by Capt. Chris Pounder
December finds Lowcountry anglers not only concentrating on fishing techniques, but honing their amateur meteorological skills as well. December fishing in Charleston is all about the water temperature; as long as the water temp stays above the magic 60 degree mark, fishing will remain productive. The trout and redfish bite will still be on around the pier, but the fish will become more sluggish as the water cools. Live bait will work best for these fish, but artificial jigs will produce if fished with a slower retrieve. Mudminnows will be an easily accessible live bait option as finger mullet and shrimp become scarcer during the winter. Whiting will be around and will take cut bait or shrimp readily. Flounder and black drum will have started their winter migration offshore, but there will be a few stragglers around to go with some large sheepshead that call the pier home during the winter. Other migratory species, such as bluefish, will be well on their way south, but schools migrating from off the New England coast will pass through locally. Make sure to keep an eye on the water temperature and take advantage of some good fishing before Old Man Winter takes hold.
Chris Pounder
Mount Pleasant Pier
www.ccprc.com (843) 762-9946
