Hilton Head Inshore Fly Fishing Adventures
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Four-hour inshore fly fishing trips around Hilton Head IslandLight tackle fishing targeting redfish and local inshore speciesSmall group trips for two guests with experienced local guides
Picture this: you're standing on the bow of our boat, watching a copper-backed redfish cruise through crystal-clear water with its tail barely breaking the surface. The morning sun cuts through the Lowcountry mist, and your guide whispers "two o'clock, thirty feet" as you strip line and prepare for what could be the cast of a lifetime. This is inshore fishing at its finest, and it's exactly what you'll experience on our 4-hour fly fishing charters around Hilton Head Island and Beaufort.
Our inshore trips are built around light tackle and fly fishing, designed to put you face-to-face with some of the Southeast's most sought-after gamefish. We keep groups small – just two anglers max – so you get the personal attention that makes all the difference between a good day and a great day. Whether you've been throwing flies for decades or you're still figuring out your double haul, we'll match the fishing to your skill level. The pristine waters around Hilton Head and Beaufort offer endless opportunities, from shallow grass flats where reds tail in knee-deep water to deeper creek mouths where sea trout stack up on moving tides. Every trip is different because we read the conditions – wind, tide, temperature, and season – then put you where the fish are most likely to be feeding.
We specialize in sight fishing with fly rods, which means we're hunting specific fish rather than just casting blind and hoping. Our boats are rigged with shallow draft hulls that let us slip into skinny water where bigger boats can't go. You'll be fishing with 8 or 9-weight rods paired with floating or intermediate lines, depending on conditions. We provide all the tackle, but if you've got a favorite rod setup, bring it along. The flies we use are tied specifically for Lowcountry waters – crab patterns for tailing reds, shrimp imitations for trout, and baitfish streamers when the jacks are busting. Most of our fishing happens in 2-6 feet of water over oyster bars, grass beds, and mud flats. The key is staying quiet and making accurate casts, often to fish you can actually see. When everything comes together – the right fly, perfect presentation, and a hungry fish – there's nothing quite like watching a redfish turn and eat your fly in clear water.
Summer Flounder are the masters of disguise in our local waters. These flatfish bury themselves in sandy bottoms and ambush baitfish swimming overhead. You'll find them around creek mouths and along channel edges, especially during moving tides. They hit flies with surprising aggression for a fish that spends most of its time lying motionless on the bottom. What makes flounder exciting to target is their unpredictability – one cast might produce a 14-inch "keeper," while the next could bring up a 6-pound "doormat" that fights like it's twice that size. Peak season runs from late spring through early fall when they're most active in our inshore waters.
Sea Trout are the bread and butter of Lowcountry fly fishing. These spotted beauties school up in grass beds and around structure, feeding heavily on shrimp and small baitfish. They're perfect for fly fishing because they're aggressive, fight well for their size, and you can often catch multiple fish from the same spot. Sea trout have soft mouths, so you'll learn to fight them with a light drag and steady pressure. They're most active during cooler months and early morning or late evening sessions during summer. A 20-inch trout is a trophy worth celebrating, and the way they jump and shake when hooked makes every hookup exciting.
Redfish are the crown jewel of our inshore fishery and the reason many anglers fall in love with fly fishing these waters. These bronze-backed fighters cruise shallow flats, often with their backs and tails visible above the surface. Sight-casting to a tailing red is pure fishing poetry – you need the right approach, perfect presentation, and nerves of steel when that fish turns toward your fly. Reds are available year-round but are most cooperative during spring and fall when they're feeding heavily. They fight with bulldogging power, making long runs and using their broad tails to maximum advantage. Landing a red on fly tackle, especially one you spotted and stalked, is an achievement that'll keep you coming back.
Crevalle Jack bring raw power to the mix when they show up in our waters. These silver torpedoes travel in schools and attack baitfish with reckless abandon. When you find feeding jacks, the action is fast and furious – they'll eat almost any fly you throw at them and immediately head for deep water with blistering runs. They're seasonal visitors, typically showing up in warmer months when bait is thick. A jack on fly tackle will test your backing and your arm strength. They're not pretty fish, but they're absolute bulldozers that provide some of the most exciting fights you'll experience in shallow water.
Cobia are the wildcards of our inshore scene. These brown sharks-lookalikes cruise alone or in small groups, often following rays and other bottom-disturbing fish. They're curious by nature and will often swim right up to the boat to investigate. Sight-casting to cobia is addictive because they're large, powerful, and usually willing to eat a well-presented fly. They show up most frequently in late spring and early summer, often in surprisingly shallow water. A 30-pound cobia on fly tackle is a fish of a lifetime – they have the size to break you off and the attitude to try. When you hook one, hold on tight because they're heading for the bottom with authority.
The Lowcountry's inshore waters offer some of the most consistent and exciting
Perfect for stalking redfish in the shallows around Hilton Head and Beaufort, this 2020 Beavertail Skiff gets you into those skinny water spots where the big fish hide. At 17 feet with a reliable 40HP Yamaha, she's built for the flats and moves quietly through the marsh creeks at up to 30 knots. The wireless trolling motor keeps things silent when you're getting into position, while the fish finder helps locate schools in deeper pockets. GPS keeps you on course through the maze of Lowcountry waterways. With room for just two anglers, you'll have plenty of casting space and personalized attention from your guide. Whether you're working the grass beds on an incoming tide or sight-casting to tailing reds in the spartina, this shallow-draft skiff puts you right where the action is. The stable platform makes fly fishing comfortable, and the low profile design won't spook fish in clear water.
Rachycentron CanadumCobia are the brown sharks that aren't sharks - dark brown with a shark-like profile but much better table fare. These bruisers average 20-40 pounds around here, with some pushing 50+ pounds and 4-6 feet long. They cruise around structure like buoys, channel markers, and wrecks in 15-50 feet of water. Spring migration (April-June) is prime time when they're spawning and most aggressive. What makes cobia special is their size, fight, and incredible eating quality - firm white meat that's restaurant-grade. They're usually solitary, so it's often sight-fishing to individual fish. They'll eat crabs, eels, and smaller fish. Local secret: look for them following rays on the flats - they use stingrays like dinner bells, feeding on whatever gets stirred up. Pitch a bucktail jig or eel imitation right behind the ray.
Caranx HipposCrevalle jacks are the bulldogs of our inshore waters - brassy gold and built for speed. They typically run 12-24 inches and 3-5 pounds, though bigger ones can hit 30+ inches. Look for them around structure like jetties, bridge pilings, and over grass flats where they hunt in aggressive schools. Spring through fall brings the best action, especially when you see birds working the surface. What makes jacks special is their raw power and willingness to hit topwater lures - they'll test your drag and give you a real workout on light tackle. They're not great eating, but they're pure fun to catch. Pro tip: when you find birds diving on baitfish, cast silver spoons or topwater plugs just outside the school and retrieve fast - jacks love the chase and will hammer moving baits.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our Lowcountry flats, easily spotted by their copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. Most run 20-35 inches around here, with some bulls pushing 40+ inches. They love super shallow water - we're talking 1-4 feet on oyster bars, grass flats, and creek mouths. Year-round fishing is solid, but spring and fall are exceptional when they school up. What makes reds so special? They're sight-fishing opportunities on light tackle, they fight like bulldogs, and they're excellent table fare with sweet, firm meat. They'll eat crabs, shrimp, and small fish. My go-to tip: look for their tails and backs sticking out of shallow water during low tide periods - cast ahead of cruising fish and let your bait settle naturally to the bottom where they're rooting around.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are one of our most reliable inshore targets, running 14-24 inches on average with that beautiful spotted pattern. They love grass flats and shallow bays around Hilton Head, especially areas with moving water and structure. Spring through fall offers the best action, with early morning and evening being prime time. What guests love about specks is their willingness to hit topwater lures and flies, plus they're fantastic eating with tender, flaky white meat. They school up and feed aggressively on shrimp, small baitfish, and crabs. During winter, they move to deeper channels but still bite well. Here's a local trick: work your lure slowly through the grass beds - specks often suspend just above the vegetation waiting to ambush prey, so let your bait fall naturally through the water column.
Paralichthys DentatusSummer flounder are masters of camouflage, lying flat on sandy bottoms with both eyes on their left side. Around Hilton Head and Beaufort, these "doormat" flatfish typically run 15-20 inches, though bigger ones push 5+ pounds. They love structure - oyster beds, channel edges, and grass flats in 3-15 feet of water. Fall and winter are prime time when they're most active. What makes them special? They hit like freight trains when they take your bait, and the meat is absolutely top-notch eating - flaky white fillets that taste fantastic. They're ambush predators, so they'll hammer live minnows, shrimp, or strips of mullet fished on the bottom. Pro tip: use a circle hook and give them time to fully commit before setting - they bite sideways and need a second to get it right.
Hilton Head Island