Fishin' Coach Charters

Inshore Slam of Sorts

Captain Dan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:24:24 +0000

My energetic crew from this past Friday completed an inshore slam catching some nice Redfish, Speckled Trout and a wild and crazy Triple-tail. The Triple-tail are not very common in our waters but sure are a joy to catch as they leap out of the water and high fly like a Tarpon. Triple-tail are also very fine eating. Fishing the outgoing tide around docks and fallen trees in the backs of the creeks fishing was pretty good all week. We caught Redfish from just under the slot to the bonified whopper size of over 30″. We also landed the mighty Silver King on Saturday and in the heat that w as a real battle. No picture as the leader broke as we were posing for the picture. By far this has been my best summer fishing for Redfish. I am looking forward to the Jumbo’s in the river soon as well as many more Tarpon.

Weather is still hot

Captain Dan — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:57:00 +0000

The weather is still very hot but the fishing is still pretty darn good too. Since the shrimp have become big enough to put on a hook the inshore action for Spotted Trout and Redfish has been pretty good. The Trout are biting around the first of the incoming tide on flats near creek mouths and on the high water around current rips made by oyster beds and points. This past week the high tides made for some good tailing Redfish action but the best bite has been back in creeks fishing deep holes in the bends of creeks with docks or fallen trees on the last half of the outgoing tide. A few reports of Tarpon from the other Captains on our dock but like the Cobia this year you need to have that silver spoon in your mouth to get a hook up. Not so with Ladyfish, seems those smaller demons from the deep are busting baits everywhere.

The Storm Fizzled Before Hitting the Coast

Captain Dan — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:38:22 +0000

The Cobia storm never arrived inshore this year. We have managed to catch a few in the Broad River but not the numbers we are accustomed to doing battle with. I heard tales of a few 60 plus pounders landed the past couple of weeks but not on my boat. The Cobia bite offshore on the artificial reefs has also slowed down. We made one trip to the Betsy Ross last week and boated 4 shorts and 1 nice 40 inch Cobia. On the bright side the Redfish in the creeks are aggressive and fight hard when hooked. We have been fishing mud-minnows under the rattling corks around oyster beds in small creeks and doing well. Also, some nice Flounder are also taking a liking to the mud-minnows and stretching some line.

The Storm Has Not Arrived Yet

Captain Dan — Sat, 15 May 2010 11:33:30 +0000

The wave of Cobia inshore has not hit the Broad River yet. With the cold and nasty winter the big run of Cobia is running late. The good news is we still have plenty of time. I am hoping with the numbers of fish spotted offshore on the artificial reefs we are going to have a good migration into the river. A few Cobia were caught this week in the River but you have to be the one with the silver spoon in your mouth to get one. On the calm morning days if you had the persistence, fish could be spotted cruising the surface.

Nuts & Bolts Fishing May Fest

Tom — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:11:15 +0000

Come Join Capt. Cefus McRae, Buck The Wonder Dog, and Captain Dan Utley on Hilton Head Island for the First Annual Nuts & Bolts FISH N FEST May 11-13 at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa!

Here are the details from the website:

Nuts & Bolts Fishing May Fest

May 11 – 14, 2010 • Event Venue: The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa

1st ANNUAL FISH ‘N FEST

We’ve been meeting each other in cyberspace for quite a while, and now it’s time to throw a shindig where we can get together, do some fishing and really get to know one another.

So, here’s you’re personal invitation to attend the 1st Annual Nuts & Bolts Fish ‘N Fest.

WHEN: May 11 – 14, 2010
Yes, we know it’s during the week, but that’s the best moon phase for the fishing we’ll be doing. So get a kitchen pass, get a baby sitter, and tell your boss you are long overdue for some time off. Plan to arrive the afternoon of Tuesday May 11, Fish on May 12. Optional “On-Your-Own” fishing day on May 13 (or enjoy a round of golf, the Heavenly Spa by Westin or lounge by the pool).

WHERE: Hilton Head Island, SC
The area around Hilton Head Island and Port Royal Sound is ideal this time of year for big cobia. And the seatrout, flounder, redfish, Spanish mackerel should also be making a great showing then too.

Transient boat slip information TBD.

Group rate available until May 11, 2010. Subject to availability.

April Redfish- Feast to Bust

Captain Dan — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Fishing for Redfish started off like a Lion with plenty of large Redfish eager to eat, but after the first week fishing became spotty. We had more poor fish days than good but we did manage to land some whoppers. Last Thursday morning we had a banner day catching and keeping 6 in the slot Redfish and releasing over a dozen that were from 25 to 27 inches. The good news is Cobia are being caught in the Broad River now! I have not fished for the Brown Bombers yet but will in the hunt soon and hope to post some new pictures soon.

For You Guys that Don’t like the Cold Weather

Captain Dan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:21:00 +0000

I had some nice folks from Wisconsin yesterday who had the opinion that our cold weather was warm and temper ant when I explained our temperatures have been in the 20′s every night for more than a week and it might be tough to get the Redfish to eat, their comment, “20 above or below”. We fished the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming tide. Even though we put baits of live Mud minnows and Gulp shrimp in front of hundreds of fish, no takers on the low water. It was fun seeing lots of fish schooled up in tight schools and not very spooky. The technique was to use the trolling motor to move against the tide and set the power pole down when a school moved away from the boat. After a few minutes the school would move back toward the boat. We did get a few bites if we cast a bait well ahead of the anticipated path of the school and the school moved over the bait. The other key was not to move the bait, if you moved the bait the school would spook away. After the tide changed and flooded some mud flats and oyster beds that had been exposed to the sun in the morning the fish began to eat. Not that it was a bite every cast but a well placed cast ahead of a school would produce action. The Gulp shrimp worked just as good as the live Mud Minnows. We landed 8 all over the slot except 1. Great time of the year to fish, glad the weather is getting warmer.

Message to Redfish

Captain Dan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Mr. Redfish, if the winds are calm you better find somewhere to hide. We finally had a couple of days with light winds. Yesterday the water was as slick as a baby’s behind, thus we could spot schools of Redfish pushing water as far away as the naked eye could see. The best part is this time of year you don’t have to be a pin point caster to hook up. We caught too many fish to have an accurate count and if you were looking for groceries you were out of luck because most of the fish were way over the slot. We landed fish of 31″ and 33″ to finish the day. The bait of choice was a 1/4 ounce jig head rigged with a 3″ Gulp Shrimp. Now until the water gets too cold in January and February the schooling fish are eager to eat even though they get moving when you get near with the boat.
As for the jumbo’s we fished an area in the sound we call Red’ville a couple of days ago with no success. The Bull Red’s are now found just offshore on the wrecks and reefs or sandbars where you see feeding birds.
In the low country now we have a bad fishing deli ma, fish the inshore flats for slot up to 33″ Reds or run just offshore and battle some bonified whoppers up to 47″. Both can be sight fished and and will put a sever kink in your rod.

Weather getting Cooler

Captain Dan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:27:00 +0000

The weather may be getting cooler but the fishing is getting better each day. If you like fishing for Redfish now is the time. You have a big choice to make, fish nearshore for the big Adults schooling under the birds or fishing the inshore flats for schools of the slot to just over the slot Reds cruising the shallow waters. If you want the big boys and girls then you need some calm winds so you can venture out the sound and look for birds working over the sand bars that are on each side of the Port Royal shipping channel. When you find the birds just drive into the middle of the action and drop some cut bait to the bottom or cast a heavy bucktail and bounce it off the bottom, the bite will not take long. Inshore pick a flat out of the wind and cruise the shallows until you spot a school pushing water, get into position and cast ahead of the school. The Redfish are aggressive now and will eat most any bait that looks like food. If you like the cast and hope program, casting spinner baits and 1/4 ounce jigs rigged with a Gulp bait around oyster beds and points making rips will produce Redfish and an occasional Flounder as well. The bite will be great until it gets cold in January.

Glad the big Boys and Girls are still around

Captain Dan — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:45:00 +0000

Good weather but slow business meant not much fishing this week. However, the trip we made today could last some folks a week. The Adult Reds were willing to eat out in the sound and the year old Reds in the creeks had an appetite to match.