# Hilton Head 6/26-7/3... Advice



## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

I'm an avid freshwater angler from Illinois. We are coming down 6/26-7/3. Its a family trip so we are going to do some surf fishing every day while the kids are playing on the beach. 

I have a few questions for you guys. 1.) Are there any types of bait that work best this time of year? 2.) Is there any one type of rig that has produced best for you? 3.) Is any one region of the island best for surf fishing? 4.) we are big on eating what we catch. of the possible species we could be catching which would be good to fillet and eat?

Thanks for the help guys!


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

*Hilton Head*

I am no surf fishing expert. But, I'll tell you what I think I know.

A problem at Hilton Head can be beach access. Hopefully the place you are staying at has access.

The standard two-hook, pyramid sinker rig should be all you need. Depending on the surf, 2oz - 3oz of weight should work. 

It is hard to beat FRESH shrimp as bait. Just tear off a small piece (maybe the size of your fingernail), place it on a hook, and cast out just past where the waves are breaking. You don't have to cast far to catch fish.

You will probably catch a ton of small sharks, rays, and whiting. I have tried cooking & eating the sharks, but they always had an "off" taste to me. I probably just didn't know how to cook them. You can eat the whiting. They are good. You could also catch a redfish or two. There is a slot size limit on those. Make sure you find out what it is.

You DO need a temporary license to fish from the surf. I think you can buy them online.

Fish are fish. They like structure. At extreme low tide, take a walk along the stretch of beach you plan to fish. Look for any depressions in the sand, places where the ground drops a few inches (there may still be water in these at low tide), or any places where the water drains back out into the ocean. These are the places you need to target when you fish. You can fish them when the tide is coming in, and fish them when the tide is going out.

Fish at daybreak before the sun gets up and the beach gets full of people.

You can also cut up some of the smaller fish you catch and use them as bait on a bigger rig. Use a wire leader, some sort of slip sinker, obviously a bigger hook (a circle hook would be the best way to go), and wade out and cast it as far as you can. You never know what you might catch.

There is a park, Fish Haul Creek Park, on the NE side of the island. I will probably go there and try to fish a little on my next trip down there. 

You can also try crabbing. Buy a couple of cheap, wire traps at Wal-Mart. My kids love doing that. Plus, the crabs are good to eat.

On our Hilton Head trip last year I did not get to fish much. But I did catch my first two redfish. I fished one of these depressions just as soon as the tide filled it with water. I was standing right at the edge of the depression and had to literally cast 3 feet to catch the fish.

Good luck and post a report when you get back. I'll be down there the last week in July.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> I am no surf fishing expert. But, I'll tell you what I think I know.
> 
> A problem at Hilton Head can be beach access. Hopefully the place you are staying at has access.
> 
> ...



Hey, thanks man. thats some good info................. so of the 12 miles of beach on the island, there isnt anything thats quiet throughout the day? I'm really not looking forward to being elbow to elbow if thats the case. I will need to be medicated :beer:


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

*Hilton Head*

I'm guessing you have never been to Hilton Head?

Hilton Head is full of beach front "plantations" & gated communities. You can not enter most of these properties unless you are staying at that property. 

There ARE parks on the beach and public beach access at other places. It is just so much easier if you are staying someplace that has beach access. BTW, where are you staying?

I mentioned the Fish Haul Creek Park in my first post. Look it up and see if you want to check it out. It sounds like a place that should not be very crowded, but you never know until you get there.

As long as you are on the beach at sunrise you should have plenty of time to fish before the beach gets crowded. Most people leave the beach by early afternoon. You should also be able to fish in the afternoons without having to deal with the crowds.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> I'm guessing you have never been to Hilton Head?
> 
> Hilton Head is full of beach front "plantations" & gated communities. You can not enter most of these properties unless you are staying at that property.
> 
> ...


We're staying in the fiddlers cove area. I'm pretty sure the place we are staying has an agreement with one of the beachside resorts for us to use their amenities. If not i'm not going to be a happy camper.


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

You will be OK. Just get to the beach early and have a good time.

Seriously consider giving the Fish Haul Creek Park a try. That way you can tell me about it when you get back.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> You will be OK. Just get to the beach early and have a good time.
> 
> Seriously consider giving the Fish Haul Creek Park a try. That way you can tell me about it when you get back.


Is it true that you can't have a beer while you're on the beech?


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

According to this website, http://www.shorebeach.com/ordinances.htm, alcohol is not allowed on the beaches of Hilton Head. 

However, I have seen plenty of people with beer on the beach. You just have to be smart and not cause a disturbance. Just pour the beer in a cup and you should be fine.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> According to this website, http://www.shorebeach.com/ordinances.htm, alcohol is not allowed on the beaches of Hilton Head.
> 
> However, I have seen plenty of people with beer on the beach. You just have to be smart and not cause a disturbance. Just pour the beer in a cup and you should be fine.


So you're saying I cant wear my beer helmet??? Boooo!!!!


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

Well, I guess you could. Just make sure you don't pair it with a Speedo. 

You don't hunt any of those big Illinois deer do you?


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> Well, I guess you could. Just make sure you don't pair it with a Speedo.
> 
> You don't hunt any of those big Illinois deer do you?


LOL, no they took my speedo a few weeks back when they arrested me for wearing it to the local public pool. something about dental floss on a bear rug not being appropriate. I dunno???


Yup, absolutely hunt the brutes up here. I'm not all caught up in the bone competition though. The great thing about IL/Midwest deer is that they are all corn fed and delicious as all get out so I do my part of herd man't via arrowing many doe each year. If you were going to be in the HHI area while I was down I would bring you down some packages of back strap steaks. MMMMmmmm MMMM!


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

My brother and I have been chasing the Ohio whitetails the last few years. I live in Virginia. He lives across the state line in Tennessee. Never killed anything big. He killed an OK 8-pointer last year. I mostly just go to hang out and put a crossbow bolt through some does.

The deer up there are just so much bigger than our Virginia/Tennessee deer.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

rthensley said:


> My brother and I have been chasing the Ohio whitetails the last few years. I live in Virginia. He lives across the state line in Tennessee. Never killed anything big. He killed an OK 8-pointer last year. I mostly just go to hang out and put a crossbow bolt through some does.
> 
> The deer up there are just so much bigger than our Virginia/Tennessee deer.


Well one things for sure, they eat their fill of beans and corn each year. I would say they only have about 2 months out of each year where browsing becomes difficult. We had farmers getting corn out in January this year. Its been awefully wet the last few years and all that standing corn has made for tough hunting. Farmers had their corn in over a month ago this year and should have them out well before oct. 1 (opening day, 104 days away incase you were wondering ). Should be a great season. Would be a good year to buy some tags here in IL. Lots of public access, especially in southern IL where shawnee national forest covers over 800,000 acres if I'm not mistaken.


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

If I remember correclty, those nonresident license in IL are pretty expensive. I work for the state of Virginia. We get to be off every holiday, but they don't pay us much.

My Ohio license (and 2 tags) will only run around $150. 


Good luck in Hilton Head.


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## fbiprez (Jul 6, 2009)

I am from IL and have been to HHI twice. Had decent luck with cut squid on the 2 hook rigs with 2 oz weight, as mentioned the Whitting is the eating fish, the sharks need to be pretty big to be legal. We caught many types of fish, nothing to brag about just a fun time. Lots of people will be the norm so fish early until the walkers get in your way and have fun.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

fbiprez said:


> I am from IL and have been to HHI twice. Had decent luck with cut squid on the 2 hook rigs with 2 oz weight, as mentioned the Whitting is the eating fish, the sharks need to be pretty big to be legal. We caught many types of fish, nothing to brag about just a fun time. Lots of people will be the norm so fish early until the walkers get in your way and have fun.


Cool, where you from? 

I know we are going to have to check the regs when we get down there because I dont really know the limits or size regs. My dad said they fillet a shark the last time they were down and grilled it. said it was excellent. I'm wondering if shark a viewed poorly there in a similar fashion that carp are up here????? Any good eatin shark?


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## cocky (Jun 21, 2010)

There are some nice ones in ohio too! I run/operate a deer processing business in SC and i had a guy from our camp go to ohio and he killed big one. Weighed right at 220 and scored around 150. pretty good deer in my book. But i am from SC...haha


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

cujrh10 said:


> Cool, where you from?
> 
> I know we are going to have to check the regs when we get down there because I dont really know the limits or size regs. My dad said they fillet a shark the last time they were down and grilled it. said it was excellent. I'm wondering if shark a viewed poorly there in a similar fashion that carp are up here????? Any good eatin shark?


In order to keep a shark (most types) a 54 inch minimum is required, that is a large shark. I have eaten black tip shark before, 20 years ago, it was quite good. 

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterfish.html

Point being, I wouldn't get your hopes up on being able to keep shark, 54 inches isn't typical. Most sharks I catch on Hilton Head are 12-36 inches. Generally speaking sandbar shark, spinner and a few hammerhead are the norm.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

Kellercl said:


> In order to keep a shark (most types) a 54 inch minimum is required, that is a large shark. I have eaten black tip shark before, 20 years ago, it was quite good.
> 
> http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterfish.html
> 
> Point being, I wouldn't get your hopes up on being able to keep shark, 54 inches isn't typical. Most sharks I catch on Hilton Head are 12-36 inches. Generally speaking sandbar shark, spinner and a few hammerhead are the norm.


If I'm out throwing a net on the beach what type of live bait should I expect to catch?


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## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Durring the time you are expecting to be there, I wouldnt count on catching to much bait in the surf.
Tight Lines, Tim


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

cujrh10 said:


> If I'm out throwing a net on the beach what type of live bait should I expect to catch?


To be honest I have no idea. I have never tried to cast net in the surf. When I fish the surf on HH I use shrimp, works well for shark and whiting.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

Kellercl said:


> To be honest I have no idea. I have never tried to cast net in the surf. When I fish the surf on HH I use shrimp, works well for shark and whiting.


What size of hook for whiting? Do you usually use a circle?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

cujrh10 said:


> What size of hook for whiting? Do you usually use a circle?


#4-2 long shank bronze J hook. No need for circles but use 'em if you want. They have small mouths so you don't want a big one.


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

cujrh10 said:


> What size of hook for whiting? Do you usually use a circle?


I used circle, they work well. I don't remember the exact size, but small. Stingray also are in the area.


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

SmoothLures said:


> #4-2 long shank bronze J hook. No need for circles but use 'em if you want. They have small mouths so you don't want a big one.


If I'm fishing for eater fish is there any sense in even using a larger hook (i.e.#10-12 circles)? What would I be targeting with a larger hook/larger presentation while surf fishing in the Hilton Head area?


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## cujrh10 (Jun 17, 2010)

SmoothLures said:


> #4-2 long shank bronze J hook. No need for circles but use 'em if you want. They have small mouths so you don't want a big one.


and just Shrimp pieces the size of your thumb nail???


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

How did you do?

Where did you fish? What did you catch?


I'm heading to HHI on the 24th. Can't wait.


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

So far this week 6 blue fish and 3 sharks. Nothing huge, the largest was a black tip shark, 20 inch.


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## rthensley (May 7, 2007)

There is a park near the airport and hospital. It is called Fish Haul Creek Park. It sounds like it MIGHT be pretty secluded and MIGHT offer some good fishing. If you have a chance, you might want to check it out. 

This is what a website says about it: "This is Hilton Head's most pristine park, largely left to nature, with gigantic oak trees decorated with Spanish Moss. It has restrooms, a small pavilion with two picnic tables and a pier out into the tidal marsh. You can walk to a beach on the Port Royal Sound (about 0.3 miles from the parking lot), where clamming is popular. Truly wonderful for nature lovers, but close enough to the airport that the sound of aircraft is more than obvious. It's almost at the end of Beach City Road."

Good luck.


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