Like most southern ports, Charleston, S.C. offers plenty of inshore angling opportunities. You’ll find redfish in the bays, seatrout in the channels, plus flounder, cobia and spadefish on local wrecks.
“Those are all fun,” said Darcy Hill (#fishcharleston), but if you want to hook something with a real sense of Southern hospitality, the inshore Charleston sheepshead fishery is tough to beat. From Isle of Palms to Folly Island, and right on up into the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers surrounding the city, you’ll find these battle-ready fish hugging structure.”
An abundance of sheepshead doesn’t mean they’re pushovers. Quite the contrary, Hill pointed out, “Sheepshead can be challenging to catch. You have to poke into all the nooks and crannies amongst structure points, and keep moving until you get on them.”
For bank fishermen, Hill recommended public access points like the Folly beach, Isle of Palms or Mount Pleasant piers. Boaters should tie-up to pilings, docks or other structure (where legal) and fish each piece thoroughly. Sometimes, she said, moving your bait just 5 or 6 inches to one side or the other makes a ton of difference.
“We generally use fiddler crabs or oysters for bait,” explained the 32-year old Folly Island resident. Bury the hook in your offering and hide the point. To get the bite started, chum with crushed oysters or barnacles. Fiddlers work best from May through February while oysters rule in cooler months. Get your line tight to structure, then lift it up slightly and drop it down slowly. Most bites come on the drop. The end of the ebb and start of the flood usually see the best scores.”
Setting up for sheepshead, Hill uses a Carolina-rig with a size 1 Owner Mosquito hook, a ¾-ounce egg sinker and a 1-foot length of 30-pound test mono leader. She’ll team this with a fast-tip rod and KaskKing 3,000 series Kodiak spinning reel filled with 40-pound test KastKing Super Power or KastPro braided line. “I like the abrasion resistance of these lines,” she noted, “and that Kodiak reel just gets the job done. Last week it out-muscled a 15-pound spadefish.”
Charleston Sheepshead Light on Biting
Keep in mind, Hill added, that sheepshead can be light biters, so watch for line twitches in addition to feeling for strikes. Set the hook hard because these fish have a big set of teeth and tough lips. Pull straight up, not to the side. Keep your rod high and walk the fish away from the nastiest tangles as you reel up.
Charleston’s inshore sheepshead average 3 pounds but can push into double-digits. Two years ago, Hill took fellow KastKing pro staffer Christin Kruger on her first sheepshead foray. “She caught a 10-pounder!” laughed Hill. Now she’s a sheepshead fan for life.”
October is prime time for Charleston sheepshead. Boaters can launch at Shem Creek (free) (www.ccprc.com/3301/Boat-Landings) in Mount Pleasant, or at Isle of Palms Marina (www.iopmarina.com; $15 weekdays/$20 weekends). For overnight accommodations, consider Shem Creek Inn (www.shemcreekinn.com) in Mount Pleasant or Sea Side Inn (www.seasideinniop.com) on Isle of Palms.
By Tom Schlichter