As this article is going to print, we had a cold snap that caused the harbor temperature to drop to 58F. Water temperature is one of the keys to January Fishing at the pier.
Keep your fingers crossed it stays above 55 degrees!
You can still catch fish between the 50 – 55-degree mark, but action will be slower. If the water dips below 50 degrees you may need a little luck on your side.
The two species we see the most during the colder months are sheepshead and trout.
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Target trout during the last two hours of the outgoing tide and the first two hours of the incoming. jan
Artificial’s like Billy Bay, Vudu, and ZMan are all popular among trout fishermen in January.
Fish won’t be as active in January
One popular method is to cast parallel to the pier and work your lure back at various depths and speeds.
As the water temperature dips you’ll want to slow your retrieve significantly since the fish won’t be as active in January.
Don’t underestimate letting it sit on the bottom and bumping it along slowly as you might just run into a flounder still hanging around.
Some sheepshead will move to deeper water as it gets colder, but there’s also a resident population that typically hangs around the pilings and can be caught year round.
During the month of January, pier anglers have better luck with clams or barnacles than fiddler crabs.
The crabs will still produce though if you have the patience to sift thru some smaller fish and donate a few to the known bait stealers.
November thru February are typically the months we see some of the largest sheepshead caught each year. It is not uncommon to see catches in the 7 – 10-pound range with some pushing 12 pounds or more.
Looking thru photos of past January winter catches there should be plenty of opportunities to land a nice one and get your picture featured in our February article. Good luck!
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission | Mount Pleasant Pier
For more info please contact the pier at (843) 762-9946
or visit www.charlestoncountparks.com
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