Half Day Fishing in McClellanville, South Carolina
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Fourhour inshore fishing trip targeting redfish, flounder, and sea troutAll fishing gear, licenses, snacks and drinks included onboardSmall group experience accommodating up to six guests maximum
Looking for a solid half-day fishing trip that won't break the bank? Spot Tail Charters has you covered with four hours of prime inshore fishing in the waters around McClellanville. This isn't some tourist trap operation – we're talking about real fishing in one of South Carolina's best-kept secrets. You'll be targeting eight different species in waters that have been producing consistently for decades. Everything's included too – rods, reels, tackle, licenses, plus snacks and drinks to keep you going. Just bring yourself and maybe a cooler for your catch.
McClellanville sits right where the creeks meet the Atlantic, giving you access to some of the most productive inshore waters on the East Coast. Your captain knows these waters like the back of their hand – every oyster bar, every drop-off, every grass bed where fish like to hang out. The boat holds up to six anglers, so you're not packed in like sardines. You've got room to cast, room to fight fish, and room to actually enjoy yourself. The four-hour window is perfect timing – long enough to hit multiple spots and species, but not so long that you're burnt out by the end. Most trips start early morning when the fish are most active, but afternoon trips can be just as productive depending on tides and weather.
This is classic Carolina inshore fishing – we're talking live bait, cut bait, and some artificial lures depending on what's working. Your captain will have you rigged up with circle hooks and appropriate weights for the depth and current. Bottom fishing is big here for drum, grouper, and sheepshead around structure. For the redfish and trout, you might be sight casting or working grass flats with jigs or topwater plugs early in the day. The boat carries all the gear you need – medium to heavy action rods that can handle anything from a scrappy trout to a bull redfish. Bait selection changes with the seasons and conditions, but expect to see shrimp, mud minnows, cut mullet, and maybe some live pinfish or finger mullet. Your guide will handle all the rigging and re-baiting, so you can focus on fishing instead of fiddling with tackle.
Grey Triggerfish are one of the more unique catches you'll encounter out here. These guys are curious and aggressive, often found around structure and hard bottom. They've got incredible eyesight and can be picky eaters, but once hooked, they put up a surprising fight for their size. Most run 2-4 pounds, and they're excellent table fare if you can get past their tough skin. Best action is typically late spring through early fall when they move into shallower waters to spawn.
Redfish are the bread and butter of Carolina inshore fishing, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers can range from slot-size fish around 18-27 inches up to massive bulls pushing 40+ inches. They're not the fastest swimmers, but they'll use every ounce of their strength to try and break you off in the oysters. Spring and fall are prime time when they school up in huge numbers. You'll hear them before you see them sometimes – that distinctive tailing and splashing in shallow water gets your heart pumping every time.
Southern Flounder are the ultimate ambush predators, lying flat on sandy bottoms waiting for baitfish to swim overhead. These flatfish can be tricky to hook since they often mouth the bait before committing, but a well-timed hookset will get you a fish that's hard to beat on the dinner table. They're most active during moving water, especially around creek mouths and channel edges. Fall is typically the best time as they fatten up before their offshore migration.
Gag Grouper are the prize catch when you can find them in the right spots. These bottom dwellers love structure – rocks, ledges, wrecks – anywhere they can ambush prey. They're powerful fish that will try to get back to their hole the second they feel the hook. Most inshore gags run 15-25 inches, and they're incredibly good eating. You'll typically find them in deeper holes and around hard structure, especially during cooler months.
Black Sea Bass might be small, but they're scrappy fighters and excellent table fare. These guys are year-round residents around structure, and they're usually willing to bite when other species are being finicky. They rarely get bigger than a couple pounds inshore, but what they lack in size they make up for in numbers. Perfect fish for kids or anyone who just wants steady action.
Black Drum are the heavy hitters of the inshore world. These fish can live for decades and grow to massive sizes – 30, 40, even 50+ pound fish are possible. They're bottom feeders with incredible strength, using their weight and power to try and break your line on structure. Younger drum in the 5-15 pound range are better eating, while the big breeders are usually released to keep the population healthy. Spring is prime time when they move into shallow water to spawn.
Sheepshead are the convict-striped thieves of the inshore world. These bait stealers have human-like teeth that can crush barnacles and crabs with ease. They require finesse fishing – small hooks, light leaders, and quick reflexes to set the hook before they strip your bait. But master the technique and you've got some of the best eating fish in the ocean. They're most active around structure during cooler months, especially around docks and jetties.
Sea Trout are the most popular inshore species for a reason. They're beautiful fish with excellent table qualities and they're willing biters most of the year. Specks, as locals call them, love grass flats and can be caught on everything from live shrimp to artificial lures. They're not
Your fishing adventure starts aboard our well-equipped motorboat, perfectly set up for chasing redfish, black drum, and sea trout in McClellanville's productive inshore waters. The boat comes loaded with everything you need - a reliable fish finder to locate those hiding spots, GPS navigation to hit the best fishing grounds, and radar for those foggy coastal mornings. The wireless trolling motor lets us slip quietly into shallow areas where the big ones like to feed without spooking them. With an ice box onboard, your catch stays fresh while you keep fishing. Whether you're casting into grass beds for redfish or working the creek mouths for flounder, this boat handles the shallow Carolina waters like a dream. Room for up to 6 anglers means you can bring the whole crew to experience some of the best inshore fishing the South Carolina coast has to offer.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the bulldozers of the flats, typically weighing 5-30 pounds with some monsters reaching 50+ pounds. They prefer shallow oyster beds, muddy flats, and creek mouths where they crush shellfish with their powerful jaws - you can actually hear them crunching shells underwater. Spring spawning season brings the best action when they school up in predictable spots. What makes them special is that deep, thumping fight and the drumming sounds they make. Smaller ones under 15 pounds are great eating, but the big ones are better released. My local secret: fresh peeler crab is deadly, especially around oyster bars during moving tides. Use enough weight to stay on bottom and be patient - they'll mouth the bait before committing, so wait for that steady pull before setting the hook.
Centropristis StriataBlack sea bass are chunky bottom-huggers that average 1-3 pounds but can push 8+ pounds around deeper structure. They school up around wrecks, jetties, and rocky bottoms in 20-120 feet of water, feeding on crabs, squid, and small fish. Late spring through summer is prime time when they move inshore to spawn and feed. What guests love is their aggressive bite and how they fight hard until they hit the surface. They're excellent eating with sweet, flaky white meat. The males turn bright blue during spawning season which is pretty cool to see. My tip: use a two-hook rig with squid strips or clam, and work it right on the bottom. They'll often hit on the drop, so stay alert and be ready to set the hook quickly.
Mycteroperca MicrolepisGag grouper are serious bottom dwellers averaging 20 inches but capable of hitting 40+ inches and 30 pounds. They love rocky structure, reefs, and wrecks in 40-120 feet of water where they can ambush crabs, shrimp, and smaller fish. Spring and fall offer the best shots when they're most active around structure. What makes them popular is that bone-jarring initial strike followed by a bulldogging fight straight back to the rocks. They're also top-tier table fare with firm white meat. Here's the key: once you hook one, keep your drag locked tight and don't give them an inch - they'll try to get back into the rocks and break you off. Use live pinfish or cut bait right on the bottom near structure, and be ready for that freight train hit.
Balistes CapriscusGrey triggerfish are tough fighters that run 12-17 inches on average, though we see some pushing 24 inches. They hang around hard bottoms, reefs, and ledges in 30-180 feet of water, using their strong teeth to crush crabs, urchins, and shellfish. Spring through fall gives us the best action when they're actively feeding. What makes them special is their scrappy fight and unique ability to wedge into rocks when hooked - they'll try every trick to get away. The meat's excellent eating with a firm, sweet texture. My tip: use squid chunks about an inch wide since it stays on the hook better, and when you feel that first nibble, reel fast and keep steady pressure to prevent them from diving into structure.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our inshore waters, running 20-35 inches with that distinctive copper color and black eyespot near the tail. They cruise grass flats, oyster bars, and shallow creeks in 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs show above the surface. Peak season runs spring through fall when they're feeding heavy on crabs and shrimp. What hooks people is their bulldogging fight and that explosive topwater strike when they're tailing in skinny water. Plus, they're fantastic table fare with sweet, flaky meat. My local trick: look for nervous bait or swirls in the grass, then drop your lure right in front of where you think they're heading. Keep it quiet - they spook easy in shallow water.
Salmo TruttaSpotted sea trout are beautiful fish with silver sides covered in distinct black spots, typically running 14-20 inches with some reaching 5+ pounds. They love grass flats, creek mouths, and shallow bays where they feed on shrimp and small baitfish. Cooler months see them schooling in deeper channels, while summer finds them scattered across the flats. What anglers enjoy is their willingness to hit topwater lures and their respectable fight, plus they make excellent table fare with tender, flaky meat. The key is not to overcook them since the meat is delicate. My local tip: fish the grass flats at first light with topwater plugs - the strikes are explosive. During winter, look for them in deeper creek bends where they school up to stay warm.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the convict fish of our waters with distinctive black stripes and human-like teeth. They average 2-5 pounds but we catch some bruisers up to 15+ pounds around bridge pilings and dock structures. They feed on barnacles, fiddler crabs, and oysters year-round, with spring being peak season when they spawn around jetties and inlets. What makes them challenging and fun is they're notorious bait thieves - they'll nibble and pick at your bait trying to steal it without getting hooked. The meat is some of the best you'll eat, sweet and flaky. My trick: get as close to structure as possible, use small hooks with fresh fiddler crab or shrimp, and when you feel them pecking at the bait, set the hook hard - their bony mouth requires a solid hookset.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern flounder are masters of camouflage that typically run 15-18 inches, though we catch some doormat-sized ones pushing 25+ inches. These flatfish bury themselves in sandy or muddy bottoms in bays, creeks, and nearshore waters, ambushing prey from below. Fall migration from September through November gives us the hottest action as they head to deeper water. Anglers love them for their unique appearance - both eyes on one side - and the challenge of detecting their subtle bite. They're also some of the best eating fish around with delicate, sweet meat. My go-to technique: drift with live finger mullet or shrimp near creek mouths and drop-offs. Watch your line closely - they'll just swim off with the bait, so set the hook at the first sign of movement.
McClellanville, SC