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It's April and the fishing has been excellent. The bait has started to arrive in the creeks and Charleston Harbor. I've seen both Menhaden and Mullet around the local waters. The great thing about this time of year is the Trout and Sheepshead are starting to really show back up inshore. The redfishing is getting better and better. We've been catching a lot of Sheepshead around the docks and pilings.

Make sure you're using a circle hook for Sheepshead. With the new laws that came into effect recently, circle hooks are required to be used when targeting sheepshead. You still want to be targeting them around docks and pilings and other structures where there is a lot of barnacle and oyster growth. Make sure to target them the last of the falling tide and the beginning of the rising tide.

Looking for Trout this time of year using a popping cork around the oyster bars and grass lines the last two hours of the incoming and the beginning two hours of the outgoing is a must. You can also find a feeder creek and float the popping cork along the rift created by the moving water. Trout like to sit down in this area and ambush the bait that is flowing over the structure below. So far the bait of choice has been live shrimp and mud minnows.

The Redfish have really started breaking out of their schools. Keep using the Carolina rig around docks with deep holes. I've already started to see a lot of tailing redfish on the flats, so don't for get to get up on the flats at high tide. The preferred bait has been quartered blue crabs for the last few weeks. With the Menhaden starting to show up, they'll be hitting them soon as well.

Remember, any day out on the waters surrounding Charleston can be an adventure. I'd love to get you out there to start making some memories for yourself.

Captain Brian M. Garris

The Reel Deal Charters

www.thereeldealcharters.com

(843) 200-9795