Within the creeks and marshes of Charleston, SC the winter doesn't scare the trout bite away. Fishing charters for trout this time of year are great. This time of year is the perfect time of year to find fishermen with solid 50 fish days. Everything is perfect to find trout in deep water. It's usually after cold fronts where I find the most action. The water depth is key this time of year. All fish jump above and below the thermocline all year. Fish are always looking for food and food is where you will find them along with comfort. The key to this time of year is deep. Everyone wants to use bigger grubs and trout tricks but the fish are just wanting a snack in the cold water. A meal is out of the question due to low metabolism in cold water. You are honestly at the mercy of the weather. If it's been cold for a couple days and all of a sudden there is a warm snap, the fish will be up higher in the water column. Trout are a very wierd animal. They eat a lot of different things that people don't think of. From tiny rice sized grubs to many tiny glass minnows, they tend to preditize everything. I prefer any gulp bait 4" or smaller. A 1'-2' 12lb fluorocarbon leader is key in clear water. My preferred method for fishing these these is on the bottom with with an 1/8-1/4 oz jig head. Work the baits with small twitches using a super slow retrieve. Small deep creeks with clear water are where I encounter higher amounts of fish. I would also suggest fishing 10'-15' of water anywhere there is structure and clear water. Often I find the most successful spots are on bends of creeks and rivers on an incoming tide.
Don't get discouraged with winter troutfishing. Sometimes the school doesn't want to bite and you have to move on. Good luck out there and be patient!
http://www.exclusivefishingcharters.com
