Harbor Fishing - June 30th

We hit Charleston Harbor today for a quick trip, to do a little fishing around the "Grillage" off Sullivans Island.  The Grillage is a deep spot off the shipping channel in the Charleston Harbor.  In the picture I took, you might be able to make out Fort Sumter at the top right.

I caught four black sea bass - the first one was around 10", the others were smaller.  Also caught a Toadfish.  I had something big hit my cut mullet but I couldn't bring it up - it finally broke off.  Might have been a shark or a big stingray.

We went out there around slack tide, and came in when the incoming tide really started to surge back into the harbor.  Fun time with some good fishing buddies...

Rig the Cuda - Center Hatch Insert

My center hatch insert came in this past week - I spent a little time today messing around with it, figuring out how it would impact my rigging of the Cuda, and how I carry tackle, etc.

My normal routine is to carry my tackle trays in my crate, in a small tackle bag.  I think I am going to start using the insert for carrying my tackle trays and accessories, like pliers and other stuff.

I moved my battery box into the insert as well - to keep everything easily accessible.  The insert came with that gray foam piece - I believe it acts as a wedge to force the side "tabs" up underneath the lip of the hatch, to keep the insert firmly in place.  If this was the case - it was an excellent addition!  It acts as a good divider between the tackle trays and the battery box...

Still not ready to ditch the crate though.  The crate still serves a purpose for me - as a catch-all for those things, like my anchor and rope, also my cast net.  Got some rod holders on it too - if I lose the crate, I lose those too...

Inshore Fishing - June 23rd

Took the Cuda out to Mount Pleasant, and launched at the public boat ramp on Shem Creek.  Today our small group was going to fish a place the locals call "Crab Bank".  It is located directly out of Shem Creek...

The public boat ramp at Shem Creek is small, and we got there later in the morning and the parking lot was full.  There were vehicles with boat trailers parked everywhere.  If I was by myself, I would have just left...I could not dump my gear out and leave it while trying to drive around looking for a place to park - all my stuff would have been gone when I got back.  Fortunately, someone stayed with the yaks and gear while a couple of us parked vehicles.

Finally found a parking space in a shopping center down the road from the ramp.

Got in the water, and headed toward the Charleston Harbor.  The place we were fishing was right out of the mouth of Shem Creek.

Lots of boat traffic...the water coming out of the creek was choppy with boat wakes and the chop coming out of the harbor.

Got out there and started casting artificials.  Was going to switch up my normal bait rotation and start with the Saltwater Assassin "Chicken on a Chain" curly-tailed jig.  My buddy yelled over at me and said there were a lot of bluefish out here...he was right.  They decimated my artificials.  I could tell when one would hit...they would swipe the bait during the retrieve and I couldn't hook one to save my life.  When I got the jig back to the yak, it was bit in-half.  After this happened about three times, it was time to switch to the Z-Man stuff.

The Z-Man jigs really held up to the bluefish - they were a lot more durable and I stuck with them for the remainder of the trip.

I finally broke my flounder drought - caught a 13" flounder on a Z-Man Streakz Curly Tail lure!  Unfortunately I could not photo my accomplishment - it was then that I realized that I forgot to bring my camera.

Bottom-rigged some mud minnows, and then started catching stingrays.  After I lost two circle hooks to the rays, I put that rod away!  Stuck with the plastics for the rest of the day.  Got some bites but couldn't get a red or trout that trip...oh well!  Still happy to finally get a flat-fish in the Cuda.

Inshore Fishing - June 17th

I know this little fella ain't legal size, but I was happy to catch one today!

After I caught and released this trout, it was shark central.  After catching 5 on a bottom-rigged mud minnow, I put that rod away and got out the jig-head rigged rod and started throwing Z-Man's.  I started catching them on that too.  But despite my shark problem, it was a good day on the water.

Inshore Fishing - June 2nd

It was a beautiful day on the water Saturday.  After several weekends of crummy weather, I was happy to see a weather forcast with sunshine and light winds.

Caught three reds - two underslot, and this one...all caught on mud minnows on the bottom.

Also caught three trout - all undersized, with this one being the biggest - just under the minimum size of 14".