Hilton Head

[FryDog62]

I was recently in Hilton Head - anyone had good luck fishing in that area? Looks like all shallow/backwater saltwater and very little to no freshwater. I would bring my autopilot kayak next time if worth exploring. 

[TnRiver46]

Not me personally but I have many friends that do well there as long as it’s in the fall 

[FryDog62]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Not me personally but I have many friends that do well there as long as it’s in the fall 

Good to know, are they catching redfish in the shallow/backwaters?? 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Good to know, are they catching redfish in the shallow/backwaters?? 

Yes indeed, shore/bridge/pier fishing and kayaks. Apparently the shrimp come into the shallows during fall

[GReb]

I’ve only been to HH once and didn’t fish but we did take one of those little skiffs out one day to a sand bar and to see dolphins etc. There’s an island to the west of HH and just to the north of it was a wetland that was the most beautiful oasis of saltwater a fisherman’s ever seen. Bait everywhere. Redfish and other predators chewing on it. We even saw some dolphins strand feed which the captain said was rare. Anyways you’d have to have a boat or yak to access it but it’s burned in my memory for a future trip. 

[FryDog62]

12 minutes ago, GReb said:

I’ve only been to HH once and didn’t fish but we did take one of those little skiffs out one day to a sand bar and to see dolphins etc. There’s an island to the west of HH and just to the north of it was a wetland that was the most beautiful oasis of saltwater a fisherman’s ever seen. Bait everywhere. Redfish and other predators chewing on it. We even saw some dolphins strand feed which the captain said was rare. Anyways you’d have to have a boat or yak to access it but it’s burned in my memory for a future trip. 

Very cool, curious what time of year it was? 

[GReb]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

Very cool, curious what time of year it was? 

It was mid-late September back in 2019

[Koz]

On 11/13/2023 at 6:24 PM, FryDog62 said:

I was recently in Hilton Head - anyone had good luck fishing in that area? Looks like all shallow/backwater saltwater and very little to no freshwater. I would bring my autopilot kayak next time if worth exploring. 

There are THOUSANDS of stormwater lagoons on the island and they are all holding lots of big bass. If you're not pulling 3, 4, and 5 pounders regularly you should take up knitting. Double digit base are there as well. I lived there for over a decade and it was some of the best bass fishing I have ever encountered.

 

Most of the communities are gated, so that may impede your fishing. But you can pay a gate fee and get into Sea Pines. Bring a bike, one rod, and some tackle (make sure you bring a black and blue chatterbait in the winter and a green pumpkin chatterbait in the warmer months) and bike from lagoon to lagoon and fish.

 

If you're in Palmetto Dunes there are both freshwater and brackish lagoons.

 

Jarvis Creek Park is a public park on Hilton Head. I've caught some 3 and 4 pounders there. I also endured a gator tsunami there and two gators climbed the concrete fishing pier just as I left.

 

Sergeant Jasper Park in Hardeeville (mainland near Exit 8 on I-95) has some good fishing as well. Make the hike to the lagoon where they have the primitive camping area.

 

As always, keep your head on a swivel and look out for gators, especially in Sergeant Jasper Park.

 

 

 

[FryDog62]

2 hours ago, Koz said:

There are THOUSANDS of stormwater lagoons on the island and they are all holding lots of big bass. If you're not pulling 3, 4, and 5 pounders regularly you should take up knitting. Double digit base are there as well. I lived there for over a decade and it was some of the best bass fishing I have ever encountered.

 

Most of the communities are gated, so that may impede your fishing. But you can pay a gate fee and get into Sea Pines. Bring a bike, one rod, and some tackle (make sure you bring a black and blue chatterbait in the winter and a green pumpkin chatterbait in the warmer months) and bike from lagoon to lagoon and fish.

 

If you're in Palmetto Dunes there are both freshwater and brackish lagoons.

 

Jarvis Creek Park is a public park on Hilton Head. I've caught some 3 and 4 pounders there. I also endured a gator tsunami there and two gators climbed the concrete fishing pier just as I left.

 

Sergeant Jasper Park in Hardeeville (mainland near Exit 8 on I-95) has some good fishing as well. Make the hike to the lagoon where they have the primitive camping area.

 

As always, keep your head on a swivel and look out for gators, especially in Sergeant Jasper Park.

 

 

 

Great info, I do some pond hopping and that sounds good.  Any freshwater spots good for a kayak? Or too gator-infested? 

[Koz]

6 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Great info, I do some pond hopping and that sounds good.  Any freshwater spots good for a kayak? Or too gator-infested? 

I did not own a kayak when I lived there, and many places don't allow personal watercraft in the lagoons. I know you can use personal watercraft in the 12 miles or so of interconnected lagoons in Palmetto Dunes and I never heard of any gator incidents in those brackish waters.

 

However, whether it's by car or by bike your best bet is to bank fish and pond hop. Use Google Earth or Google Maps satellite view to see where you can gain access to lagoons. Of course, homeowner lots and golf courses are a no go. But, for example, my father lived in Sun City Hilton Head and there were over 200 lagoons (yes, 200!) where I had bank access to fish.

 

I would fish one lagoon for a while and if I had no luck I'd simply bike or drive to the next one. Eventually I'd find one where the bass or crappie were biting.

 

And whatever you do, don't ignore the small lagoons. Lagoon groupings are interconnected through the stormwater system. The idea is that when there are heavy rains, the water is dispersed through multiple lagoons to reduce the chance of flooding.

 

My father lived n a 1/3 acre lagoon and I pulled multiple 4 and 5 pounders and even a 6 pounder out of there. On some days it seemed like there were no fish in there, but on others the bass navigated their way from the big lagoon across the street.

[Chris at Tech]

The fun part is not knowing whether a lagoon is freshwater or brackish!
 

Yes, there are gators in PD but I’ve never had any issues.  And since that water is responsible for my PB redfish and speckled trout, it’s worth it regardless.

 

As far as kayak, I’d suggest putting it in the salt and going up one of the many creeks for some saltwater fun.  There’s a large overlap in equipment and tackle used for bass and redfish.