Mount Pleasant Pier is once again the place to be for great summer fishing. Anglers are catching a variety of game fish, but spotted sea trout and flounder are dominating the catches so far this summer. A good bet for the summertime is to be ready to throw a couple of different baits depending on what’s going on in the water.
The pier shop sells frozen shrimp, squid, finger mullet, and clams or you can grab some live bait from Haddrell’s or any of the other fine tackle shops near you on your way out.
Live mud minnows or mullet should be used to target big flounder by fishing them along the bottom, or target sea trout and red drum at various depths in the water column.
Sea trout in particular will suspend at different depths so finding them can involve some trial and error.
A great way to easily search different depths is to use a slip bobber setup. Basically this setup involves a slip knot that is tied with a piece of floss (or similar material) to your mainline and a bobber underneath it.
To adjust the depth of your bait, simply slide the knot up or down, leaving a desired length of line. I personally have seen this used with deadly effect when targeting freshwater catfish, but the basic principle works great in saltwater as well.
Don’t miss the next Cast Off Fishing Tournament at the Mount Pleasant Pier from 7am – 3pm September 2. Entry is just $5 plus the daily fishing fee and prizes will be awarded for the 3 biggest catches by weight as well as prizes for best 5 fish and youth catch. Advance registration is available at charlestoncountyparks.com or onsite beginning at 7am on tournament day.
Catch a legal game fish any day of the week and enter your catch into the Reel it in Weekly Challenge. The best fish weighed in each week wins a prize and all cards submitted each week are entered for a random drawing.
Visit our website for more details and help the Mount Pleasant Pier take down the Folly Pier in this year’s competition.
Chris Pounder
Mount Pleasant Pier
843-762-9946
