June is always a great fishing month in Charleston. Temperatures stabilize this month, and there are not quite as many fronts coming through, allowing more days to get out and fish. The weather in May was very much up and down with some very strong fronts coming through and some pretty large temperature fluctuations, but the fishing turned on strong. We expect much of June to follow this trend both offshore and inshore.
Offshore, the bite should be very good. There should still be plenty of dolphin around, and they should stay pretty strong through the end of the month depending on how quickly the offshore waters heat up. The blackfin tuna and wahoo bite will remain consistent, while the activity on blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish should pick up. June should also produce some really good bottom fishing; just make sure you have a copy of the most recent regulations.
Nearshore, we expect the reefs and areas of live bottom to be very productive. Spadefish will be on the reefs and can normally be caught on jelly balls, peeled shrimp and squid. If they will not eat one, try another because they can be finicky at times. Cobia should be around the reefs along with black sea bass, Spanish mackerel and flounder. Barracuda will also be present if you want to have some fun on light tackle. Amberjack will be on some of the deeper reefs and can test both tackle and angler with their strength. The king mackerel bite will pick up around the shipping channel and over areas of live bottom. Live menhaden make a great king mackerel bait this time of year.
Inshore, the redfish will be tailing on flood tides and should be easy to find in the creeks and rivers, as well as in the surf. Trout fishing will be good in the creeks and rivers and will hit a variety of lures and live bait, while sheepshead fishing will be good around the jetties, inshore docks and rock groins. Spanish mackerel and blue fish will be around the jetties and in the harbor, and flounder fishing should pick up around the inlets and around the mouths of small feeder creeks. Shark fishing will pick up as the water temperatures rise. Bonnet head sharks can provide some great fun on light tackle for kids and adults.
We thank everyone for participating on our site. For those of you wanting to learn more about fishing, please visit the site. There are also some great seminars offered by local tackle shops during the month. Our area also offers many different types of fishing clubs for anyone looking to become more active in the fishing community here in Charleston. We hope everyone has a safe summer on the water.
Andy Pickett
[easy-social-share]
