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· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
My family is taking us there in August. The web site mentions Tarpon, Cobia and RedFish. Since its August there might only be Bass and bream available. The inshore water temp will be in the 80's
Right now I'm not planning to bring my boat cause we will only be there 3 days. My plan is to rent a canoe or kayak or if there's Tarpon hire a guide
We will be taking our shotguns to shoot their sporting clays course
But i can't get that close to marsh and not have a fly rod
Oh it's near Bluffton SC
 

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Yeah I think they have a saltwater impoundment or two in there. If there are floodtides during your stay and a canoe rental is available I'd try that too. If you are looking for a guide I know Kai Williams is a good one in that area.
 

· Lowcountry Degen
2021 Conchfish 17.8
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Beautiful area. Definitely recommend renting a kayak and going around the ponds. I know they hold bass and very likely some tarpon - I threw a fly rod a little bit, but didn't get any action (it was mid afternoon, though). You can definitely have some luck with the redfish in the river, but the tides will determine how you fish. You may want to take a kayak if you're fishing low tide, or there might be a flat you can wade if it's a good flood.

I'd also rent a bicycle - there's a really cool path through the woods, and it ends up at a few ponds and a few nice little shops. My wife and I went last summer and really enjoyed it. I wish we could have stayed longer.
 

· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #4 ·
Thanks for your help. I've not been in a real kayak just a blow up beach one. But I'm good wit a canoe. To be honest either would be easy. The canoe would be easier to carry 2 fly rods and a dry bag. As it gets closer i can look at the tides. Dont know if incoming or out going is better
Ive fished up the coast at Oak Island, NC so i know you can wade when the grass is covered
 

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My inlaws lived in Bluffton for quite a while. I got a lot of bass in the ponds, saw gators but not tarpon. KEY LEARNING - DO NOT SPEED IN BLUFFTON! They have t-shirts about their speed traps for a reason. Spent a couple hundred bucks learning that, ugh. Thre are some kayak rentals on Hilton Head that access some nice looking water as I recall, can't remember any canoe rentals though. I did pretty well with a chartreuse bunny fly btw...
 

· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
I sent an email to Scott Wagner but y'all know how i feel about guides. I may just get in a canoe and see if i can find some. I guess their in the May river. But I've never been so I'll have to google earth or wait for y'all to give me some direction.
 

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I sent an email to Scott Wagner but y'all know how i feel about guides. I may just get in a canoe and see if i can find some. I guess their in the May river. But I've never been so I'll have to google earth or wait for y'all to give me some direction.
Canoe is a very bad idea.
They are very large (even by tarpon standards), generally in lots of current, often with wads of bull sharks around.
 

· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #13 ·
Canoe is a very bad idea.
They are very large (even by tarpon standards), generally in lots of current, often with wads of bull sharks around.
Well then a kayak is probably not much better
I wonder what the world record on Bull Sharks on fly is
 

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You cant go wrong with any of those guides. Capt. Colt Harrison mentioned above is good captain (he does a good bit of nearshore and offshore stuff OTF, and loves tarpon fishing). The water down there that time of year is not clear in the estuaries, so sight fishing for tarpon in the back bays, and creeks is not an easy feat. A lot of it is done in the big open bays, and near shore. I would not get too aggressive on float plans in a canoe or kayak, lots of current. The flats fishing should be great around then though. Good luck.
 

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Go on Bay Street ‘s Facebook page and see the Cobia his client caught yesterday or Sunday. On the fly.
Looks like Tuck got one yesterday.

Maybe the cobia fishery will return with the moratorium, poor cobes just get abused by meat fishermen and liberal bag limits.
I applaud the S.C. Legislators for finally listening to the DNR and putting a moratorium on them for 1 month a year, in one part of the state.
 

· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #19 ·
Ive been emailing back an forth with Scott Wagner. I may just drive over in July if the fish are there and fish with him. It just depends
 
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· I Love Skinny Water
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Discussion Starter · #20 ·
I had a surprise last week my daughter said she booked a flats boat for me while we are there. Hope they know how to fly fish for Tarpon
 
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