Fresh St. Helena Island Fishing Reports

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly reports that in April redfish will be almost completely broken out of their tight winter schools on the flats, although there could continue to be some docks that hold good numbers of fish. Although they can be a little finicky, cut mullet will be a good bait for reds this month as will live shrimp. As temperatures continue to rise they will feed more and more on fiddler crabs, and tailing activity should get better and better on high. Trout fishing will also improve in April in moving water, with small live shrimp, mud minnows and grubs all working. Topwater activity for trout and reds should also start this month during low light period. This month many of the larger sheepshead that have moved offshore will return inshore, where they can be caught around docks and other structure on fiddler crabs. By the latter part of the month some cobia should arrive and perhaps other migratory species such as bluefish, ladyfish and more.

Captain Patrick Kelly reports that March fishing will depend on weather conditions, and at some point river flats redfish will start to break out of their tight winter schools. There were some early signs this was happening at the end of February. Early in the month sight-fishing should be productive, and both live bait and artificials can catch fish. Later in the month fish should start to spread out more and forage for fiddler crabs. At the same time, structure like docks that hold fish virtually year-round should fish well throughout the month – as it did in February. Trout should continue to get more active in March, particularly in clean, moving water, and they will take live shrimp fished on a jighead. Finally, this month many of the larger sheepshead that have moved offshore will return inshore, but there are also plenty of small and medium-sized fish that never left. They can be caught around docks and other structure on fiddler crabs.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly reportsthat February should look a lot like January, and redfish will stay in tight schools. On the river flats they will be focused on avoiding dolphins, but in the clear conditions you should be able to sight fish for them and get some reaction strikes. Both live bait and artificials can catch fish. There should also continue to be a good bite around creek docks, as the population of redfish in the Beaufort area is clearly strong and structure seems to hold fish 12 months a year. As long as temperatures do not get super cold trout should continue to be caught in moving water on soft plastics fished on ¼ ounce jigheads, and if you can get live shrimp they will often work even better. There are also tons of juvenile sheepshead that can be caught inshore this month, while the bigger ones usually head out to the reefs or the deepest inshore structure to spawn.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly report that in January redfish will get in even tighter schools. In January sight-fishing is an excellent way to target fish with natural baits or artificial lures in the clear conditions, but if it gets very cold at some point they may get more lethargic. There can also be reliable fishing around docks, particularly those with some oyster beds nearby. Trout should continue to be caught in deeper holes in the creeks on soft plastics fished on ¼ ounce jigheads as long as it does not get super cold, and they will also take mud minnows. There are still black drum around inshore that will eat cut shrimp, and until the bulk of the better sheepshead move offshore next month they can still be caught on deeper structure with fiddler crabs.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly **hidden content**) reports that as the water clears in December sight-fishing will become a better and better pattern, particularly on low tide but also when the water is first getting in the grass. Look for fish to be aggressive since water temperatures have not yet bottomed out. Scented soft plastics as well as natural baits will all work. Additionally, there should continue to be large numbers of fish found around docks and other cover as Beaufort has an abundant population of redfish. The trout bite has been strong in November and could get even better December. Look for fish in current seams where they will eat soft plastics on ¼ ounce jigheads, and they will also feed on mud minnows. Finally, expect sheepshead and black drum to be found around inshore structure until temperatures force them to move deeper.

Inshore: Captain Patrick Kelly **hidden content**) reports that in November fish will only continue to ramp up their feeding, storing up reserves since they are about to lose their bait supply. They know that most shrimp and baitfish will eventually leave and crabs will go into hibernation. Redfish should bite better and better on low tide even as they start to group up a bit more, and on very high tides they will continue to tail for the first part of November. Mud minnows, finger mullet, cut mullet and shrimp are all good bait choices. The trout bite will accelerate this month as temperatures drop and fish will be caught around the mouths of creeks in moving water. Shrimp under a popping cork are usually hard to beat, but as shrimp become more rare a variety of artificials will work. Flounder will be caught on mud minnows and finger mullet until water temperatures drop in the lower 60s, and black drum will also feed up more and more this month on shrimp and crabs.