Short S.C. trip...bank fishing?

[KeyWestJoe]

Hey all, I have a short trip to SC the first week of December.  I'll be in the Moncks Corner \ Goose Creek \ Summerville area.

 

I won't have the boat with me and I'd love to do some fresh water fishing to keep from being bored.  Are there any places that might produce that I can legally bank fish within an hours drive?  Are there spots on Moultrie where I won't get chased off?  Or decent areas around Charleston that would be worth trying?

 

I'm gonna assume being December that I'll need to go for the reaction bite and fish fast and cover lots of water.

I know I can fish the Ashley or the Cooper but I won't have all the tackle I need, or any place I can access them that I know of.

Are there any bass (or any fishing) guide services in the area I can take advantage of in December?

 

I brought all my gear home so depending on where I can go will dictate whether I bring any gear with me or not... I'll be flying down.  

 

Thanks!

[the reel ess]

I'm from SC, but not that area. But be careful where you fish. Make sure you have a saltwater license if you're on the wrong side of the dividing line. You can find that here. http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/dividingline.html

 

I know Goose Creek isn't far from the Cooper River. There has to be some way to access it. Find a local tackle shop and ask them. There might even be a kayak rental business there.

[Koz]

I stumbled upon a place this past spring when my son had a travel baseball tournament in North Charleston and it's only a 10 minute drive from Summerville. We passed by it on the first day of his tournament and on the second day left a little early for his games and managed to fish it for 45 minutes with great results.

 

It's at a place called Pine Hill Business Campus in Ridgeville, SC and it's right along US 17 Alt. The crossroad is Research Center Drive in Ridgeville.

 

If you look at the aerial photo below you will see that I labeled where to park. I fished the lagoon to the right of that parking area for about 45 minutes and caught a couple of 3 pounders and a two pounder. There is a meandering wooden walkway along that edge of the lagoon and that was the only area I fished. There's lots of aquatic vegetation in that area and I caught my fish off of that rounded point to the left of the parking lot.

 

In that lagoon we fished the banks were maintained grass areas so you could walk almost the entire perimeter and fish. It looks like there are some good bank fishing access points in the neighboring lagoons as well.

 

My son fished the weed line in that bottom right corner and caught a nice two pounder. Unfortunately we did not get to fish there for long because of his game schedule. We were too tired to fish it on the way back home. I've been meaning to head up there again sometime and spend a full day there as well as try the other lagoons right in that area. They should all be connected via the stormwater system.

 

Hopefully I can up there sometime to try it again. It's about a 90 minute drive where I live and we don't get up that way until baseball season starts again in the spring.

 

If you go there let me know how it works out for you.

 

 

[KeyWestJoe]

Thanks The Reel Ess and Koz.

We usually surf or pier fish when we stay on the island(s), but I'd rather be out on a boat doing that type of fishing.  Too much competition on the piers.    I'd rather bass fish this time.  And visit the Shimano factory.

 

I'll definitely check that spot out Koz.  Looks promising.

EDIT:  Just mapped it...it's not far from one of my fathers doctors.  I know right where that is...that whole area on both sides of Alt. 17 looks good.

Thanks!

 

 

[Koz]

3 hours ago, KeyWestJoe said:

I'll definitely check that spot out Koz.  Looks promising.

 

I just noticed that you're from NY and just in case you haven't fished this area before I need to warn you to keep an eye out for alligators, especially fishing the wooded and heavily grassed areas in the lagoons to the west of the one next to the parking area.

 

Most alligators will leave you alone. But sometimes there are idiots that feed alligators and those gators are the ones you need to look out for. Many gators will hang out while you fish letting you know that you are in their territory. But if they start to creep closer or move towards your lure it's time to move to another part of the lagoon.

 

Some alligators have also learned that people fishing means dinner time for them. They will attack a fish on your line. Make sure that you keep a blade handy in case you need to cut your line. Trust me - the gator will not let go. I've also caught plenty of fish around alligators and the gator never made a move towards my catch.

 

When motivated, alligators are extremely fast both in and out of the water. I've seen alligators propel themselves so fast with their tails that their body lifts out of the water like a hydrofoil boat. Chances are you won't be able to out reel a motivated gator.

 

With all of that being said, we fish around alligators all of the time. If you keep your eyes open, watch their behavior, and are aware of how they might react it should be no big deal.

 

 

[KeyWestJoe]

Oh yeah...know all about them.  ?

Been cat fishing around there a long time ago and we'd play with them from the boat.  Chuck mullet at them.  Watched half a deer disappear in front of us one time.

 

The subdivision my folks live in has a big pond and there's a couple in there too...they like to chase your lure.  At least there used to be gators in it.  Unfortunately I don't think there's any fish in it... I've never seen anyone catch anything there, and I've never caught anything.

 

I'll be careful...

 

[BigRed1977]

This area is home for me. All of the small neighborhood ponds hold bass. The water is typically stained. I'd use google maps and find some areas that are close by to fish. The neighborhood ponds are nice because they usually are maintained on the edges so casting is easier. I keep rods in the truck to fish them when I'm waiting on something like the kids to get out of school or a quick stop on the way home from work. There is A LOT of area to fish within an hour of goose creek \ monks corner \ summerville. West Dike in Pinopolis is a good place to bank fish and you can walk along the dike and fish Lake Moultrie. It's too cold for gator's this time of year. No worries there. 

 

Key West, What neighborhood if you don't mind me asking? I might now of a couple ponds close by that hold fish. 

[KeyWestJoe]

Thanks BigRed1977

 

The pond I'm talking about is in Crowfield Plantation in Goose Creek.

 

I know there's tons of ponds all over the place but I'm afraid to just walk up somewhere and step on someone's toes.

Actually the Pinopolis area is the first place I took my boat out just before bringing it up to NY.

 

I'll find a couple spots...it's been a month since I got a line wet!  

[BigRed1977]

good luck

 

[KeyWestJoe]

Well... skunked.

Tried a couple different areas with no luck.  I guess it's been really dead lately.  I threw everything I had at the water.

I tried! 

 

[Koz]

On 12/9/2018 at 10:16 AM, KeyWestJoe said:

Well... skunked.

Tried a couple different areas with no luck.  I guess it's been really dead lately.  I threw everything I had at the water.

I tried! 

 

Too bad! It has been really, really slow fishing the lagoons around here lately. Fishing from the bank I have been unable to locate the baitfish lately. No minnows or shad near shore and no boils of shad out in the further reaches of the lagoons.

 

But that's normal for this time of year around here. But by the end of January it's game on again. Hopefully you get to try the area again in the early spring.

 

[BigRed1977]

Same thing here. I haven't had a lot of success in the last few weeks. The weather has been off here. I wnet to Stratford High and my brother lives in Crowfield. The ponds there used to be full of fish They supposedly stocked it when it was built. I'd keep trying there if you are in town. 

[KeyWestJoe]

Yeah, I hit that Crowfield pond a lot.  My folks live in Crowfield.

A couple guys trolled by us in a small boat...they were circling the shoreline.  They didn't have any luck either.

Just chocking it up to poor time of year.  I'll be back!  ?