6 Hour Inshore Fishing Trip - Charleston, SC
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Sixhour private inshore charter with experienced Captain Austin YoungLight tackle and fly fishing instruction in Charleston's productive marshesSmall group experience targeting multiple inshore species aboard equipped boat
Looking for a serious day on Charleston's inshore waters? Captain Austin Young's 6-hour private charter gives you the extended time you need to really dial in your technique and hit multiple spots around the Lowcountry. This isn't a quick sampler trip – it's a full commitment to exploring the maze of creeks, flats, and marshes that make Charleston one of the top-rated inshore fishing destinations on the East Coast. With seven years of guiding experience under his belt, Captain Austin knows exactly where the fish are holding and how to put you on them. Whether you're just getting your feet wet or you're already hooked on the salt, this world-class charter delivers the personalized attention that turns good days into great ones.
Six hours means you're getting the full Charleston inshore experience. Captain Austin runs his operation out of these productive coastal waters for good reason – the variety here is outstanding. You'll start early, hitting different zones as conditions and tides dictate. The beauty of an extended trip like this is flexibility. If the redfish are crushing topwater baits on one flat, you can work that bite until it dies down, then shift gears and target flounder in deeper cuts. Captain Austin keeps his boat fully rigged with everything you need, so you can focus on fishing instead of fumbling with gear. The pace is relaxed but purposeful – perfect for small groups or families who want to learn without feeling rushed. This customer favorite format gives you time to really understand how these fish behave and why certain presentations work better than others.
Captain Austin specializes in light tackle and fly fishing – the most rewarding ways to target Charleston's inshore species. Light tackle means using appropriately sized spinning gear that matches the fish you're after. You're not bringing a cannon to a knife fight here. Think 7-foot medium-light rods with 2500-series reels spooled with 15-20 pound braid. This setup gives you the sensitivity to feel subtle bites while still having enough backbone for bigger redfish. For fly fishing, Captain Austin typically runs 8-weight outfits that can handle everything from small shrimp patterns to larger streamers. The shallow flats and creek mouths around Charleston are perfect fly water – you can sight-cast to tailing reds or blind-cast structure for sheepshead. Captain Austin provides hands-on instruction throughout the day, helping you read water, understand fish behavior, and improve your casting accuracy. The marshes here are forgiving for beginners but offer plenty of challenges for experienced anglers.
Redfish are the bread and butter of Charleston inshore fishing, and for good reason. These copper-colored bulldogs average 20-27 inches in local waters and fight like fish twice their size. Spring through fall, you'll find them in shallow water, often with their backs out, tailing as they root for crabs in the spartina grass. The best action typically happens on moving water – incoming or outgoing tides push baitfish into the creeks, and the reds follow. What makes them special is their willingness to eat topwater baits. Watching a 25-inch red blow up on a spook or popper never gets old.
Black drum might not be the prettiest fish in Charleston's waters, but they're absolute tanks when hooked. These bottom-dwellers can range from schoolie-sized 2-pounders to legitimate 30+ inch bulls that will test your drag and your patience. They're most active during cooler months, particularly late fall through early spring. Black drum have excellent hearing and will respond to baits that create vibration – fresh shrimp, blue crab, or cut bait fished near oyster bars and creek bends. The fight is all about endurance rather than acrobatics, but landing a big drum on light tackle is genuinely satisfying.
Summer flounder, or fluke as many anglers call them, are the chameleons of Charleston's inshore scene. These flatfish can change color to match the bottom, making them nearly invisible until they ambush prey. Peak season runs May through September, with the largest fish typically caught in deeper creek channels and around structure. Flounder fishing requires patience and technique – you're often dragging soft plastics or live bait along the bottom, feeling for that subtle thump that signals a pickup. The reward is some of the best eating fish in Charleston waters, with firm white meat that's perfect for the table.
Sheepshead are the technical challenge of Charleston inshore fishing. These black-and-white striped convicts have human-like teeth designed for crushing barnacles and oysters, which means they can steal your bait before you know they're there. They're most active around structure – dock pilings, oyster bars, jetties – anywhere they can find their preferred shellfish. The key is using small hooks, light line, and minimal weight while maintaining contact with the bottom. When you hook one, the initial run is impressive, but it's the way they use their broad sides to fight in current that makes them memorable. Peak season runs fall through early spring when they school up around deeper structure.
Captain Austin's 6-hour inshore charter represents the best way to experience Charleston's renowned fishing without feeling rushed. The extended time on the water lets you target multiple species, learn new techniques, and really understand what makes this fishery special. With personalized instruction and access to some of the Lowcountry's most productive waters, this trending charter format delivers results for anglers at every skill level. The boat capacity is limited to ensure everyone gets individual attention, so prime dates fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. If you're serious about inshore fishing in Charleston, this is the trip that will leave you planning your return before you even get back to the dock.
Your fishing adventure happens aboard the 2023 Xplor 18', a nimble motorboat perfectly suited for Charleston's intricate inshore waters. This compact 18-footer cuts through the Lowcountry's shallow creeks and marshes with ease, powered by a reliable 50HP Mercury that can push you to your fishing spots at speeds up to 45 mph. The boat's shallow draft design lets Captain Austin navigate tight channels and reach those productive flats where redfish and trout love to feed. Built for efficiency and maneuverability, this responsive craft puts you right where the action is, whether you're sight-casting in skinny water or working structure along the marsh edges. The setup keeps things intimate and focused on fishing, giving you plenty of room to cast and fight fish without feeling cramped. Perfect for accessing Charleston's back-country fishing grounds that bigger boats simply can't reach.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the heavyweights of Charleston's inshore waters, typically running 5-30 pounds but capable of hitting 90+ pounds. These gray-black bruisers love our oyster beds and shallow muddy flats, using their powerful crushing jaws to demolish crabs and shellfish. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - that's when you'll hear their distinctive drumming sounds underwater. They're bottom feeders, so fresh crab or cut bait on the bottom works best. What makes them special is that raw power when hooked - they'll test your drag and your patience. Here's the key: when you feel that subtle tap-tap, don't set the hook immediately. Let them mouth it for a few seconds, then drive it home hard.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are Charleston's signature inshore species, with that copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. Most of our slot fish run 18-27 inches and about 3-8 pounds, perfect for our shallow water fishing. They love our grass flats, oyster beds, and creek mouths in just 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs show above the surface. Fall and spring are prime, but they bite year-round here. What guests love is their aggressive strikes on topwater lures and that bulldogging fight once hooked. They're also great table fare when kept in the slot. These fish will eat almost anything, but here's what works: look for nervous water or tailing fish on the flats, then cast your bait well ahead of them and let it come to the fish rather than hitting them on the head.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are our "convict fish" with their black and gray stripes, and they've got human-like teeth that'll make you do a double-take. These 2-8 pound tricksters hang around every dock piling, bridge, and oyster bar in Charleston, scraping barnacles and picking at crabs. Spring months from February through April are peak season when they're spawning and more aggressive. What makes them fun is they're notorious bait thieves - you'll feel them nibbling and picking at your bait trying to steal it clean off the hook. They're also some of the best eating fish we catch, with sweet white meat. The trick with sheepshead is using a small circle hook with fresh shrimp or fiddler crab, and when you feel those subtle taps, set that hook hard and fast before they rob you blind.
Paralichthys DentatusSummer flounder are the ultimate ambush predators in Charleston's waters, lying camouflaged on sandy bottoms waiting for baitfish to cruise by. These flatfish typically run 15-20 inches, with both eyes on their left side - pretty wild sight when you first see one. They love our creek mouths and sandy flats in 10-20 feet of water. Fall months from September through November are when they really turn on, fattening up before their offshore migration. What guests love is their excellent table fare - sweet, flaky white meat that's hard to beat. They're also fun because kids get excited seeing such an unusual-looking fish. Pro tip: when you feel that subtle pickup, count to three before setting the hook. Flounder bite sideways and need time to turn the bait.
Charleston