September should be a great month for pier fishing especially if we can get Mother Nature to turn down the thermostat and cool the water off a little.
As the oppressive August temperatures fade we expect to see fishing pick up around the pier. Even with the heat we still saw a number of trout, flounder, redfish, and sheepshead caught last month.
The largest sheepshead weighed in at 6 pounds 10 ounces indicating some of the bigger ones may be showing up at the pier a little earlier than usual.
One of the most common questions received in the shop is was anything caught today? There are fish caught every day from the pier, but the sizes and species are as varied as the conditions.
When fishing in a boat and the fish arenât biting itâs relatively easy to pick up and try another spot.
Pier fishermen may be somewhat limited with the area in which they can fish, yet there are still a variety of ways to maximize the opportunities.
We see pier fishermen all the time that only fish âtheir spotâ with a particular setup. On days when thatâs not working it can be frustrating and send anglers home early.
Itâs a good idea to have several bait and rig options ready to go. Bottom rigs are very common and can be productive; however, if the crabs are thick or the nuisance fish are schooled up you can go through a lot of bait in a very short period of time without much success.
One option to consider is to use live shrimp, minnows, or mullet under a poppinâ cork. Itâs a deadly effective way to catch sea trout, red drum, and even flounder.
Large red drum specimens can be caught with regularity throughout September
The best bet to land one is to target the edge of the marsh grass during high tide. Large âbullâ reds may prefer mullet, live or cut, but an overlooked bait that works great is using a quarter of a blue crab.
So when youâre bottom fishing and the crabs are thick it might be time to grab an inexpensive crab
net from the River Watch CafĂŠ and Gift Shop on the pier and get even.
For those anglers looking to test their skills in a fishing tournament donât miss the Cast Off Fishing Finale October 5.
Weâll have lots of prizes to give away and many of them will be random drawing whether you catch a fish or not. Last year we gave away a flat screen TV so check back next month to find out exactly what the grand prize is.
Tournament entry is just $5 plus the daily fishing fee and the tournament runs from 7am â 2pm. Categories include Adult, Female, Youth, Senior, and total weight of 5 fish.
Registration available at onsite beginning at 7am on the day of the tournament. Be sure to visit Charlestoncountyparks.com for information on upcoming special events at the pier and around the county.
Good luck out there!
Chris Pounder, CPRP Manager
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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