Hilton Head Fishing

[pcakes55]

Hey guys, looking for any tips for fishing around Hilton Head. Heading down there in a few weeks for vacation and looking to do some fishing (salt or freshwater). We were planning on hiring a charter but its cheaper to just bring some of my own rods, also this way I we can go fishing at any point during the week. Any input appreciated!

[Chris at Tech]

Where are you staying?

[pcakes55]

Im pretty sure it's called the Treetops.

[RoLo]

26 minutes ago, pcakes55 said:

Im pretty sure it's called the Treetops.

 

 

That's over my head.

[grampa1114]

Oh...TreeTops...Over my head...I get it...

[pcakes55]

[grampa1114]

By the way...The Savannah River will probably be your only freshwater venue and that will be 50 or so miles west. You're probably best off sticking to inshore and marsh fishing for Reds and Speckled Trout. Live or frozen shrimp on a Carolina rig is my guess. As always JMHO

 

[Chris at Tech]

7 hours ago, grampa1114 said:

By the way...The Savannah River will probably be your only freshwater venue and that will be 50 or so miles west. You're probably best off sticking to inshore and marsh fishing for Reds and Speckled Trout. Live or frozen shrimp on a Carolina rig is my guess. As always JMHO

 

Not entirely true...

 

HHI has several parks and dozens of golf courses with freshwater ponds chock full of bass.  Problem is that 95%+ of those are inside the plantations (ie private, huge subdivisions), but unfortunately you're not staying in a plantation so your access is hugely diminished.

 

*IF* you do have access to any of the plantations (or get a SC license to fish one of the few parks), then your standard pond baits will fair just fine.  Fluke, senkos, frogs, spinnerbaits will all get bit.  The ponds are generally pretty mucky or weedy, so be wary fishing with open-hook presentations.

 

For the saltwater, your options are again a bit limited due to being outside a plantation.  You can soak bait on the beach and catch whiting, rays, maybe a few small sharks.  You can try to fish creek mouths, but time it at 2 hrs before dead low, or 2 hrs before dead high so you're fishing moving water.  For the creeks, use Gulp Shrimp, DOA paddle tails, gold spoons, popping corks or bait.

 

If you could swing a guide, I highly recommend one of these guys.

 

First is Off the Hook Charters.  Capt Brian is the man on HHI, and I've fished with him more than 30 times.  He's got inshore and nearshore covered.

 

Second is Palmetto Lagoon Charters, where you get access to fish the well-managed, private lagoon in Palmetto Dunes plantation.  Capt Stacy and Capt Trent are dialed in there, and it really feels like bass fishing -- except the guys that bite are a lot bigger and angrier than largemouth