be in a shark costume handing out Solana.  However, I am not sure if it is a trick or treat!

Hot Tuna and Humble Pie

Future Poke Bowl

For the past week or so, there have been rumors that the Blackfin Tuna bite is red hot along the 30-fathom curve.  Blackfin Tuna make excellent sashimi and poke.  Two of my favorite foods.  Unfortunately, a sprained right ankle has kept me from offshore fishing.  On Thursday, the allure of fresh Blackfin Tuna became overwhelming.  So, Brody and I invited Elliott (my son), Dave (my brother) and Tristin Poole to join us on Friday.

We left the dock just before first light.  Our plan was to run to the 30-fathom curve then troll a spread of DTX lures (for Wahoo) and cedar plugs (for Blackfin).  We arrived a bit late to the fishing grounds and missed the prime fishing time.  However, we did manage to catch some tuna.  With a good supply of sashimi and poke in the fish box, we decided to stop trolling and do a little vertical jigging.

While I navigated to a small ledge in 165 feet of water, the crew switched from trolling to jigging tackle.  Upon arrival at the ledge, we dropped Shimano 170-gram Shimmerfall jigs to the bottom.  This was my first time to fish a Shimmerfall jig.  I liked it.  More importantly, the Grouper and Snapper liked it too!  Dave even hooked a couple of Blackfin Tuna on the Shimmerfall.  However, one pulled the hook and the other was eaten by a shark.  This got us to thinking about specifically targeting Blackfin Tuna with jigs.  It will take a bit of trial and error, but I think it will become a highly effective technique for keeping sashimi and poke on the table!

On Saturday, Brody and I did a little inshore fishing.  The Trout, Flounder and Redfish were crushing the Z-Man Finesse TRD.  They were congregating around creek mouths on the last half of the falling tide.  Shallow, oyster laden creeks produced the best action.  While we were fishing, a boat pulled up and stopped.  I expected them to ask a fishing question.  However, they just wanted to see the “famous” fish finding and stock trading dog.  It was a humbling experience.

Summertime Fishing is Like a Box of Chocolates

Summertime fishing is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to catch. This was the case when fishing last week with my good friend, Todd. We launched early in the morning wanting to target Redfish with top water lures. We found the Redfish, but they were not interested in our topwater offerings. Jilted by the Reds, we decided to run to the harbor and try for Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish. Along the way, we stopped and caught a couple of dozen Menhaden with a cast net. Bull Redfish and Sharks love Menhaden. With a bunch of menhaden in the Pathfinder’s livewell, we had more target species options available to us.

Once in the harbor, Todd began casting a shiny jig named “Deadly Dick”. While the manufacturer’s name is somewhat dubious, the lure is a proven Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish catcher. Todd caught a few of both. He also has a new nickname.

When the falling tide began to slow, the bite did as well. We decided to run out past the jetties and target sharks behind the shrimp boats. There were only two shrimp boats still working when we arrived. So, we picked the closest one and set up behind it. While I positioned the boat, Todd picked up a 20-pound class spinning rod and nose-hooked a Menhaden on a 5/0 circle hook. We were about 50 yards behind the Shrimper when I took the boat out of gear and Todd cast his line. Almost immediately, a good-sized Black Tip Shark ate the Menhaden and began jumping and trashing about. The fight was spectacular but short lived as the Black Tip bit through the 50-pound fluorocarbon leader. In my experience, that happens about half the time. That was just fine with Todd and me. For us, most of the fun is right after hook-up on the initial jumps and runs. After that, on 20-pound class spinning tackle, the fight becomes hard work.

On the ride back to the boat landing, we stopped and caught a few Trout. Todd and I covered a lot of water and targeted a lot of species, all before lunch. A typical summertime fishing trip. Out early. Catch whatever is biting. Return home before it gets too hot. In the summer, don’t worry about having a solid fishing plan. Just enjoy whatever comes out of the box.

Summer in the Lowcountry

How do you know when it is Summer in the Lowcountry? Easy, you have a heat index over 100 degrees and severe thunderstorms pretty much every afternoon. Last week, I experienced both conditions, much more closely than I would have preferred.  My brother-in-law, Mike Balduzzi, was visiting from Annapolis, Maryland. Mike loves to fish and is a very accomplished angler. So, we planned to fish as much as possible during his visit. On Wednesday afternoon, a heat advisory was posted and severe thunderstorms were predicted. However, the weather radar was completely clear. No thunderstorms were in the area. Given a clear radar loop, Mike and I decided to go fishing. Bad idea. Very bad idea.

After launching the skiff, we double checked the radar and it was all clear. It was however incredibly hot. Underway, the breeze made it feel much more comfortable. So, we ran a long way (well past the Highway 41 bridge). Bad idea. Very bad idea.

Upon our arrival at the designated fishing location, a very small and shallow creek, we spotted a few Redfish in a narrow channel. The water temperature was 91 degrees. The air temperature was much higher. In such hot conditions, it is difficult to get a Redfish to eat a lure. After several minutes in the creek, we were both drenched with sweat. I stopped fishing to get a cold drink. Mike kept on and to his credit got a fish to bite. While he was fighting the fish, we heard thunder off in the distance. After a quick picture, we released the fish and checked the Radar on our phones. A giant thunderstorm was forming right over Daniel Island. We decided to try and beat it back to the boat landing. Bad idea. Very bad idea.

The storm hit us about half way back. The rain was blinding and lightning was striking all around us. To make matters worse, a cold 30-knot wind began blowing against the tide and kicking up big and steep waves. Operating a small skiff in big steep waves is a bad idea. Very bad idea.

Thankfully, we survived the storm (just barely). Mike and I both agree that we were very lucky. So, take it from us. When the forecast predicts severe thunderstorms, fishing is a bad idea. Very bad idea.

Spring!

 

After a cold and windy March, it seems Spring has finally arrived in the Lowcountry. The water temperature is now in the middle 60-degree range. Baitfish have returned to the creeks. Redfish, Trout and Flounder are actively feeding. Fishing is very good now and getting better with each passing day.

Last week, it was still a bit cool and breezy. However, the fish did not seem to mind. After a long and lean Winter, predators were making up for lost time and missed meals. Throughout the cold months, one of the most productive lures has been a Z-Man TRD Ned Rig. As an experiment, I plan to continue using the Ned Rig in the Spring. So far, results are promising. Redfish, Trout and Flounder have been crushing it. Bouncing the lure slowly along shallow depth transitions has been highly effective. In clear water, The Deal has been a good color. For areas with poor water clarity, the Bubble Gum color works best.

For the next few weeks, I will alternate back and forth between the TRD Ned Rig and my favorite lure the StreakZ 3.75. It will be interesting to see which lure produces best in a variety of conditions. If you would like to learn more about rigging and using both of these lures, please plan to attend my fishing class on April 21st. The event is being held at the Pierce Park Pavilion from 10:00 till noon. After the class, lunch will be provided. Additionally, there will be breakout sessions on casting, rigging soft plastic lures and tying fishing knots. The class is free. However, I am asking attendees to consider a donation to the Lucy Boyle Memorial Fund or the Respeck Initiative (that is working to restore our Trout stocks after the die-off caused by the snowstorm). If you would like to attend, please confirm your seat with an email to [email protected].