Grouper grabbers

Load up on live baits and hit the ledge

“Two trips in a row. Forty-five minutes and we’re done, limited out,” says veteran commercial and recreational angler Paul Godbout. “These big grouper, they’re almost too easy now.” That’s right, grouper is in, and the fishing is phenomenal. But you’ve got to get them while the getting’s good. Grouper fishing shuts downs for a spawning season closure from Jan. 1 through the end of April. The keys to success, Godbout says, are nice live baits, the right equipment and dropping in the right spot. Read More

Fishing the rocks

Where’s The Grillage? Where’s Dynamite Hole? Those questions have been asked so many times by so many anglers that the actual location of these “secret” fishing holes has become a bit of a running joke among the Lowcountry’s cadre of longtime anglers and charter captains. You may not be able to see behind those Costa lenses, but trust me — those eyes are rollin’ faster than the tide. Read More

Jetty Giants

Go one-on-one with Charleston’s biggest and baddest fish

Beginning on the beach at Morris Island to the south and Sullivan’s Island to the north, Charleston’s two jetties jut out to sea for about 3 miles. The massive structures were built in the late 19th century to protect the port city’s shipping channel. The jetties’ 6 miles of rock form one of the state’s most impressive and oldest artificial reef systems, a popular angling destination that features not only structure, but also dramatic depth changes and dynamic currents. Read More

Dolphin bite is heating up!

The dolphin bite is heating up off Charleston! Check out these picks from a recent trip. Read More

Editor's Letter

Believe me when I tell you that the tips we garner from local experts are usually spot-on. They’ll help you catch more fish. So much so, in fact, that I sometimes find myself wondering if we’re encouraging anglers to head out there and “wear ’em out.” Read More

Fishing for blackfin tuna off Charleston

I was pretty fired up after writing Tideline magazine's latest cover story on blackfin tuna, and jumped at the first chance I got to give the new tuna techniques a try. Read More

It's tuna time

Don’t you dare look down your nose at blackfin tuna. These furious fighters are fun to catch and fantastic on the plate. Best of all? Unlike the long-lost yellowfin tuna, blackfin are still plentiful off our coast. Read More

Angry anglers confront fisheries managers

Dozens of angry anglers, charter boat captains and commercial fishermen confronted federal regulators Wednesday in North Charleston during a public comment period on new bottom-fishing regulations and potential new restrictions for popular open-water species such as dolphin and wahoo. Read More

Editor's Letter

Where would we be without redfish? Boat dealers, tackle shop owners, lure manufacturers, charter captains, tens of thousands of recreational anglers: We all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to this remarkable fish. Read More

After-hours gig

It’s 2 a.m., muggy and mighty dark as we ease up to a bank off the Intracoastal Waterway north of Mount Pleasant. Capt. Darryl Graham cuts the motor on the aluminum jonboat, and Andy Gianelli hops up on the bow, a 15-foot pole in hand. For a moment, it’s quiet as we slip downstream with the falling tide. When a small generator roars to life, halogen lamps lining the boat’s bow and side erupt in intense yellow light. It’s night and day. Camera in hand, I stare over the side, fascinated by a scene relatively few people ever see. So this is what’s going on down there, under our hulls! Read More