Fall Fishing in Georgetown SC
Fall is typically an active time of year for wildlife all over the southeast and the waters surrounding Georgetown county are no exception. Whether it’s the first day of fall or the last day, there isn’t a better time to fish in Georgetown.
During the fall the estuaries are full of mullet and shrimp that have done nothing but grow in the shallow marshes all year long. Most of Georgetown’s mullet will at some point leave the estuaries and join the millions of other mullet migrating south and eventually out to the ocean to spawn. If someone is lucky enough to witness this event, it will look like a river of bait fish ranging from the size of their pinky to the size of their forearm moving out towards the ocean. And when this occurs, any and every fish in the area is ready. The shrimp that started out as little “hairs”, so small in the spring they are hard to see up close, are now as big as a shotgun shell with some being as big as a hand. Not only are the shrimp growing throughout the year, but the fish that are feeding on them are too and now it’s time to feast. Throw several hundred schools of menhaden in this mix (that have grown too) and that is what Georgetown’s water is full of in these fall months. Flounder, redfish, speckled trout, kingfish, black drum, sheepshead, ladyfish, bluefish, spanish mackerel, and even apex predators like bull redfish, sharks, and tarpon will feed hard right in the middle of those schools.
Fall fishing is perfect for trophy fish.
Redfish are what usually come to mind when most anglers think of fishing in South Carolina’s low country, and for good reason. Pound for pound redfish are one of the hardest fighting fish in Georgetown and during the fall you can fish for redfish of any size. At this time of year an angler can sight-cast at tailing redfish at high tide and shift to catching 20-50lb bull redfish at low tide. While catching these monster redfish in the fall there is also a good chance you’ll hook up with the Silver King in the same area. Unless Georgetown is hit with a tropical storm or another significant drop in temperature, there are also lots of tarpon around this time of year preparing for their migration back to sea. All of these sport fish are feeding heavily on the tons of mullet, menhaden, and shrimp.
Fall fishing is also an excellent time to catch dinner.
Speckled Trout love the cooling temperatures as well. The days of having to get on the water in the thick dark of early mornings to target trout in Georgetown are gone for the year. Specs have been growing all year long with the bait and are feeding heavily on the buffet of food provided in coastal waters. From the beginning to the end of fall trout can be caught on artificial baits of all shapes and sizes. They are preparing to move into the ocean, but before they do, they are taking advantage of every chance they get to smack an unsuspecting baitfish. Flounder are taking advantage of the smorgasbord of food available too. An angler can almost guarantee they will pick up a “doormat” while targeting redfish and trout, but targeting flounder alone will result in several dinners worth of filets. While many flounder stick around, the majority of the population that has called Georgetown home will migrate offshore in the coming winter, and just like the trout, they are hungry!