It’s a great time to be fishing here in Charleston. The usual suspects – redfish and trout – are now complimented by a host of seasonal species including Spanish Mackerel, ladyfish and sharks. Combined with warmer temperatures, the fishing conditions are now excellent.

We have been catching a good number of redfish over the last month including some of the biggest seen this year. Redfish will take artificial plastic lures mimicking small bait fish and have been keying in on darker colors. Recently, the most successful lures are either black with gold flakes or blue. I’m still fishing almost all my artificials on flutter hooks because they give the lure such good action. As always, keep changing colors until you find one that works.

Flyfishing for reds has been best at low tide when sight fishing conditions are optimal. Fly patterns with lots of flash are working well, especially in the colors of copper or green. I also like flies with weed guards as plant life in the water increases. During the big high tides in the evening we have been able to get up into the grass and cast to tailing redfish. The Dupre’s Spoon Fly is just the ticket for that setting.

Over the last two weeks the trout bite has really improved. We’ve started catching a decent number of mid-size trout whereas before we were only finding a few big trout that were ready to breed. Fishing mud minnows on jigheads can be quite effective and lets you get your bait in front of trout in deeper pockets. I use 1/8 oz. jigheads. You can use bigger jigheads, but make sure their size is not significantly bigger than the bait.

Spanish Mackerel are plentiful and can be found best at first light. If you find schools of fish busting bait on the surface, throw reflective casting jigs and reel them quickly through the school. Alternatively, if you know fish are present but not up top, try trolling Clark Spoons at different depths and different speeds. Bonnethead sharks are abundant as well and will readily take bait fished on the bottom; especially cracked blue crab.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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Spring is finally here! The last week has had days full of sun and temperatures holding in the 70s. Our fishery is rapidly changing with many new signs of life. Anglers are starting to catch the first trout and flounder of the season, and an increasing amount of bait in the water bodes well for all types of fishing.

Redfish are transitioning from a period focused simply on preservation to becoming predators again. Redfish will hone in on baitfish as well as small shrimp. The large schools of redfish characteristic of the winter are breaking up as these fish become more active. Anglers should consider using artificial plastic lures that mimic these baitfish. One good choice would be “jerk shad” lures that have become very popular and are available in a wide variety of colors. I’ve been finding that white has been working best, although I’ll occasionally throw a darker color when water clarity is poor. Work these lures with your rod pointed down and use the tip of the rod to put motion on the lure.

The trout have at long last appeared. Our long winter and its colder water temperatures kept trout from arriving at their usual time in March. Fishermen should focus on oyster beds and grassy banks when targeting these fish. While they may have not gotten much use over the last few months, it is time to break out the popping corks again. Try fishing a 3” D.O.A. plastic shrimp lure suspended two feet underneath a popping cork. The D.O.A. shrimp come in several weights but I prefer their 1/4oz. model. The colors red glitter and silver glitter are performing best. These rigs can be deadly for trout right now.

Flounder, perhaps our tastiest fish, are becoming increasingly active. We’ve been picking them up mostly when fishing with mud minnows on the bottom or mud minnows under popping corks. You’ll need to focus on structure when targeting flounder. Docks and pilings are good places to prospect. Remember that flounder will hug the bottom in hopes of ambushing their prey, so you’ll need to keep that bait down on or close to the bottom as well. One of the bonuses of the jerk shad mentioned above is that flounder will strike these surprisingly often when you fish them slow.

It’s an exciting time as we now have several species to target instead of just spooky redfish. It really expands the fishery and offers up a lot more opportunities.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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There are a lot of things to consider when fishing in the Lowcountry, but I never thought I would have to worry about whether or not the weight of snow would cause the tarp covering my boat to collapse! Valentine’s Day weekend brought the first real snowfall that Charleston has seen in quite some time. Fortunately, the snow was followed by a stretch of brilliantly sunny days with temperatures reaching into the 60s. Fishermen weren’t the only people celebrating the good weather; the redfish were pretty darn happy, too. As the water temperature warmed, the reds really turned on. It seemed everybody on or in the water really appreciated a few hearty days of sun.

While the redfish have become more active, they are still somewhat wary and cautious. They continue to huddle in large schools (sometimes numbering in the hundreds), and will continue to do so into March. As I wrote earlier this year, fly fishermen enjoy a distinct advantage in these conditions since the presentation of flies can be so delicate. A well-cast fly landing in the water is almost imperceptible to the fish and can be cast within feet of a school without spooking them. Fly patterns with gold and other flashy colors work well. When redfish refuse these, we’ll often go to smaller flies in lighter colors that resemble minnows.

If you aren’t fly fishing, you’ll still need to consider the impact your lure makes when it hits the water. Redfish are defensive right now and will flee rather than investigate a strange sound or a lure that makes a big splat when it hits the water. The standard ¼ oz. jigheads that you could bomb into a school of fish in the fall and draw aggressive strikes will now send the entire school fleeing. Try using the least amount of weight possible to get your lure in front of fish. You might have to try casting lures with almost no weight at all, which may alter your casting range.

Keep practicing the stealth and slow deliberate movements that you’ve been using throughout the winter to sneak up on schools of redfish. It takes some patience to get to them, but casting to massive schools of fish can send your heart racing. The water temperature is now firmly on the upswing and is setting the stage for our fisheries to roar back to life. It will be here before you know it.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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There are a lot of things to consider when fishing in the Lowcountry, but I never thought I would have to worry about whether or not the weight of snow would cause the tarp covering my boat to collapse! Valentine’s Day weekend brought the first real snowfall that Charleston has seen in quite some time. Fortunately, the snow was followed by a stretch of brilliantly sunny days with temperatures reaching into the 60s. Fishermen weren’t the only people celebrating the good weather; the redfish were pretty darn happy, too. As the water temperature warmed, the reds really turned on. It seemed everybody on or in the water really appreciated a few hearty days of sun.

While the redfish have become more active, they are still somewhat wary and cautious. They continue to huddle in large schools (sometimes numbering in the hundreds), and will continue to do so into March. As I wrote earlier this year, fly fishermen enjoy a distinct advantage in these conditions since the presentation of flies can be so delicate. A well-cast fly landing in the water is almost imperceptible to the fish and can be cast within feet of a school without spooking them. Fly patterns with gold and other flashy colors work well. When redfish refuse these, we’ll often go to smaller flies in lighter colors that resemble minnows.

If you aren’t fly fishing, you’ll still need to consider the impact your lure makes when it hits the water. Redfish are defensive right now and will flee rather than investigate a strange sound or a lure that makes a big splat when it hits the water. The standard ¼ oz. jigheads that you could bomb into a school of fish in the fall and draw aggressive strikes will now send the entire school fleeing. Try using the least amount of weight possible to get your lure in front of fish. You might have to try casting lures with almost no weight at all, which may alter your casting range.

Keep practicing the stealth and slow deliberate movements that you’ve been using throughout the winter to sneak up on schools of redfish. It takes some patience to get to them, but casting to massive schools of fish can send your heart racing. The water temperature is now firmly on the upswing and is setting the stage for our fisheries to roar back to life. It will be here before you know it.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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We’ve had streaks of rainy and windy conditions over the last few weeks. Fortunately, the temperatures have been holding steady following last month’s cold snap. If you’re like me, though, cleaning your rods and reels or working on your boat during nasty weather can only keep you entertained for so long. The days are starting to grow noticeably longer and you may soon find yourself with a case of spring fever.

So what’s an angler to do in February? The answer is that you need to pick and choose your days. Although few and far between, the handful of warmer, sunnier days this month have produced some excellent fishing. Right now, a redfish has two priorities: don’t get eaten by a dolphin and try to stay warm. The sun will make the water on the flats a few degrees warmer and redfish in large schools will flood these flats.

During these days, the redfish will be more likely to consider eating, which is kind of a daily bonus for them this time of year(though I suspect that, relative to getting eaten by a dolphin, anything is a bonus). Once we locate these schools, we have been fishing with artificial lures about four to five inches in length called “jerk shad.” I usually rig jerk shad weedless, with the point of the hook pressed into the lure’s back. The profile of this lure is not only slender but also lands softly in the water, which helps to prevent spooking these already dolphin-wary schools. You may want to try a flutter hook, which has weight on the shank that imparts action on the lure and will help you cast farther.

On occasion, you will find that anything cast towards a school will send the fish fleeing when the lure hits the water. Live bait fished on the bottom becomes the best alternative. I really like to use cracked blue crab with cut mullet as my second choice. Redfish are scent feeders and you can image the scent trail crab infuses into the water. Put your bait on a #2/0 or # 3/0 circle hook, add weight to the line near the hook to hold the bait on the bottom and wait for the fish to come to you. A circle hook is designed to catch on the edge of a fish’s mouth without any additional pressure applied by the angler. Try not to set the hook yourself until that rod is bent over and the fish is taking line – much easier said than done!

Think about calling in sick the next time a beautiful day comes along. In February, your boss probably won’t suspect you of playing hooky to fish.

See you on the water!

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It was all fun and games for the redfish...until I got on the water.

The agreement had been to meet at the public boat docks on Folly Beach at 9am. The gray and grizzled sky coupled with a chilly breeze made the warm comforter of my bed especially heavy and difficult to toss away at 8:15. I considered contacting Captain Geoff Bennett, who was probably already at the dock, and calling in sick like you might do at a job you hate. This was supposed to be fishing, not work, after all, and I was already dreading it. However, I recalled that I had really wanted to get out on the water with Captain Bennett when I wasn’t half asleep, so I slowly rolled out of bed, put on some autumn clothes and hopped in the car.
I was about 10 minutes late when I crossed the Folly River Bridge and pulled into the boat docks. Captain Bennett was shuffling around his 16 foot Hewes Bayfisher and when I walked down to greet him, I was a bit surprised. Captain Bennett is relatively young – 33 actually – with red hair. I guess I expected a peg-leg or an eye patch and a beard, at least. Maybe a parrot. And the boat wasn’t large, but among the many things I learned that day, it was the perfect size for inland marsh fishing.
It never occurred to me to separate fishing charters from the open ocean. However, Captain Bennett informed me that his charters are considered “inland”, meaning that we stay on the backside of the barrier islands, cruising the rivers and flats.
We began fishing around the high tide mark which would allow us to stalk red drum on one of his favorite flats near Kiawah. We crossed the Stono River and worked our way onto a very shallow area only a few feet deep. It was there that I learned the small, flat bottom boat we were using was perfect for the hunt. It allowed us to meander through the grass and get to places that larger boats simply cannot go, which gave us an edge. The red drum, he explained, like to round up shrimp, crabs, and small fish on the flats which are usually only accessible during high tide.
The air was cool and a hardy breeze chopped up the unprotected water between Folly Beach and Kiawah. However, things were much more peaceful and the sun was even threatening to make an appearance when we arrived at our fishing spot. Captain Bennett hooked me up with a jerk shad lure (not named for its rude social skills, but instead for the jerking motion you should use when fishing with it) and showed me how to mimic the movement of a small fish. Unfortunately, my schedule forced us to leave a little earlier than Captain Bennett would have liked, so he warned me that the fishing might be a little slow at the beginning.
He was pushing us through the grass on the flats like a gondola conductor as I cast the lure and retrieved it according to his instruction. I was trying to differentiate the feel of the lure hitting a patch of grass from a “bite”. Every time the line pulled on the grass, my heart skipped a beat and then jumped to disappointment when I realized it wasn’t a bite. However, I would quickly learn the difference.
On my third cast, we were facing the flat and I tossed the lure at a 10 o’clock angle. It landed amidst blades of grass and I began to retrieve the jerk shad as per the Captain’s instructions, but I was still working out the kinks when something hit it hard. We were both surprised at how quickly the action began. I hooked it and the fight was on. The fish took off for the shelter of thicker grass as I tried to pull it in. Its strength was amazing and the dark spot on its tail, which became visible in the shallow water, confirmed my opponent was a red drum. Several times it pulled line out of the reel as it tried to escape and I tried to bring it in. The battle seemed to last for several minutes.
Captain Bennett later admitted that he knew it was a relatively large fish when he saw it, but kept his excitement to himself in order to minimize my disappointment in the event the red drum got free or snapped the line. However, with his coaching tips in the back of my mind, I was eventually able to exhaust the fish and bring it beside the boat. Captain Bennett pulled the fish from the water while I tried to keep the huge grin on my face under control. It was a 10.5 pound red drum that I caught on the third cast on my first time out with the Captain.
Bennett’s knowledge of fishing is remarkable, and I admired his skill as he placed the red drum back in the water and gently held it, waiting for the fish to catch its breath and take off. It was obvious that he is living his passion.
We talked about all sorts of things over the next couple of hours. Captain Bennett has been fishing since he was a kid, casting his first hooks as a fly fisherman in the north. He began to make his way south before settling in the Charleston area with his wife, and began the process of mastering the local waterways.
I caught one more red drum during the trip. It was a smaller three and a half pounder. I also missed the opportunity to catch a couple more as I jerked the lure out of the water in my freshman excitement, watching two other fish chase the lure into the shallows.
As we made our way back to the Folly Beach boat docks, I put my hat back on despite the fact that it was damp. It was chilly, but I did not notice. In fact, I couldn’t have been happier that I crawled out of my warm bed that morning. I am hooked.
Captain Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing and can be found through his website: www.charlestoncharterfishing.com. If you want to learn how to fish the marsh with an expert, you already know what you’re doing, or you just want catch something, be sure to contact him.

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Winter fishing success continues in December.

With the chilly weather quickly moving in you might think that fish are nowhere to be found, but it’s a different story below the waves. It takes a long time for our local waters to completely cool off from the scorching days of August. Water temperatures are now in the low 60s and will drop modestly into the high 50s by the end of the month. December can be a very hospitable month for both trout and redfish.
This crisp weather, with its occasional cold snaps, really turns on the trout. Pretty much all tactics are working for trout: both artificials and live bait are working as the trout are feeding aggressively. This is a great time of year to get your young fisherman (or fisherwoman) “hooked” on fishing.
For the trout, we are using 3” D.O.A. plastic shrimp underneath a popping cork and it is a great setup. These shrimp come in a wide assortment of colors ranging from realistic lighter tones to bright attractor colors. I’ve found the best success comes from using the Glow color, which is basically white, as well as their Glitter colors which are translucent and filled with glitter. To me, these colors best represent what a live shrimp would look like. The Fiji Chicken color has become popular this season and is quite effective. These artificial shrimp already have weights inside their bodies, with the ¼ oz. weight being the most common. The weight makes the lure fall naturally into the water. Don’t be afraid to change the length of your leader as trout may sit in different parts of the water column.
One of the most interesting phenomena that occur when winter begins is the large schools of redfish that begin to form on the flats. They will develop these giant schools and stay in them throughout the winter. They bunch together as a means of protection from predators, namely bottlenose dolphins. As a result, these schools are quite skittish and spook easily. One of the best tactics is to locate a school and setup nearby while waiting for the fish to eventually come close to the boat. Live bait, especially chunks of blue crab, work very well when allowed to sit on the bottom. Redfish will happily devour these offerings!
The water is also becoming quite clear as the vegetation that was present in the summer has cleared out. Fly fishing is simply terrific as we stalk these big schools of redfish on the flats. The water clarity allows you to spot redfish from quite a distance. It is an awesome sight to see literally hundreds of fish balled up together in one spot. Watching the water erupt and boil when you hook into one fish is an experience like no other.
See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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Although temperatures are getting cool, inland fishing remains hot.

The middle of November was witness to a week of heavy storms then followed by a week of huge daytime tides. The result was stained and choppy water that tempered the trout bite. With the water clearing as I write this, expect fishing to return to its normal late Fall excellence.  Make sure to treat yourself to some fishing with family and friends as the holiday season begins!
Redfish were less affected by the aforementioned poor conditions than the trout. Artificial lures remain the theme. While fishing in skinny water and on the flats, we also continue to trend to more delicate presentations. The flutter hooks that I had been using with weights on the shank have been replaced with weightless hooks. I’ve been reducing the size of the plastic lures I have been throwing as well. When sight casting to redfish, try to lead the fish by a few feet and bring the lure across its nose. Hitting the fish with the lure will more than likely cause it to spook and flee instead of drawing a strike. While not as prolific as in the summer, we are still finding “tailing” fish up in the grass. When redfish are rooting in the weeds for crabs and other crustaceans, their noses are to the ground while their tails wave above the water. Besides being an amazing sight to see, tailing fish are engrossed in digging up food and more approachable than a fish just cruising along. You can literally toss a lure right next to a redfish while its nose is in the dirt. When it raises its head, a little twitch of the lure and it’s on! Gulp! 3” crabs are an excellent choice and are very effective. You may need to add a small split shot weight a few inches above the hook so that you can cast a good distance when it is windy.
Trout have are growing bigger every day as they continue to gorge on the shrimp and other bait fish that now fill our waters. When conditions have displaced the trout from your usual fishing holes or you find them already occupied by fellow anglers, trolling can be a very efficient method of locating new fish. We will traditionally troll 1/4oz. jigheads with different color plastic paddletail grubs. Throwing the lure a good distance behind the boat, drive along banks covered with oyster beds and other structure paying special attention to creek mouths and cuts in the bank. The goal is to find a speed that keeps the lure swimming close to the bottom but not so low as to repeatedly get hung up and stuck. Clearly, having a trolling motor makes this a much easier exercise, but it can be done while running a boat’s engine. If you are running your engine, you may want to try trolling your lures even farther behind the boat to account for the noise possibly putting off the fish. Kayakers will find that they have the perfect vessel for this tactic given its stealth. Remember to set the drag on your reels lightly not only so you can detect a soft trout strike but also so if you do snag the bottom you will not immediately break off the lure.
See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at  http://www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at  captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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True to form, fishing this fall is great. Fish are eating steadily during the cooler weather, and if you’ve been out on the water recently, you probably noticed that you have the water to yourself; even on some weekends. With hungry fish and less crowds, now is the time to get fishing!

Fishing in early November has continued to be hot as temperatures drop.

Redfish are present and active. With the fish eager this time of year, you should spend more time throwing artificial plastic lures. There are many options available. On our fishing trips, we’ll often switch between paddletail grubs and jerk shad, among others. We usually fish the grubs attached to a ¼ oz. jighead. You’ll find jigheads in all different colors. I usually choose unpainted, but it’s just a matter of your preference. Chicken on a Chain and Texas Roach are hot colors for the grubs, but check your local tackle shop to get an idea of what’s working. For jerk shad, I favor lighter colors and will use both Gulp! and D.O.A. lures. Try fishing the jerk shad on flutter hooks. These hooks have a weight on their shank that imparts additional action when you are working it in the water. With all of the above, try changing the speed of your retrieve, as well as the color of the lure. What was hot one day might not necessarily produce the next.
Redfish are responding well to live bait, too. Mud minnows suspended underneath a popping cork have been working the best for me. Casting this rig along grass banks has been very effective in locating fish. When you approach an area, try to stay as far away from the bank as possible so that your longest cast just reaches the target. Fish will sit surprisingly far off grass banks and quite far out along oyster beds, too. You can gradually move in closer if needed. As always, cuts or live bait on the bottom with a Carolina Rig is a very effective tactic. Right now, I favor cut mullet or smaller live baitfish. Cracked crab works great, but often gets picked to pieces by little fish before a redfish can get to it.
Trout will happily eat the paddletail plastic grubs mentioned above. When working an area, make sure to try a very slow retrieve every so often. Sometimes that slower speed can be the ticket for trout.  It sounds crazy, but I’ve had several occasions recently when trout would only eat these artificial lures, even when live mud minnows or live shrimp were presented under popping corks. Over oyster beds, try “live lining” D.O.A. 3” plastic shrimp. Live lining just means letting the shrimp drift naturally through the water column. The D.O.A. shrimp come in a variety of weights, but I am partial to the ¼ oz. You can add splitshot above the shrimp if you want to work it deeper. I try to have enough weight so that I can bounce the shrimp along the bottom and if I can do that without adding weight to the line, all the better.
See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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True to form, fishing this fall is great. Fish are eating steadily during the cooler weather, and if you’ve been out on the water recently, you probably noticed that you have the water to yourself; even on some weekends. With hungry fish and less crowds, now is the time to get fishing!
Redfish are present and active. With the fish eager this time of year, you should spend more time throwing artificial plastic lures. There are many options available. On our fishing trips, we’ll often switch between paddletail grubs and jerk shad, among others. We usually fish the grubs attached to a ¼ oz. jighead. You’ll find jigheads in all different colors. I usually choose unpainted, but it’s just a matter of your preference. Chicken on a Chain and Texas Roach are hot colors for the grubs, but check your local tackle shop to get an idea of what’s working. For jerk shad, I favor lighter colors and will use both Gulp! and D.O.A. lures. Try fishing the jerk shad on flutter hooks. These hooks have a weight on their shank that imparts additional action when you are working it in the water. With all of the above, try changing the speed of your retrieve, as well as the color of the lure. What was hot one day might not necessarily produce the next.
Redfish are responding well to live bait, too. Mud minnows suspended underneath a popping cork have been working the best for me. Casting this rig along grass banks has been very effective in locating fish. When you approach an area, try to stay as far away from the bank as possible so that your longest cast just reaches the target. Fish will sit surprisingly far off grass banks and quite far out along oyster beds, too. You can gradually move in closer if needed. As always, cuts or live bait on the bottom with a Carolina Rig is a very effective tactic. Right now, I favor cut mullet or smaller live baitfish. Cracked crab works great, but often gets picked to pieces by little fish before a redfish can get to it.
Trout will happily eat the paddletail plastic grubs mentioned above. When working an area, make sure to try a very slow retrieve every so often. Sometimes that slower speed can be the ticket for trout.  It sounds crazy, but I’ve had several occasions recently when trout would only eat these artificial lures, even when live mud minnows or live shrimp were presented under popping corks. Over oyster beds, try “live lining” D.O.A. 3” plastic shrimp. Live lining just means letting the shrimp drift naturally through the water column. The D.O.A. shrimp come in a variety of weights, but I am partial to the ¼ oz. You can add splitshot above the shrimp if you want to work it deeper. I try to have enough weight so that I can bounce the shrimp along the bottom and if I can do that without adding weight to the line, all the better.
See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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