5.0(1 Reviews)Beginner Inshore Fishing in Mount Pleasant
5.0(1 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Fourhour beginnerfriendly inshore fishing charter in Charleston HarborTarget redfish, trout, flounder with all gear and licenses includedMorning departure at 7:00 AM accommodating up to four guests
Mount Pleasant's inshore waters offer some of the best beginner-friendly fishing on the South Carolina coast, and this 4-hour morning charter puts you right in the action. Departing at 7:00 AM from one of Charleston's premier fishing destinations, you'll spend your morning working the productive waters around Charleston Harbor and Shem Creek. Captain J Hook Charters has dialed in the perfect formula for new anglers - early morning departures that capitalize on the dawn bite, proven fishing spots that consistently hold fish, and patient instruction that turns first-timers into confident anglers. Whether you've never held a rod or just want to get better at reading the water, this trip delivers the hands-on experience you need.
Your morning starts with a quick boat briefing and gear overview before heading to the day's fishing grounds. Charleston Harbor and Shem Creek create the perfect inshore classroom - protected waters with plenty of structure, current breaks, and grass flats where game fish love to feed. The captain reads the tides, weather, and seasonal patterns to put you on the most active spots. You'll learn to work different presentations depending on what the fish want that day, from slow-rolling soft plastics along the bottom for flounder to working topwater plugs over grass beds for redfish. The 4-hour timeframe gives you enough water time to master a few techniques without overwhelming beginners. All fishing licenses and gear come included, so you can focus entirely on learning and landing fish rather than worrying about tackle selection or regulations.
Inshore fishing around Mount Pleasant relies on reading structure and understanding how fish use the tide to feed. You'll start with basic bottom fishing techniques using circle hooks and live or cut bait to target black drum and flounder around docks and channel edges. The captain teaches proper hook-setting with circle hooks - letting the fish hook themselves rather than yanking the rod. For redfish and trout, you'll graduate to artificial lures like paddle tails and spoons, learning to match your retrieve speed to the current and water temperature. Sight fishing opportunities often present themselves in the shallow grass flats, where you'll practice accurate casting and quiet boat positioning. The captain provides medium-action spinning rods spooled with 15-20 lb braided line - perfect for beginners to feel every bite while having enough backbone to handle Charleston's inshore bruisers.
"This was a great trip. We started early and timed the morning bite well. He got us on fish immediately. Cat fishing was awesome. He is knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend this trip to novice and experienced anglers." - Kyle
Redfish are the crown jewel of Charleston's inshore scene, and for good reason. These copper-colored bulldogs average 20-27 inches in our local waters and fight like fish twice their size. Redfish feed aggressively in shallow water, especially during moving tides when they push up onto grass flats and oyster bars to hunt crabs and shrimp. Fall and spring offer the most consistent action, but Mount Pleasant's redfish bite stays strong year-round. What makes them special is their willingness to eat both live bait and artificials, plus they're not easily spooked - perfect for beginners learning boat positioning and casting accuracy.
Spotted Seatrout patrol the same grass flats as redfish but require a more finesse approach. These beautiful silver fish with distinctive black spots average 14-18 inches and have incredibly soft mouths that teach new anglers the importance of smooth drag settings. Trout bite best during low-light periods and cooler months, making early morning departures ideal. They're ambush predators that hold near structure like dock pilings and creek mouths, striking fast at properly presented baits. Landing a keeper trout requires patience and technique - they'll test everything you've learned about fighting fish without pulling hooks.
Southern Flounder are the masters of camouflage in Charleston's inshore waters, lying buried in sand and mud bottoms waiting to ambush prey. These flatfish can reach 20+ inches and provide a completely different fishing experience from the other target species. Flounder fishing teaches beginners about bottom structure and bait presentation - you'll learn to feel the difference between a fish pickup and getting hung on oysters or debris. They bite year-round but are most active during cooler months when they stage near inlets before heading offshore to spawn. The subtle bite of a flounder pickup is often a beginner angler's first lesson in detecting light strikes.
Black Drum might not win beauty contests, but they're perfect teachers for new anglers. These bottom-dwelling powerhouses can range from schoolie-size 12-inchers to bruising 30+ pound bulls that will test your drag system and arm strength. Black drum bite consistently around structure like bridges, docks, and oyster beds, making them reliable targets when other species are finicky. They prefer fresh dead bait like shrimp or cut mullet fished right on the bottom. Their strong, steady pulls teach beginners proper fighting techniques and the importance of letting the rod do the work rather than horsing fish to the boat.
Striped Bass round out the target species list and offer explosive topwater action during the right conditions. Mount Pleasant's stripers are typically smaller than their northern cousins but make up for size with aggressive strikes and acrobatic fights. They school up around baitfish during cooler months, creating fast-paced action when you find them feeding. Striped bass teach beginners about matching the hatch - using lures that imitate whatever baitfish they're chasing. When they're busting shrimp or small fish on the surface, the visual excitement of watching fish explode on topwater plugs creates fishing memories that last forever.
This beginner-friendly inshore charter delivers exactly what new ang
The 23' Epic center console is your ticket to productive inshore waters around Charleston Harbor and Shem Creek. This 2015 boat runs on a reliable 200HP Suzuki that gets you to the fishing grounds quickly and quietly. The wireless trolling motor lets you slip into shallow redfish haunts without spooking your targets, while the fish finder shows you exactly where trout and flounder are holding. With GPS and radar onboard, you'll navigate confidently through Charleston's maze of creeks and marshes. The spacious layout comfortably fits 4 anglers with plenty of room to cast and fight fish. Keep your drinks cold in the icebox between bites, and enjoy the multimedia system during travel time. This boat handles everything from open harbor fishing to tight creek work, making it perfect for beginners learning to read inshore waters and target the area's best species.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the heavyweights of Charleston's inshore waters, typically running 10-30 pounds with some real giants pushing 50+ pounds. You'll find them around oyster bars, creek mouths, and bridge pilings where they crush crabs and shellfish with those powerful jaws. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - that's when you hear their distinctive drumming sounds underwater. What guests love most is the hard-pulling fight these fish put up, plus the smaller ones under 15 pounds make excellent eating with firm, white meat. They're bottom feeders, so we fish cut crab or fresh shrimp right on the structure. Here's a local trick: when you feel that first tap, don't set the hook immediately - let them pick it up and start moving off before you drive the steel home.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish, or red drum, are the crown jewel of our Charleston flats - copper-colored bruisers with that signature black eyespot near the tail. Most slot fish run 18-27 inches, but we see plenty of bull reds over 30 inches that'll test your drag. They cruise super shallow water, often with their backs showing in just 1-3 feet around oyster bars, grass flats, and creek mouths. Year-round fishing here, but fall brings the best action when they're feeding heavily. What makes reds special is their explosive topwater strikes and bulldogging fights - pure adrenaline. Plus, slot-sized fish are outstanding table fare with sweet, firm meat. They're not picky eaters, hitting everything from live shrimp to big topwater plugs. My local secret: target the last hour of incoming tide around shallow oyster bars - that's when they push up to feed and you'll see their tails and backs.
Salmo TruttaSpotted Seatrout, or "specks," are Charleston Harbor's bread-and-butter inshore species, typically running 14-18 inches with occasional 20+ inch gator trout. Look for the distinctive black spots scattered across their silver-green sides. They hang around grass flats, oyster bars, and creek edges in 3-8 feet of water, especially near structure that holds baitfish. Spring through fall offers consistent action, with early morning and evening being prime feeding times. What guests love about trout is their willingness to hit both live shrimp and artificial lures, making them perfect for beginners learning different techniques. The meat is tender and flaky - just don't overcook it. Here's my go-to tip: work your bait slow around the grass beds during moving water, and when you feel that subtle tap, give them a second before setting the hook.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern Flounder are unique flatfish that spend their time camouflaged on sandy and muddy bottoms in our shallow creeks and harbors. Most run 15-18 inches, but we regularly see keepers up to 24 inches around here. They're ambush predators with both eyes on one side of their head - pretty cool sight for first-timers. Fall and winter are prime time when they're fattening up before their offshore spawning run. What makes them special is their excellent table fare - sweet, white meat that's hard to beat. They also provide a different kind of fishing experience since we target them with live bait on the bottom. My local tip: look for them around creek mouths on moving water, especially during the last two hours of incoming tide when they're actively feeding.
Morone SaxatilisStriped Bass, or "stripers," are one of our most exciting inshore targets, running anywhere from schoolie size up to 20+ pound bulls. You'll spot them by those distinctive dark horizontal stripes running down their silver sides. They love structure - around bridge pilings, jetties, and creek mouths where baitfish get pushed by current. Fall and spring migrations bring the best action, especially when water temps hit that 55-68 degree sweet spot. What makes them special is their aggressive strikes and strong runs - they're legitimate gamefish that also happen to be fantastic eating. We typically find them in 8-15 feet of water, often feeding near the surface at dawn and dusk. Local tip: when you see birds working over baitfish, get there fast - stripers are usually underneath pushing shrimp and menhaden to the surface.
5.0 out of 5.0This was a great trip. We started early and timed the morning bite well. He got us on fish immediately. Cat fishing was awesome. H...
South Carolina