We had a few schools working around us, and even a few very big singles pushing in water that barely covered their backs. At one point after the sun had gained a little height we saw a lone cruiser that was close to 40" long, a rare sight on the flats around here. We ended the day with two reds, a slot fish on the fly rod and a 28" 7lb red that fell for a gulp crab.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
3/24/07 Charleston
Woke up this morning and was on the flat as the sun rose. It was slick calm and the fish were pushing water and even tailing on the flat we were fishing. 
We had a few schools working around us, and even a few very big singles pushing in water that barely covered their backs. At one point after the sun had gained a little height we saw a lone cruiser that was close to 40" long, a rare sight on the flats around here. We ended the day with two reds, a slot fish on the fly rod and a 28" 7lb red that fell for a gulp crab.
We had a few schools working around us, and even a few very big singles pushing in water that barely covered their backs. At one point after the sun had gained a little height we saw a lone cruiser that was close to 40" long, a rare sight on the flats around here. We ended the day with two reds, a slot fish on the fly rod and a 28" 7lb red that fell for a gulp crab.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
3/11/07 Sunday School
After a three week hiatus, I finally got a chance to slip out on the water this morning. I've been busy with work and taking classes for my captain's license, and missed out on the past three weekends. This one was a good one to come back on. Woke up this morning at 5:45 to warmer air temps. The Charleston Harbor was blanketed with a thick fog, and the water was dead slick. 
I put in about 30 minutes before sunrise and made my way through the fog to a mud flat I know holds a very large school of fish. I was already on the platform by the time the sun started to show. As the sunrise burned off the morning fog, the flat slowly came to life and it wasnt long before I found the school, easily 100 or more fish. With still a very low light, it was hard to see into the water, so I staked out hoping the fish would give themselves away and provide for a better shot at them rather than bumping them up with the boat. Since I was fishing solo (daylight savings, Hungerford) I had a spinning rod up on the platform with me. I cast it out to where I thought the school would travel and then realized that I had also brought my 
4 lb ultralight rod with me too. I cast it out as well, both with artifical crabs and circle hooks. As expected, the school turned around and headed back at me. The rod I was holding soon went off with a hungry little redfish on. As I was fighting it, the little tiny rod started bending with a fish on as well. Here I was, solo with two fish. I alternated between the two rods and the rod holder until I was able to land each fish. They were practically identical, about 22-23 inches long. Not a bad way to start the morning.
After releasing both of those fish, I began poling down the flat and soon came upon a group of fish that had broken off from the main school. These fish were a little bigger, and there were about 20 of them. The fish were as happy as they could be, finning and rolling and riding high in the water. Since they were moving in the same direction as I was, I lobbed a cast well in front of them and let the crab settle to the bottom. As the fish moved over, one of them grabbed the crab. This fish put up a great fight, probably as good as any of the South Carolina reds have given me over the last year. After about 5 minutes, I had this nice 28" red in the boat.
By this time, the sun was high and the fog was gone. I had perfect visibility into the water. I decided to try out a new area that I had explored about a month ago during the bitter cold and suspected would be a good spot once it warmed up a little. 
It was my guess that as the bigger fish broke out of the schools, they would perhaps be hanging around the many oyster beds in the area I was now poling. Sure enough, I see 6 over slot reds crusing the bank ahead of me. I watch them for a little while and let them lead me to a new school of fish that I had never seen before. There were 100-150 more fish in this tiny little area, and they were literally just swimming circles. I made a few passes on the edge of this school and was able to pick up 3 more fish, all little ones. There were some much bigger fish mixed in with the group, but they didnt seem too cooperative.
I put in about 30 minutes before sunrise and made my way through the fog to a mud flat I know holds a very large school of fish. I was already on the platform by the time the sun started to show. As the sunrise burned off the morning fog, the flat slowly came to life and it wasnt long before I found the school, easily 100 or more fish. With still a very low light, it was hard to see into the water, so I staked out hoping the fish would give themselves away and provide for a better shot at them rather than bumping them up with the boat. Since I was fishing solo (daylight savings, Hungerford) I had a spinning rod up on the platform with me. I cast it out to where I thought the school would travel and then realized that I had also brought my 
4 lb ultralight rod with me too. I cast it out as well, both with artifical crabs and circle hooks. As expected, the school turned around and headed back at me. The rod I was holding soon went off with a hungry little redfish on. As I was fighting it, the little tiny rod started bending with a fish on as well. Here I was, solo with two fish. I alternated between the two rods and the rod holder until I was able to land each fish. They were practically identical, about 22-23 inches long. Not a bad way to start the morning.After releasing both of those fish, I began poling down the flat and soon came upon a group of fish that had broken off from the main school. These fish were a little bigger, and there were about 20 of them. The fish were as happy as they could be, finning and rolling and riding high in the water. Since they were moving in the same direction as I was, I lobbed a cast well in front of them and let the crab settle to the bottom. As the fish moved over, one of them grabbed the crab. This fish put up a great fight, probably as good as any of the South Carolina reds have given me over the last year. After about 5 minutes, I had this nice 28" red in the boat.
By this time, the sun was high and the fog was gone. I had perfect visibility into the water. I decided to try out a new area that I had explored about a month ago during the bitter cold and suspected would be a good spot once it warmed up a little. 
It was my guess that as the bigger fish broke out of the schools, they would perhaps be hanging around the many oyster beds in the area I was now poling. Sure enough, I see 6 over slot reds crusing the bank ahead of me. I watch them for a little while and let them lead me to a new school of fish that I had never seen before. There were 100-150 more fish in this tiny little area, and they were literally just swimming circles. I made a few passes on the edge of this school and was able to pick up 3 more fish, all little ones. There were some much bigger fish mixed in with the group, but they didnt seem too cooperative.
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