October is probably the best month of the year for fishing from the Mount Pleasant Pier. As the water starts to cool it signals the dinner bell for a variety of species to start gorging in preparation for winter.
Be ready for those first few evenings where temps are brisk and plan to bend a rod the following morning. Youâll want to have some live mullet, shrimp, or minnows with you for bait.
You can get away with throwing artificials resembling these baits as well, but this time of year Iâd recommend live bait if you can find it.
Historically, some of the best flounder caught from the pier have come in October and into November. Itâs not out of the question to see 4-5 pounders when conditions are right.
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Using a Carolina rig, anglers have a lot of success âwalking the dogâ along the pier railing. To do so, drop your rig over the side till the weight rests on the bottom and tighten up the slack in your line.
Let the bait rest for a few seconds before raising the rod so the bait is off the bottom and moving along the rail a step or two and drop down again.
Flounder are ambush feeders and this will allow you to cover more ground and may just get the attention of the doormat youâve been looking for.
You can also just drop the rig over the side, pull up a chair, and enjoy the harbor breeze while the bait gets a workout down below.
Keep in mind that flounder regulations changed this year and the minimum keeper size is now 16â.
At the lower tides weâve seen schools of reds in the flat to the north leading to multiple hook ups at the same time.
During a recent Saturday we had 5-6 over slot reds and several nice pup drum caught within a small window of time.
Local fishermen commonly refer to October as âRed Octoberâ and the action started early this year. Live finger mullet and fresh cut bait are the go-to options this time of year when targeting reds.
Theyâll also eat frozen sand fleas and shrimp available in the River Watch CafĂŠ and Gift Shop if youâre unable to find live bait.
Saturday, October 23 will be the last Cast-Off Fishing Tournament until 2022. Tournament runs from 7am â 2pm and entry is just $5 plus the daily fishing fee.
Registration is available on site and will begin just before the 7 AM start time. Prizes will be awarded to the biggest fish by weight in the following categories:
Adult angler, lady angler, senior angler (age 60+), youth angler (age 12 and under), and aggregate weight of 5 fish.
Our September tournament was a big hit with sheepshead and flounder taking the day. Hopefully the fishing and weather is in our favor again and we can close out the year with some memorable catches.
Hope to see you out here in October!
Good Luck!
Chris Pounder,
CPRP Manager | Mount Pleasant Pier
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission | Mount Pleasant Pier
For more info please contact the pier at (843) 762-9946
or visit www.charlestoncountparks.com
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