# Hilton Head Island surf fishing



## medhead (Jan 23, 2006)

I use to live down on HHI a few years ago and me and my roommate went surf fishing when every we had a chance. I'm planning a trip to go down in May. Does anyone know what will be running around that time. I very familar with the island and have fished pretty much everywhere. If anyone has any questions for me regarding HHI (restaurants, bars and places to stay) just put them on this post and I will respond.

Thanks 
Brent


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## Salmonslammer (Dec 31, 2004)

Not sure what'll be running in May.....But I know it sure beats trying to fish the end of Febuary!!!

Have a wedding to attend on HH (end of Feb) and have never fished there before... Have any spots worth checking out, Brent??.....I know it's a tough bite that time of year  Shoot me a PM if you like...


Any head boats down there that I could take the kids out on....if its worth it anyways!!

Figures as soon as I start to get the savannah fishing down, my sister moves on me!!


Any good watering holes worth hittin??....Hate being the tourist and running with the mullets!!!


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## medhead (Jan 23, 2006)

Salmon where are you staying at on the island? I've caught some redfish, jacks and sharks from just about every beach down there. A really good spot down there is on the south tip of the island called (south beach) its in Sea Pines Plantion. Just go through the front gate and follow the signs there will be a marina and tackle shop the guys in there will be able to tell you where to get to the beach. Its not far and nobody swims in the water down at that end of the beach. A lot of big sharks are caught down there. Also you can use a popping cork with mullet and catch some reds. I don't know what you mean by head boats. If your looking to charter a boat I met one of the Capatins while I lived down there his name is Eric and his website is moneric.com he has nice boats and is fair priced you can check his rates on the website. But as far as the bars go on the island there is a ton. I like to go to area right in front of sea pines there is like 5 or six bars all connected you can look up the website hiltonheadbrewpub.com or something like that. There is also a Wild Wing Cafe really cool place to go and really good food. There is an irish sports bar called Caseys they always have a good happy hour and good food. You can go down to Harbor Town which is in Sea Pines Plantion there are a lot of bars and resturants down there by the lighthouse. If you want a really good seafood dinner or lunch you have to go to Fitzgeralds I have to go there everytime I'm on the island. If you get there before 6:00pm live main lobster 12.95 that comes with everything like your sides and salad. It is my all time favorite. They have a full early bird menu with shrimp, prime rib and tuna on it. The best deal and food on the island. It is one of the oldest resturants on the island been in business for over 30 years. Its a must go. If you or anybody else has any questions post them. Brent


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## swackie (Nov 13, 2005)

*hilton head watering holes*

You may want to check out a website called www.pubcrawler.com its a great site for finding microbrewers and good beer bars. you can even post reviews. Its great if you travel a lot.


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## bottomfeeder (Jan 31, 2006)

*surf fishing hilton head*

you should have all the usual bottomfeeders biting,plus possibly florida pompano,redfish,maybe some blues depending on water temp.you should do well. bottomfeeder


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## Salmonslammer (Dec 31, 2004)

Thanks for the info Brent...We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn....Any decent water close by?? 

Looks like the ole lady may have to work and not go..Plenty more time for fishing and beer drinking. 

Any good places to rent a boat for inshore?? At least go for a ride if nothing else!!!


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## medhead (Jan 23, 2006)

You would have to come on the Island to find some water to fish. Like I posted earlier you can go down to South Beach in Sea Pines plantion or to any public beach around the island. As far as renting a boat you can rent boats at Shelter Cove marina located across from Palmetto Dunes plantion but they are kinda high. I gave the website for a charter boat capt that I met on the island when I lived there moneric.com. If you have anymore questions post them.


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## FishRung (Nov 26, 2002)

*Hilton Head - from a prior thread*

8/21-22/05. Caught seamullet on shrimp and livebait them for shark up to 4 ft. Great fun on light gear. I use 10lb mono to a Carolina rig with a short wire trace to a 6/0 circle hook. Abu 4500C3 and a 7ft M/H rod.

We also had rays, one of them nearly 3 ft across. The locals of Sea Pines (southern point of the island) get very nervous if you bring shark in and are likely to ask you to stop, which just means move round the island a ways.

The beach is very flat. We were wading about 50yds out and the water was knee deep. Swimmers were about 200yds out while we were catching the shark no more than 100yds out. Small wonder the locals were nervous about us catching them

Saturday we fished the South Point and had Bluefish, Pompano, Whiting and several small rays on shrimp. We cast-netted finger mullet, which we free-lined live for Spanish Mackerel (to 24") and a Bonnethead Shark (4ft).

Sunday we fished the main, seaward beach for Whiting on shrimp. We cut the whiting for very large sting rays and a couple of 4-5ft shark. The light tackle I mentioned was way-too light for the rays, but just right for the shark.

There was some movement of finger mullet out of the inlets and south along the beach and substantial numbers of Spanish visible off the beach.

W/e 8/28-29/05. Seaward side produced keeper Spanish and Spotted Trout on live mullet under a float. Also had shark to 5' on the same rig. Then the Bluefish arrived and every bait was diced by them. Still, a cooler full of Spanish and Trout is still being enjoyed.

The last 3 hours of the downtide and first two hours of the uptide were by far the better times to fish, with the bottom tide being best. At high tide the fish were too far off the beach.

We could only castnet the mullet during the lower half of each tide.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

The very best surffishing on the island is at the northern tip of the Port Royal Plantation where a freshwater creek empties into the Port Royal Sound but the only access available that I am aware of is by renting one of the condos there.I sued to own one but sold it.Early May is when the first blacktips usually show up and are followed about two weeks later by cobia heading for the Broad River.Lots of reds,specks,and flounder around that creek.


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## medhead (Jan 23, 2006)

Yeah I have fished the northern end also. Some really good fishing. I fished out of Hilton Head Plantion which you have to know some one to get a pass called in. I fished around Pine Island in there. Caught a lot of sharks, redfish and huge sting rays. I always fished with live bait but I did see some guys throwing lures and catching trout and redfish. Pine Island is in the Dolphin Head section of Hilton Head Plantion. My roommate worked at the Oyster reef golf course so he had a pass to get us in to fish. Its a pretty good walk but you have the beach to yourself no one will get in the water. People mostly just walk there dogs up there.


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

The area I'm talking about should be the "Fish Haul Park" access at the end of Beach City Road.Once on the beach,walk east until you reach the creek.At low tide,you can wade out far enough to cast into the deeper shrimper's channels.I've hooked tarpon in there surf fishing in July.

http://www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov/Island/beaches.html


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