Longer days and warmer water have brought the bait fish back to the Folly Pier. We’re seeing spot, bluefish and whiting migrate alongside Folly’s coast, which is the first sign of the ocean coming back to life. Whiting are a year-round catch off the Folly Pier. They typically only weigh around a pound; however, their abundance makes up for it. Reel in a handful, and you’ve got enough fillets for a dinner for two. It’s no secret out here that a piece of shrimp tossed to the bottom just off the pier will produce a bite. If you find it hard to set the hook, try a smaller piece of shrimp. This will create a greater chance of the whiting biting the hook rather than just stealing your bait for a free meal.
Bluefish are another common catch, but spring is when you’ll get the big one. They typically weigh 1 to 2 pounds, but March and April can produce 9-plus pounders as they migrate northwards up the coast. Bluefish are known for their speed and feeding frenzy behavior when in large schools. Menhaden, shrimp and squid are on their menu, and they’ll even eat other smaller bluefish. But the circle of life continues, as many blues are used as live bait for targeting mackerel and tarpon.
With more consecutive warm days to come, pier fishing only gets better and better. But as always, fishing is fishing; so at the very least, come enjoy a relaxing day out at the Folly Beach Pier.
Joey Crawford
Folly Beach Fishing Pier
Jcrawford@ccprc.com