February Inshore Fishing Report in Charleston SC

Exclusive Fishing Charters with Captain John

February is an excellent month for inshore fishing in Charleston, South Carolina, especially for anglers looking to avoid crowds and target reliable winter species. With cooler water temperatures and clear winter tides, Exclusive Fishing Charters with Captain John continues to see consistent action throughout the Charleston Harbor, tidal creeks, and surrounding inshore waters.

Charleston Redfish Fishing in February

Redfish are the primary target for February inshore fishing charters in Charleston SC. During the winter months, redfish school tightly in deep holes, creek bends, oyster flats, and muddy bottoms that retain heat. On sunny afternoons, fish often move shallow to warm, creating prime sight-fishing opportunities.

Captain John focuses on tide movement, especially the outgoing tide, when redfish feed aggressively. Live mud minnows, finger mullet, and cut bait work extremely well, while anglers throwing artificial lures find success with soft plastics fished slowly along the bottom.

Black Drum Fishing in Charleston Harbor

February is peak season for black drum fishing in Charleston. These hard-fighting fish are commonly found around docks, bridge pilings, oyster beds, and harbor structure. Puppy drum provide steady action, with larger black drum showing up regularly this time of year.

Shrimp—live or fresh dead—remains the most productive bait. Captain John targets productive structure throughout Charleston Harbor and surrounding creeks to give anglers the best chance at success.

Sheepshead Fishing in February

Sheepshead fishing is another winter highlight for Charleston inshore fishing charters. These structure-oriented fish are known for their subtle bite and are often caught around bridges, jetties, and docks. Fiddler crabs, shrimp pieces, and oysters fished tight to structure produce the best results.

February offers some of the most consistent sheepshead action of the year, making it a great target for anglers looking to sharpen their inshore fishing skills.

Speckled Trout (Weather Dependent)

While speckled trout fishing can be impacted by cold fronts, warmer February days often produce quality trout in deeper creek bends and protected areas. Slow-worked soft plastics and suspending baits fished near the bottom are the most effective presentations during winter.

Why Book a February Fishing Charter in Charleston SC

One of the biggest advantages of booking a February fishing charter in Charleston is reduced fishing pressure. Fewer boats on the water means less spooked fish and a more relaxed, personalized experience. Captain John tailors every trip based on weather, tides, and angler experience to ensure the best possible day on the water.

Winter fishing in Charleston offers clear water, active fish, and comfortable afternoon temperatures—perfect conditions for anglers looking for quality over quantity.

If you’re planning a Charleston SC inshore fishing charter, February is a great time to get on the water with Exclusive Fishing Charters. Redfish, black drum, and sheepshead are all feeding, and Captain John’s local knowledge makes the difference.

Visit www.exclusivefishingcharters.com for more information.  

Early Spring Means Great Trout Fishing

As water temperatures start to rise, many trout are on the prowl.  Trout have started to become highly active.  The warmer water speeds up their metabolism.  A healthy and active trout has survived the winter and is ready to eat your bait! This time of year I target these fish on slip bobbers.  I use a #1 khale hook on 10 lb fluorocarbon. Your leader should be around 8-10 feet long. Put a split shot about 6” above your hook.   Live mud minnows or bait shrimp are crucial.  You want to try to get the bait past the thermocline.  So keep adjusting those bobber stops to find that sweet spot!  Fish these rigs at high tide next to marsh or structure in creeks.  Make sure you're fishing clear water and the fish should jump on your hook!

Great Fishing,

Captain John

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Fishing Report 3-5-18 www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

Fishing in Charleston SC couldn't be any better.  With temperatures between 60-70 degrees you can catch fish without even sweating.  The redfish are biting cut mullet, blue crab chunks, and frozen shrimp.  Circle hooks are working great by hooking these fish in the corner of the mouth.  This is perfect for catching and releasing these fish to fight another day.  Many trout are being caught on mud minnows.  This time of year underwater structure seems to hold many species of inshore fish.  To book a charter please give me a call 843-709-6859 or visit my website www.exclusivefishingcharters.com .  Its a great time to go fishing in Charleston, SC!

Wintertime Redfishing Trends

Many customers ask when is the best time to go fishing for redfish in Charleston, SC.  This question always depends on how the angler wants to fish.  Light tackle and sight fishing are exceptional during the fall and wintertime months.  The water clarity at this time also makes site fishing very exciting. You can see the fish as you fight them!  Redfish feed mainly in small creeks and estuaries all summer long.  Shrimp, crabs, and many small fish are found in this skinny water. As the temperature slowly drops many of these creek critters suddenly die. The fish are forced to find a more sustainable food source.  A lot of times these fish not only need food,  but are looking for a spot that has less current as well. The schools of fish tend to pack very tightly.  These schools of fish can sometimes reach numbers in the hundreds.
Now that the redfish have found their wintertime sanctuary, as anglers we can capitalize on this seasonal location.  For a fishing charter please visit my website: www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

June Fishing

June fishing is just heating up.  With the huge schools of menhaden moving in many customers can expect to catch big redfish and big sharks.  The trout bite is also incredible.  Many keepers are being caught.  It's a great time to fish in Charleston!  Please visit my site for booking information.  www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

Summer Saltwater Trout Fishing

The stronger west and south west winds from the last couple of weeks have actually helped out with trout fishing. With some surface movement of the water, the trout are hungry.  Mud minnows under a popping cork have proven to be deadly.

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The Big Sharks are Here!

I had a great trip shark fishing with customers last Sunday.  The bite was great with many different species of sharks landed!  An eagle claw 8/0 octopus circle hook is perfect for hooking these beasts right in the corner of the mouth.  Circle hooks provide an easier way to hook up with these toothy creatures without having to use wire.  As a circle hook sets perfectly in the corner of a sharks mouth, it provides a damage free opportunity for both the angler (tackle) and the fish.   The key to catching bigger sharks is bigger bait.  I prefer a whole live whiting or mullet on a float where the bait is about 4ft-6ft below the surface.  It gives the bait a better visibility to those surface feeding apex predators. I would recommend only putting 1 or 2 surface rigs out along with 2 Carolina rigs on the bottom.  You never know where they could be lurking.  Just remember to give the fish a couple of seconds to swallow the bait before you engage your reel.  For any questions about rigs or rigging techniques feel free to shoot me an email:  exclusivefishingcharters@gmail.com

To book a charter give me a call ((843)709-6859) or please visit my website for more information.  www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

Great June Sportfishing!

The last week has been awesome for the amount of big fish caught.  There are huge schools of bait are here and growing!  The bull redfish bite is great on both live bait and cut bait!   Please give us a call (843)709-6859 to book a charter or visit our website.  www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

Riding the Storm Out

Tropical storm Bonnie brought a good bit of rain to South Carolina and surrounding states.   Right before the storm proved to be excellent for bull redfish. After a last minute fishing charter cancellation, I decided to try my luck in 15-20 mph winds.  It was a very choppy boat ride on the ride out.  We finally got to the spot and within an hour we had already landed 3 nice bull redfish, a couple of black drum and more black sea bass than one could count.  After the seas started to become unmanageable we decided to head in for the day.  This just goes to show anglers how much of an influence that weather plays with fish behavior.  www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

Artificial Baits For Early Season Sea Trout

It's a great time to be outside this time year doing anything.  Fishing for big speckled trout is especially great this time of year in Charleston, SC.  These fish enjoy hanging around structure near or around the inlets this time of year.  Artificial baits this time of year are very productive. The Zman slim swim is my go to grub. I prefer their smaller size rather than bigger grubs.  Work them at a slow pace. Whenever the tide is moving it usually triggers these fish to bite.  These fish are hungry this time of year!

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February Fishing

Fishing this time of year can be both frustrating and rewarding depending on the weather.  The redfish are schooled up tight on flats.  The fish are on these flats for two reasons: don't get eaten by dolphins and warmth.  These fish are very spooky this time of year.  Be very quiet when approaching these schools of fIsh.  Artificial lures and cut bait work well this time of year.  The sheepshead are still here and hungry!  Trout are still around but are very finicky due to cold temperatures.  These fish enjoy smaller baits worked very slowly.  A live shrimp on a Carolina rig works well year round! Feel free to check out our website!

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Successful fall fishing in Charlston SC

Fall fishing charters are very successful for sea trout, bull redfish, and sheepshead.  The sharks are moving out and the fish are moving in.  Big bull redfish are moving into the harbor now in huge numbers. A lot of fish are being caught on artificial baits. Most trout are following the shrimp migration inland.  The cooler waters are turning the bite on Fisher more active and feeding more aggressively.also the temperatures outside are more bearable for the customer!  Call and book a fall fishing charter today! Visit our website today! www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

March Fishing Forecast

The month of March is usually the turning point of the fishing season in Charleston, SC.   The warmer temperature influx on the water makes redfish and trout want to bite. We can only hope that wintertime is going to end soon and warmer temps are here to stay.  Soft plastics and gulp products are still working well for both species.  Call and book a fishing charter in Charleston, SC today (843)709-6869 or visit our website today www.exclusivefishingcharters.com !

The Heat of Summer Fishing

     The heat of summer is still producing heated battles.  Every morning the bite seems to produce something different.  Every tide cycle is producing results.  Trout, redfish, sheepshead, and flounder are being caught during these heated days.

     Popping corks with a 4'-5' leader and a live finger mullet are producing high yields of trout, slot reds, and flounder.  Most of the trout are caught on an incoming tide usually on an oyster bed. The flounder are caught on an outgoing tide fishing small creek mouths.  Redfish are being caught right next to the grass while fishing the same popping cork rig.  It's a bad time of the year to be a finger mullet.  Everything is after these little guys. 

     The sheepshead bite is becoming very predictable on an incoming tide.  A fiddler crab and patience is all customers need for these toothy bait theives.  The schools are attacking any crustacean and vegetation that passes by with the tide. Black drum are also being caught while fishing for sheepshead. 

     The schools of menhaden are big enough to walk across right now.  Following these schools of bait, many anglers are encountering big sharks and bull redfish.   Randomly I even encounter a tarpon rolling next to the boat while shark fishing.  The huge schools of spanish mackerel have moved on following the huge schools of glass minnows.  The big trout are still biting! Book a fishing charter in Charleston, SC with Exclusive Fishing Charters today! www.exclusivefishingcharters.com

A Great Start to May!

Charter fishing in the month of May is excellent.  The fishing has become incredible!  Many summer species are starting to encroach on the waterways of Charleston, SC.  Big bull redfish over 40" are starting to bite in these salty waters.  Huge schools of menhaden are  starting to show up.  It's an incredible time to fish with Exclusive Fishing Charters!  Give us a call (843)-709-6859 or visit our website today www.exclusivefishingcharters.com .

Trout Success Increases With Warm Temps

The trout are here and ready to eat artificals.  As spring time temperatures start to become steady so does the catchability of trout.  The DOA shrimp is very effective as well as voodoo shrimp. Here is a few pictures from last week.  Good luck out there.

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Dock Fishing For Redfish: A Tried and True Method

Everyone who has fished in Charleston or anywhere else for that matter has fished docks.  Dock fishing is by far the easiest method in my opinion for landing reds in the winter.  This style of fishing is great year round but it is in the wintertime when big redfish use these for cover against preditors.  The oyster and barnacle encrusted pilings provide a jagged and tetanus covered maze for fish to put between themselves and dolphins.  I have spent countless minutes, hours, and days trying to figure out which docks are better than others.  To be completely honest I still don't know why.  Why do schools of fish return to the same exact place year after year is beyond me.  The  only way to find these migration stations is time.  You just have to jump from spot to spot on every tide cycle.  The simpler the rig the better.  Any bait usually works from cut mullet, live mud minnows and live shrimp.  Many different bait choices are always a successful bet when feeding picky wintertime reds.  The smaller the bait the better in the wintertime (slow metabolism).  I recommend a 18" 20lb fluorocarbon leader paired with a swivel and a 1oz egg sinker. Put the egg sinker above the swivel. With a number one khale hook this rig is usually my go to.  With changing weather patterns and preditors, dock fishing is a method that always produces.

Good luck out there!

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Trout are still here!

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!

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Winter Sheepshead Fishing Provides A Heated Fight!

     As the water temperatures start to fall into the upper 50's, area sheepshead leave their warm summertime creeks and rivers and start to make the migration offshore.  The migration usually consists of fish 2lbs and up. Many rocky and barnacle encrusted areas near the ocean become a temporary refuge for some of these striped critters.   Since sheepshead are omnivores, they often are happy eating pretty much anything from sea lettuce to frozen shrimp.   They often run in schools so if you hook one, there are usually more around.  Fishing for this species is both frustrating and rewarding. Pound for pound sheepshead provide one of the best inshore fights.
   
     The Charleston Jettys are one of my favorite ambush points for these fish.  Anywhere with a bunch of barnacles and oyster deposits will hold these fish. The best depths with consistent luck inshore is usually 3-15 feet.  Offshore you can find these fish anywhere from 15-70 feet on rocks and wrecks lining the bottom. You usually have to pick your days in the wintertime, the calmer the better.  If the water is too rough it makes it very hard to feel such a sensitive bite.  Rough water also makes it hard for the fish to see your bait.

     Your rod is key for feeling such a subtle biting fish.  I like to use a 7' medium fast action graphite rod.  The long graphite rod provides the sensitivity necessary to feel the bite, as well as a quicker hook set.  I often team the rod with a medium sized reel with spooled 20 lb braid.  The drag set on your rod is key for catching these fish.  I normally put 7-8 lbs of drag on my reels. This provides enough pressure to move these creatures to the surface without the chance of losing a barely hooked fish.  Some of my bigger fish have only been only hooked in the lip.  Keep that in mind when you are reeling a big one in.  Also always bring a net.

     I often find that the simpler the rig the better.  A 1' 15lb fluorocarbon leader with a #1 mosquito hook is perfect for these fish.  For weight all you need is a 1/4 oz split shot 6" from your hook (rig shown below). You can add more weight for higher current areas as well.   The #1 mosquito hook also bends straight whenever you get snagged.  Just bend it back, re-bait and you're good to go.  Make sure to bring a lot of extra tackle.  Prepare to get snagged a lot.  I usually spend half of the time tying rigs on my charters.  Its something that just happens.  You also can use a bobber or popping cork with 2' of leader if you get a little frustrated from rigging so much.

     Every sheepshead fisherman has a certain way to work their baits on the structure they are fishing.  Always keep try to keep your rod at a 90 degree angle.  Fishing right on top of your structure is necessary for a positive hookup.  I prefer a soft up and down rhythm every 5-10 seconds.  Just bouncing the bait up and down a foot or two off the bottom.  This method is most effective when you are dealing with bigger fish that have a soft bite.  You really don't feel the bite too much when using this method. You feel more of a pressure on the line and then you set the hook. This type of fishing involves fishing next to, on top of, and sometimes inside structure.  These fish find refuge in cover and love highly oxygenated (moving) water.

     The usual bait for sheepshead is fiddler crabs.  Many other people use cut clams, oysters, ghost shrimp, cut shrimp, and even barnacles.  I have found that all of these baits work but the easiest and most readily available is fiddler crabs.  Hook your fiddler crab through the center of the bottom their abdomen with the hook barely exposed out of their carapace (see picture below).  Make sure to buy at least double of what you think you need if you plan on fishing all day.  It may seem like a lot but you can go through a pint in an hour if you really get on these fish.  You never want to run out of bait.

     With the right rods and bait sheepshead fishing is pretty simple. If you combine all of the techniques mentioned you should have great success landing many of these striped bait bandits.  Remember, don't forget that net!!!

     For more information on booking a sheepshead fishing charter please feel free to check out my website http://www.exclusivefishingcharters.com or send me an email for any other questions  exclusivefishingcharters@gmail.com