FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
I am not the best traveler around. After a few days I start to wear down some. There is only so much good food to eat, old stuff to see, and miles to walk before I am ready to take a break. But since we are here in Charleston I did some research and am headed out tomorrow to fish with a guide.
The east coast is so different from our area. Tides here commonly 6 – 8 feet, with miles and miles of marsh. The area is aptly called the Low Country, amazing how much marsh there was on the 150 miles of coast we have traveled. It all looks fishy, guess we will find out tomorrow just how fishy it is. And I have a bag full of Knockin Tails to feed them.
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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.
For all your wading needs.
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20 mph out of the North!. 43 degrees after a 34 degree drop – Must be time to go fishing!
To say the weather deteriorated would be an understatement. It was freakin’ cold, the wind was steady straight out of the north at 20, it was definitely was flat crap, so obviously I was still up for a day of fishing. Searching online I managed to find Charleston Saltwater Guide Co which turned out to be fortunate. With conditions as tough as it was Crawford did a yeoman’s job. Capt. Crawford Bishop was born and bred here and started chasing fish as a young guy with his jon boat. He told me he would go out and just get lost. And after seeing the area it is a maze of channels, rivers, and creeks, and getting turned around would be easy.
Amazing how blue this guy was. Totally different from most we catch.
We met at the ramp at 10:30 to catch the last couple of hours of the falling tide, the slack, and the first hour or so of the rising. (To give you an example of high different it is from our tides, this one was almost 7 foot.) Crawford had just sold his Maverick flats boat and his new one is on order. So we ended up fishing out of a 18′ Beavertail poling skiff and I will give it credit, it was rough and it handled it like a trooper. (Todd)
To say it was tough is an understatement. One of the first banks he put us on there were groups moving down the bank, the water was off color as the wind pounded and I had something happen that I would not have ever guessed. They would not eat a Redfish Magic spinnerbait, or a Knockin Tail. They were just not wanting it, which was no surprise, if they will not eat a Redfish Magic in off colored water it is tough. He picked up a popping cork with a shrimp and caught the one above, so I gave it a toss and got my just reward.
How hard was it blowing – filled my hood, hope my head is not that big!
The tide was falling hard and try as we might we could not get another red to jump on. They were clearly off their feed. Crawford put us on multiple places that should have fish, and we saw them here and there, but like all fish everywhere the front really had them messed up. So with them not having it we started hitting some of his favorite docks but they could not be coaxed out. Then the Knockin Tail saved the day.
Think Texas has oyster bars? No, these are oyster bars.
When we hit low tide it was real clear how different things are here. 2 hours before I took these there was 3 – 4 feet of water on them. The Charleston area is called the low country for a good reason, there is literally hundreds of miles of marsh. It all looks the same, and I mean good. Which would make it tough on a first time visitor, it all looked fishy. He made a move up a creek to a dock to see if they were there and on my second cast I got that great thump.
We were staked off and went to wacking them.
The dock we were fishing was on a small bend in the creek where it happened to be an 8′ foot hole and the trout were right on the bottom seeking shelter from the front. I was throwing the Mansfield Magic and after boating 3 or 4 Crawford took off his shrimp and went to the Pearl Limetreuse. (Like I continue to say, fish the Knockin Tail and you will get hooked, just like the fish do.) You almost had to drag it as most were not really hitting it but you could feel them messing with it. It became a feeling contest, just an easy drag and then let them eat.
They were all the same size, nice solid trout.
Not sure how many we boated in that spot, but it was one after another for a while. He told me these were respectable trout for this area, and he was actually surprised we did not hit one here or there during the 6 hour trip. I was not particularly surprised, the weather absolutely sucked and if I was home there was no way I would have been on the water.
Crawford with a rat.
We found out we had fished many of the same places so we had plenty to talk about. He had fished Port Aransas, Louisiana, Florida, and many places in between. (Any fisherman that would head to Bimini from Florida on a 22 foot boat to chase bonefish is my kind of guy.) While he guides all types of fishermen he is actually a die hard fly fisherman. Not only reds and trout, he has a several week period in the summer where they have a run of big tarpon, and his results are good for putting his customers hands on some every summer. I would have definitely given the long wand a go under different conditions, but it just was not happening.
So a very successful day considering. As a guide he was first rate, and as a person even better. One thing I learned a long time ago when I was guiding, it is not all about the fish. Of course that is the reason for the season but it not all there is to a successful day for your customers. Having fished with some real rear ends over the years, see Baffin’s big time guide, he was a breath of fresh air. After seeing the area I can see how under good conditions it was be a real killing. I give the day an A, which considering the weather is a great day. So take a look at his site, if you ever get this way give him a call, you will not be sorry.
Home – Charleston Saltwater Guide Co. (charlestonguideco.com)
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As you know I look at boats for sale in Texas regularly and see some crazy stuff. One today had the following justification for the price: “If you think this is high go price a new one.” Ok, first off it would be a New One. Second, including that disclaimer where you are already admitting your price is way to high would not seem to be a good sales tactic. And last, the boat is 13 years old and the book value is not anywhere near that. If and when you are looking at boats be sure to know exactly what it is worth, not what the seller thinks. Because should something happen and you have to sell it you will never get anywhere near your money back.
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This one takes the cake. Deck Boat for sale. (The picture is a bass boat.) And straight from the ad: “new centerboard cable and wood burning fire place. Reverse cycle Air Conditioning and Heat. Standing rigging inspected and running rigging in great shape.” That is one amazing deck boat!
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And the insanity continues. Pictured is a Crestline Aluminum, a deep V boat common in the north. OMG!: “This boat has oiled teak interior, a varnished teak and holly sole cabin floor. There is no cheaper interior tub, furniture is tabbed to the hull for better stiffness, and quieter.” Either lay off the crack or or where in Nigeria do I send the check?
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And one more. This is for a $30k Skeeter. ” Im not sure how many hours are on the engine and don’t want to pay 120$ to find out. However I’m very confident that its still below 100 hours.” Trust me? Run away. This is a 6 year old boat that should have been serviced at least 5 times since purchase with no question as to the hours, which are done on each service. All he had to do is call the service place and get the last hours, which would have been close enough for government work.
As a side note Crawford and I were talking about hours and his last Maverick had over 100o hours in 3 years, mine has over a 1000 right now. It is all about service and treating them right. Running wide open all day long is not that. And Carolina Skiffs are prevalent in this area and are a great boat for what they have here.
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Cruising the coast in Georgia and South Carolina I realized one thing – traffic on the interstates is like a school of baitfish. Bunches come together weaving in and out, sticking close, hoping the predators (Cops) don’t get them, but get the other guy. Think about it.
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A little comment on our travels. We have done our share of big cities here and abroad and it really has been amazing how little we have been panhandled in Savannah or Charleston. It has happened a time or two, but no big deal compared to some places, Austin as an example. Sorry but if you are saying you are hungry, but drinking a brew or smoking a cigarette, there is absolutely no chance your panhandling efforts will be successful with me. Now the guy in NYC sitting on the sidewalk with a sign saying he needed money for beer – Ok, at least he was honest about it.
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On this trip I really want to compliment the folks we have dealt with in Georgia and South Carolina. The cities were great, really safe and clean, and so nice not to be constantly panhandled. And the folks are so glad to see you. It has been tough on the businesses here just like at home. I would like to give folks credit for their behavior, masks are the rule and not much of that “Covid is fake” crap. Now if the Boss will get the vaccine shortly life will start to get back to normal.
And on another note, really glad to see the airlines mandatory no excuse mask requirement. If you do not want to wear one ok, but just the same as you feel it is your “Right” to act as you choose, it is their “Right” to require masks and social distancing. Don’t like it, don’t go, simple and fair for all.
And one last comment on that, if you know the rules in advance don’t bitch when they are applied. Just saw a family removed from a plane as their 2 year old would not wear her mask and was howling her little butt off. Sorry, you knew it when you bought the tickets. Having listened to a child throw a tantrum from Houston to Greece nonstop for 19 hours it was not fair to the other couple of hundred folks trying to sleep. Sorry for the rant. (And sure am glad that child rearing thing is over for us.)
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I am sitting in the motel room and we are getting ready to check out and head to the airport. This has been fun trip, but if I eat another spectacular meal I am going to need a new wardrobe. We finished off last night with a wonderful Greek meal, and as big fan of Greek beer it was nice to polish off a couple of their cold ones.
The fishing possibilities here are endless. It finally dawned on me that it is actually closer than South Florida so a return trip with the boat is already in the planning. There are untold creeks, rivers, and back lakes to explore and every bit of it looks like spinnerbait country. But tomorrow it is back to real life, which means one day to get my shit together, and then back on the water. It has been a welcome break but time to get back at it. A big thanks to Crawford, made my trip. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
