Hilton Head Island TIps and Tricks

[WVUontheFLY 0]

Hello you salty dogs. I am here once again to seek out your wisdom and guidance since it worked fairly well when I was in Destin, FL. Given the advice I was able to catch some ladyfish and got bit off by a barracuda and young shark off the beach. Oddly enough I caught a 30" spotted gar with my bare hands as it was swimming up the coast.

 

I am now looking for some areas and flies to use at Hilton Head for anything that swims, reds, jacks, trout, tarpon, and most definitely SHARKS. I will be going with a buddy towards the end of September and will have a paddle board to have a little more access than just wading. All help will be appreciated,

[Poopdeck 0]

My father inlaw lived on Hilton head so I went there every summer for ten years. Can't help you with flies since I didn't fly fish then. But I can tell you what I always did. First golf, great courses on and off the island. Next I bass fished. The island has numerous freshwater canals all through it. They are everywhere. They contain impressive quantities and quality LM bass. You will tire quickly from 3 to 4 lb bass and catch plenty twice that size. Being from pa and not really having big bass all over the place I found the bass fishing to be world class.

 

On the few times I went surf fishing it was black tips after black tips after black tips. Not sure about Kate September though. I would takes the kids on shark fishing charters and we would catch every shark imaginable including hammerheads which the kids really enjoyed.

[WVUontheFLY 0]

Thanks Poopdeck, I have been to Hilton Head once about 10 years ago and only got to golf and they definitely have nice courses. Since I can bass fish here in WV, I will spend pretty much the entire time fishing the salt but on the fly instead of gear. Should definitely be an interesting trip.

[mikechell 0]

Late September in South Carolina ... if it's warm to hot, the "no-see-ms" (little biting gnats) and mosquitoes can be killer. Take bug spray.

It is possible for Fall/Winter temps to whip through there that early in the season. Unusual, but not unheard of. Watch the weather, you might need a wet suit to be comfortable on a paddle board.

 

I don't know anything about the fishing out there ... But I lived in South Carolina for three years around 1980.

[Capt. Tyler 0]

As your coming onto Hilton Head there is a plantation on the left called Moss Creek. Right past it is a little shopping center with a shop called Souther Drawl, go see Josh the owner and tell him what you are looking to catch and where you will be fishing. He will be able to tell you everything you need to know. Also, depending on where you are staying most golf course ponds in Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes are loaded with Redfish and Tarpon. Good luck!

[Capt. Tyler 0]

Also... If you into wading the area between the bridges, Pinckney island has great flats for tailing redfish.

[DavidR 0]

Pinckney Island is a nature reserve ..if caught by DNR wading there from the island you will get ticketed.

 

Best to approach by kayak or similar. And get a license it is required now,even for fishing from the beach.

 

If you fish the ponds in Sea Pines, you will need a fishing permit from the CSA building about 1/2 mile inside the plantation across from the cemetery. Not so many Tarpon, but plenty of Reds, Flounder and Trout in the ponds.

[WVUontheFLY 0]

I just picked up a 13' gheenoe last night so we will fish a good bit from that platform and was planning on fishing the two flats on the southern end of Pinckney Island and then fishing different flats from the Marshland Public boat ramp. Any particular flat on Pinckney that is better than others?