In addition to the Old Sunshine Skyway Bridge - called "the world's longest fishing pier," you can also try Tampa Bay's beautiful and pristine Fort Desoto County Park. There you can wade fish in calm, clear, shallow water and have a shot at catching flounder, Speckled Trout, Redfish, Mangrove Snapper and possibly even a Snook. Ask the folks at the tackle store what to use for bait. But I don't see how you can go wrong with live shrimp or pinfish, or soft plastics like Berkley Gulp shrimp and/or mullet on popping cork.
Your right about the mullet jumping. The first time you see that behavior, most people don't know what to think - especially if not familiar with salt water or brackish environments. As far as Tilapia go, when I lived in Brazil, the locals would catch Tilapia on a kernel of cooked corn on a tiny hook with a small split shot weight. I tried it too and had success.
Hey there fellow Anglers. I am in desperate need of some advice, expertise, suggestions or whatever you want to throw my way. Ever since September when the fishing should have started getting hot around here, I have basically been getting skunked, while so many others are catching large numbers of targeted fish. I have spent so much time, effort, and money trying to find my groove, but it just has not happened ever since I moved back down to Hilton Head Island, SC, two years ago.
I live on Hilton Head Island, SC, but also spend quite a bit of time up in Murrells Inlet, SC, so I basically travel up and down Hwy 17 up and down the coast on a regular basis. I am 55 years old and have been fishing since I was old enough to hold a cane pole. My main problem seems to be finding my targeted species and good habitats from shore (meaning a place I can access from my car followed by a reasonable walk hauling gear and bait). I typically look for a place that shows promise with at least three of the following indicators:
1) Structure: Piers, docks, bridges, oyster beds, grass, holes, drop-offs, jetties, etc.
2) Presence of bait: Finger mullet, menhaden, pilchards, shrimp, mud minnows, crabs, and/or crustaceans on structure. Of course, bait in water in SC is dictated largely by season.
3) Diving/feeding birds
4) Game fish hitting bait
5) Water clarity
Now here in the SC Lowcountry, we have to be more tide conscience than in most places, with our huge 10 foot tide swings that make the water move like a fast-moving river.
Since I do not have a boat, I feel so limited and restricted in terms of my access to feeding fish. Plus, I do not get to use the technology on boats to measure depth, find drop-offs, and even schools of fish. Plus, I waste a lot of time driving around, always limited (especially here) by "no fishing allowed" or "private property" signs that prevent me from fishing waters that boats can access like Shelter Cove (on Hilton Head), impossible to reach by car jetties, deep water bridge structure (for Sheepshead and Drum this time of year), and private docks for redfish.
I have fished around this area since I was a kid in the 1970s, so I am familiar with Hilton Head. Back then, I was content to stick with the surf fishing the Island has to offer, which is not great and mainly offers up trash fish, or freshwater fishing on the golf course ponds, which is great, but no longer my main interest.
My target species right now - Feb. 2019 - are Sheepshead, Speckled Trout and Black Drum. I am getting skunked and have tried everything from live shrimp, dead shrimp, fiddler crabs, mud minnows, every lure under the sun (for Specks), and on and on. I just can't find the fish. In addition to the above species, I also fish for Redfish, Flounder, Bluefish, Jacks and occasionally large Sharks during warmer months. When I travel Florida, my target list multiplies with the addition of Snook, Tarpon, Grouper, Snapper, Pompano, etc.
I would appreciate any and all advice the community has to offer. Also, if anyone is ever looking for a fishing buddy, please contact me. If you have a boat, I would be happy to pay you a reasonable fee if you are looking for company.
Thank you all very much. Tight Lines!!!!
Mike
Mike Wilson
Couple of questions. What type of baitfish are present near shore? You often eill OP want to mimic or use what they are eating. Are you sure it is fresh water and not brackish? If it is brackish, I would use soft plastics (Berkley Gulp are my favorites) on a jighead, or freeline a live shrimp, pilchard, mud minnow, etc. Finally, do you see the telltale signs of Peackock Bass in the water? They are easy to spot, especially during their spawn, because they make huge, circular nests that are much lighter in color than the treasy to spot. Large Peackock Bass are very colorful, have a huge mouth with sharp teeth and can eat any other specials in the ponds they habitat, including largemouth bass. They were introduced from Venezuela and are a terrific sport fish that will hit just about anything thrown their way. Just some thinking out loud. Good luck and tight lines.
Hey there fellow anglers. My name is Mike and I just wanted to introduce myself to the group and say "hello." I am 55-years-old and have been fishing basically all of my life, starting out fishing the Texas Hill Country with my grandfather who had a home on Lake LBJ. I also did my share of trout fishing in the Rockies during my youth and love fly fishing.
I now live on Hilton Head Island, SC, between Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA, and do most of my fishing in the SC coastal "Lowcountry" region. I primarily target Redfish (also know elsewhere as Spot Tail Bass, Red Drum, Channel Bass); Speckled Trout; Flounder; Sheepshead; Black Drum; Jacks; Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish. I also have spent a good amount of time fishing both fresh, but mostly salt and brackish water throughout Florida. When I go south, I of course try to focus on the Sunshine State's diverse fishery, including Snook, Tarpon, Grouper, Snapper, and Pompano, as well as offshore favorites like Wahoo, Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, etc.
However, because I do not own a boat, my ability to get offshore, and even find feeding game fish inshore, is severely limited. I am forced to fish from shore and it is not always easy to access the best spots or make efficient use of my time. Unfortunately, I end up doing a lot of research and driving around the region, and less fishing, which is frustrating. But we just started a new year and I am optimistic about what the coming months have in store for all of us.
Well, that is about it. Thank you for allowing me to join this fishing forum. I look forward to hopefully hearing from some of you in the future. Let me know if you ever get down this way and we'll get after them.
As always, tight lines!
Mike Wilson
mgwtex100@outlook.com