Beaufort South Carolina Fishing Report.

It is FINALLY SPRING! It has been a while since I have made a post about fishing but that only means I have been fishing a lot this early season. First things first I usually try to avoid fishing in March or typically not a fan of it only because you will either have a great day or a skunk day on the water. Weather is always unpredictable and everything is just going threw its transitioning period. That being said this whole month of March has just been down right good! Tons and tons of happy redfish doing redfish stuff! Almost every trip this month was a great success with some happy anglers. There has been abundant amounts of shrimp on the flats and creeks making these fish super aggressive and wanting to eat. I have been seeing small groups of redfish cruising down shorelines just exploding on shrimp making it very visual for sight fishing and awesome shots on the fly. Flood tide fishing has been good even though its still early in the season but have been producing some very nice tailing fish. For fly rod set ups everything has been liking black and purple or orange and yellow fly variations rigged with a 9 ft 20 lb test fluorocarbon leaders. Well that’s pretty much all i’ve got to say for now give me a call or email and lets go fishing!

Capt. Nicholas Boyd

843-941-3416

Due south fishing expeditions

Beaufort Fly Fishing Guide Tips.

Today I am going to go over some tips and information on how to make your fishing trip or any saltwater trip a more successful one. First things first saltwater fly fishing is all about communication, patience, being aware of your surroundings, and making affective shots at fish and most importantly having fun. It is our role as guides to pole you on fish and give you a time and distance and to set you up with the most easiest shots possible and then the rest is up to you to get that fly in the zone of that fish and getting it to eat your fly. If you do not know how to double haul, do your self a favor and get good with learning on how to double haul. It doesn’t hurt taking a few casting lessons from your local fly shop or casting instructors or even watching YouTube videos to get the idea, and from there practice as much as possible and get decent at shooting line and somewhat accurate. You don’t need to cast 100 ft or dump the whole thing of fly line but work on making 40-60 ft cast affective. There are days when we get shots at fish almost a rods length away and there are days you're going to need that 60 ft cast. Getting a eat on the fly is where things can get a bit challenging, for some reason it only seems natural for the human brain to trout set/jerking the rod tip when setting on a fish. Almost everyone does it now and then and will do it on their first fish most of the time. Just remember when your guide or me yells out Strip Set! Set! Hit Em! Just remember do not move that rod at all and give it a nice firm strip set and come tight then then come up with the rod keeping decent pressure or bend on the rod and usually your guide or me will coach you threw the rest. Another thing I do see quite a bit is when an angler gets an eat they are more worried about getting the fish on the reel and not keeping steady pressure and staying tight allowing that fly to fall out. If its a big enough fish he eventually will run the other way and then from there get you on the reel. Sometimes they will make a fast run right towards the boat just try to strip as fast as possible and hope for the best in that case of scenario. Just remember, don’t move the rod and hit em with a good strip and stay tight! When we are out poling around and you are up on the bow always remember to stand most center part of the boat any slight lean will make the boat not track right making poling for the guide quite difficult. When fishing from the bow you will be given a time and distance when a fish is spotted, do not start casting right away unless you see the fish and need to make a quick shot but for the most part point and aim your rod in the direction your guide tells you too it is usually the quickest way to get the you to spot the fish. Some given days can be cloudy or overcast and sometimes just a time and distance and your guide telling you when to strip is the most effective way. When making a cast to a fish try your best to not sway or rock the boat while doing so, just get in a good firm stance and let the rod do the work. The less the boat is rocking and not putting out pressure waves in the water the more closer you can get making the shots much easier. When out poling around just remember if you are a right handed caster your guide will will be setting up all the shots from 11 o’clock -9 o’clock direction of the boat please pay close attention and DO NOT cast at twelve unless if its a super close drop shot with the fly or told other wise. Getting hit with the fly is not fun every so often just glance back to make sure your fly isn’t coming to close to your guide. But the most important thing is to get out there and have a good time and don’t over think it or stress that your blowing shots its called fishing not catching! It is my job as a professional fishing guide to get you on fish and your job to seal the deal! Hope this little bit of information helps and I look forward to seeing you on the water!

Tight lines,

Capt. Nicholas Boyd

843-941-3416

Duesouthexpeditions@gmail.com

Beaufort South Carolina Fishing Report.

Last few trips out have been great, we’ve had a good stretch of decent weather and got into some good fishing! I have been seeing more bigger schools of redfish than less single fish on the low tide and still getting good shots of single laid up fish on the mid part of the tide. Fish seemed to be feeding more actively on the last few hours of the outgoing. But for the most part every day was a double digit day. Here’s a few highlights.

Capt. Nicholas Boyd

843-941-3416

duesouthexpeditions@gmail.com

January Beaufort South Carolina Fishing Report

It has been a good winter season here in the South Carolina lowcountry. We did have a few cold fronts roll through that did make the fishing slow over Christmas and New Years holiday but for the most part the fish were still eating and staying active. Water temps are almost back to normal for this time of year. Low tide has been the most productive, although I have been seeing some happy redfish on the move on the higher tide charging and ambushing schools of mullet (which is little different for this time of year) but has been producing some solid sight fishing for fly or spin as they are usually moving slow and floating high waiting to charge anything that crosses their path. Low tide has been producing the usual large schools of concentrated redfish we get this time of year and have been actively chasing and feeding on shrimp and mullet that is still around making it very exciting on the right given days as long as the dolphins stay away! There hasn’t been too many slow days since a little after New Years, but there has been a few mornings where they were very wary from dolphin attacks but moving slow and with some patience and a decent 60 to 80 foot fly cast or spin rod was the ticket. My fly rod set ups have been a 8 wt - 9 wt Winston Air salt , 7 plus Hatch Iconic reels Rigged with Airflow redfish fly lines with at least a 10-12 ft hand tied flourocarbon leader and a secret fly out of my box. Enough talking Lets go fishing!

Cheers,

Capt. Nick Boyd

Cell (843)941-3416

Duesouthfishingexpeditions@gmail.com

Beaufort South Carolina inshore Fishing Report.

The past few weeks fishing has been incredible. Redfish schools on lower tide flats have been very active chasing shrimp and finger mullet and lots of belly crawlers and tailing action as well. Higher tide fishing has been producing a lot of floating redfish along side the grass and producing some very cool sight fishing. We are starting to have a lot more 80 degree days making it even better for this season. I am starting to hear a few cobia are being caught and spotted in the Port Royal sound and Broad river.

Beaufort Redfish on fly.

Beaufort Redfish caught on light tackle.

Billy with a low tide redfish.

Beaufort South Carolina redfish on fly.

Beaufort SC Fishing.

Beaufort South Carolina April Fishing Report.

Well it is finally spring here in the low country, oak trees are in full bloom and the spartina marshes are slowly starting to turn green. Water temps are starting to slowly rise and hold in the lower 70’s and the redfish are getting more active on the flats. I have been finding some bigger 30+inch redfish in smaller schools around the low tide pushing big wakes and as well as blowing up on minnows and mullet. I have also been seeing a handful of single big bull redfish cruising up and down sandy flats. Creeks and oyster flats in the back country have been producing a bunch of happy tailing and cruising fish. Also a lot of flounder are starting to show up. The Flood tide game is starting back up as well and have been seeing some really nice tailing fish up on the grass flats. It won’t be much longer for the Cobia aka Brownies to start appearing here In the next few weeks.

Billy holding a very nice sight fished Beaufort Redfish sight fished on light tackle!