Author: captgregp

Daniel Island News – April 5

Thanks to everyone that supported the Lucy Boyle Memorial Fund by attending the fishing class on Saturday. I want to give a special shout out to Anthony at Sea Tow Charleston for the gift buckets. Kids and parents alike loved them!

After the class, I went fishing with Luke Bishop (who lives down the street from me). Luke is 12 years old and an avid angler. Occasionally, he stops by the house to share fishing information. We chat about what is biting and the lures that are producing the best results. He is polite, well-mannered and a great kid. If Luke is representative of the future of fishing, the future is very bright.

The tide was not optimal when we launched the boat. However, the weather was perfect. Light winds and warm temperatures made for great conditions on the water. Given the unusually high tide, we started out sight-fishing Redfish in the flooded marsh. We saw a bunch of fish but could only get a couple to bite. Unfortunately, they also got away. As the tide began to fall, we switched to creek drains and turned our attention to Trout. We fared much better. Luke was casting a Z-Man MinnowZ (Mud Minnow) on a ¼ ounce Trout Eye jig. I was using a StreakZ 3.75 (Blue Back Herring). While we both were catching fish, Luke was on fire. He was using a swim and stop technique (a slow steady retrieve with a stop every so often). The Trout could not resist it. We ended up releasing 40 or so Trout (I even kept a few for dinner). Luke caught significantly more fish than I did.

About mid-tide, we switched our focus back to Reds. However, all of the boat traffic (and wakes) made the water clarity poor. So, the fish were having trouble locating our lures. We did manage to release one before calling it a day.

On Saturday, I was out fished by a 12-year-old. It was great fun!

Longer Days

Longer days bring more opportunities to fish.  Late in the afternoon, the winds tend to diminish.  Creating great conditions for casting flies or top water lures.  Recently, both have been highly successful.  Given warmer water temperatures and the return of baitfish to the creeks, Trout and Redfish are feeding aggressively.  Especially, later in the day.  So, get out catch a few!

My favorite late afternoon lure has been the new Rapala Skitter-V.   It casts well (like into the next county well) and is very easy to walk.  For flies, it is hard to be a Gurgler.

The days are getting longer.  Take advantage of the opportunity and go fishing.

Fishing Class

A few seats are still available for my class on “How to Catch Fish On and Around Daniel”.  The class will have 2 focus areas.  How to catch fish in Smythe Park Lake and in the rivers and creeks that surround Daniel Island.  If you have children and are thinking about participating in the Daniel Island Kids Fishing Tournament, I believe this class will be beneficial.  The free class is on Saturday, April 1st at 10:00 AM at the Daniel Island library.  I am asking attendees to consider a contribution to the Lucy Boyle Memorial Fund.

In preparation for the class, I did a little fishing in Smythe Park Lake.  Happy to report that a healthy population of bass and bream are still in residence.  The bass had an affinity for a StreakZ 3.75 on a 2/0 sixteenth ounce flutter hook.  Bream could not resist a chartreuse or white 1/8 ounce Road Runner.  In the class, we will cover where and how to fish these lures.

This week, my brother-in-law Mike Balduzzi was visiting Daniel Island.  Mike is an avid angler so we spent a lot of our time on the water.  Conditions were a bit cool and very breezy.  However, we did manage to catch good numbers of Trout and Redfish.  Most of the fish we caught were holding along depth transitions from 5 to 10 feet.  A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 on a 3/16 ounce Trout Eye finesse jig was the most productive lure.  A sweep and long pause retrieve cadence triggered the most strikes (with most occurring during the long pause).  During the class, we will cover the techniques Mike and I used to locate and catch fish (in very tough conditions).

Hope to see you on April 1st.

 

Winter is Over!

Winter is officially over!  The days are getting longer (and warmer).  As we transition into Spring, it can make fishing a bit challenging.  The large schools of Redfish that spend the Winter in the shallows are breaking up.  Depending on the day and barometer, Trout can be shallow or deep.  For the next few weeks, all of this moving around can make locating fish difficult.  During this time, being flexible is the key to success.  Moving around can tip the odds in your favor.

On bright sunny days, shallow water will be a few degrees warmer than water in main river or harbor.  Baitfish will congregate in the warmer water.  Especially around structure like oyster bars.  Small schools of Redfish will be hanging around the oyster bars enjoying the warmer water and seeking an easy meal.  These fish should be relatively easy to catch.  A well-presented lure or bait will most often lead to a solid bite.  I recommend moving around until you find feeding fish.  The water is still quite clear.  If you are stealthy, it is easy to spot the small schools of Redfish.

Trout tend to move with the barometer.  When it is steady or moving slowly, look for Trout to be actively feeding in the shallows.  A rapidly moving barometer usually drives Trout into deeper water.  That was the case this weekend.  A cold front passed through the area.  Leaving behind it windy conditions and a rapidly rising barometer.  It took a lot of moving around until I located fish holding in 10 to 15 feet of water.  Once located, bouncing a StreakZ 3.75 (Blue Back Herring) on a Trout Eye finesse jig along the transition from 10 to 15 feet produced good numbers of quality fish.

Winter is over.  Get out and go fishing.  I figure even if I do not catch any fish, at least I will be getting a jump on my tan!

 

 

 

Big Chill

The recent cold spell put a big chill on the water temperature.  It is now 55 degrees.  A drop of 7 degrees over the course of a few days.  This has pushed the Trout a bit deeper.  Today they were bunched up in 10 to 12 feet of water.  They were hungry too!  A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 or Slim SwimZ on a Trout Eye Finesse jig bounced along the bottom put up big catch and release numbers.  The strike was a bit light but the fish were definitely feeding.  Warmer temperatures are forecast for the next day or so.  I believe the bite will get even better.

Winter Returns to Lowcountry

Winter returned to the Lowcountry today.  After weeks of unusually warm weather, Mother Nature brought the cold weather hammer down. Strong winds and a light rain made for bone chilling conditions.  It was cold (and wet) but I had the fish all to myself.   While the air was cold, the water temperature was 61 degrees.  So the fish were still feeding aggressively.  A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 (Blue Back Herring) on a 3/16 ounce Trout Eye Finesse jig was the most productive lure.  Most of the fish were on a depth transition from 2 to 10 feet.  Redfish were shallow and Trout were deep.  A snap and pause retrieve triggered the most strikes.  The weather is cold (again) but right now the fishing is pretty hot.

Daniel Island News – March 8

Late winter feels more like spring.  This week, the water temperature hit 63 degrees, which is unusually warm for early March.  Like the water, the fishing is heating up.  Baitfish (glass minnows, mud minnows and finger mullet) have returned to the shallows.  Trout are moving out of their winter deep water haunts and into the shallows to feed.  Look for concentrations of baitfish around marsh points and oyster bars.  If you see bait, there is a pretty good chance Trout and Redfish are nearby.

I recommend using a lure that is similar in size and color to the baitfish that you see.  When glass minnows are present, a Z-Man Slim SwimZ (Opening Night) on a 1/8-ounce Trout Eye Finesse Jig is a good choice.  Recently, this has been a highly productive lure combination.  If Mud minnows are the primary forage, try using a Z-Man TubeZ (The Deal) on a mushroom head jig.  Mud minnows are usually handing around oyster bars for protection.  The TubeZ and mushroom head jig help to fish around oysters with getting hung up (as much).  When finger mullet are abundant, a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 (Ralph Shad) or MinnowZ (Bad Shad) on a 3/16-ounce Trout Eye Jig are hard to beat.  Retrieve the lures with an erratic jerk and pause retrieve.  It is important to keep the lures on or near the bottom.  The strike most often occurs after the jerk and during the pause (as the lure descends to the bottom).

Fishing is very good right now and it will get even better as the water temperature rises.  So round up the kids and go fishing!

 

 

Lowcountry Finesse

Finesse fishing can be highly effective in the Lowcountry.  Especially in post cold front conditions.  When the sky is blue and the barometer is rapidly rising, downsizing your tackle system and lures can tilt the odds in your favor.  My favorite post cold front lure is a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 on a Trout Eye Finesse Jig.  This combination is a proven Trout producer (pretty much any time).  However, it really shines after a cold front passes through.  Smaller profile and lighter lures need a matching tackle system.  My go to outfit is a 7′ St. Croix Legend Elite Light (fast action) paired with a 1000 frame Shimano CI4 reel.  It is a joy to cast and can detect even the most subtle post cold front bite.

Next time the skies are blue, the wind is out of the northeast and the fish are not cooperating.  Try a little finesse.