11/29/20 Fishing Report

What a fall fishing season it’s been!!! We have been incredibly blessed with solid streaks of phenomenal weather with the few rough days mixed in of course. But overall the report is going to be a solid one.

Lets start with the craziness… the albies. It was a pretty loooooong season due to warmer water temps and it’s still going on. It took a bit for the bigger boys and girls to come out and play but they’re here now. Consistent fish between 10-15 pounds with plenty of 20 pound fish around to play with also. They’ve been up and down the beach, inside and out. I know guides who have been catching them in 6” of water on the flats and even around the floating docks in downtown Beaufort. Some days we’ve had to cover a bit of water and others we don’t even have to move. Talking tackle, we’ve been casting metal jigs in the 1/4oz to 1oz size and ripping them through blitzes or behind the trawlers. For the fly anglers out there, it’s been semi all around on flies, we’ve caught them on larger 2/0 clousers but most of our luck has been on smaller epoxy head candies, all white. Cast.. strip… strip… drive the bus… hold on!

Now let us move to the inshore goodness. The water has been clearing up on a daily basis making for some great sight casting. Redfish have been plentiful and mostly willing to play. We’re seeing plenty of fish at both tide cycles with fish laid up in the grass at high tide and belly crawling on the flats and oyster beds at low. I’ve started to extend my fly leaders by a foot or two just for skittish fish. Patterns have been depending on where we’ve been fishing but peanut butter and jelly color scheme or more natural colors seem to be the trick lately. For conventional gear, I’m tossing a lightweight 1/16oz weedless jig head with a paddle tail or jerk shad behind it.

Now I know everyones itching for the pepper snake report, so lets get that in here also. The bite has been good, we’re throwing intermediate lines with a tutti-frutti clouser through the deep pockets. Focus on a moving tide and let the fly drop before stripping in. For my gear guys and gals, DOA shrimp, storm shrimp or even the same set up for redfish has been working for artificial. If you’re using live bait, go grab some live shrimp or mud minnows and let her rip under a cork.

I’ll be sitting a couple weeks out due to sweet baby girl making her arrival. As a matter of fact, I’m currently int he hospital waiting anxiously for her arrival. I’ll keep everyone updated when I’m back in action, but feel free to reach out and get on the books. It’s shaping up to be a great winter season so don’t miss out on the action!

Capt. Perry McDougald

919-414-3074