Fishing tips
You have lots of great options for fishing around and near Harbor Island without a boat. The Island has two great places within a two minute walk from the house. As you walk toward the beach, you'll see a crabbing and fishing dock on the left (see photo on the left below) that is great starting an hour or so after low tide up until an hour or two before high tide. Its also good to fish two hours after high tide until the water becomes too low. A few hundred yards further up the road you'll cross the bridge and there is a fishing dock on your right (see photo on right below). Anytime you see moving water in this area, there will usually be fish.
Fishing Spot #1
Fishing Spot #2
Equipment and Bait
While we mostly fish with soft plastics on a 1/4 oz jig head, you may find it easiest to use frozen shrimp or cut mullet. Both can be purchased at the walmart on your way to the island.
Any rod and reel with 10-15 lb line will work fine. In fact, we use freshwater rods and wash them well when we leave. For tackle get some 1/0 size circle hooks, some swivels and some barrel weights that are 1/4 oz….Walmart should have all of that…but the Grayco hardware or the tackle shop right before you get on the island will have all of that for sure. Put a barrel swivel on your line, then tie the swivel so that the sinker can slide up and down the line. Then tie your hook onto a 18” leader line onto the opposite end of the swivel. Hook the shrimp or mullet and toss them straight out or down to the right side of the dock in the middle of the current.
Most of the trout and redfish will be out in the main current…the flounder lay in the mud closer to the dock. If you really want to catch fish, the absolute best time is right at daylight when the wind is really calm…especially if that time of day coincides with anything other than high tide.
Make sure you know the size and creel limits for the various species of fish and have a valid SC Saltwater fishing license. Check the SC DNR Website here.
Fishing from the Surf
The surf can also be a great plae to fish, especially in the fall or spring when there are few people swimming. The same rig mentioned for holding the shrimp or mullet will work in the surf. You may need to increase the weight of your sinkers to 1/2 or 3/4 oz. Usually the more rough the tide, the better the fishing will be.