# Hilton Head Surf Fishing



## matthewe98 (Mar 25, 2016)

Hilton Head Surf fishing
I am taking a trip to HHI this June. Last year was the first year that i have surf fished HHI and we had plenty of success but I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to step up my game? I used loner rods last year but this year i have two 8' Abu Garcia bruiser combos and one 9'. Last year we caught plenty of small sharks and a few decent sized (3 foot) rays, a couple reds, and some bluefish. We mainly used finger mullet and shrimp and we cut the bluefish up and used them. I'm staying at the hilton head resort beside the Robert Trent Jones golf course. Can anyone give me some tips or local knowledge on how 
to step my game up?


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## pmcdaniel (Nov 13, 2013)

matthew, it seems like you are off to a good start. It would probably help if we knew what species you are looking to catch since each one is a bit different.


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## matthewe98 (Mar 25, 2016)

pmcdaniel said:


> matthew, it seems like you are off to a good start. It would probably help if we knew what species you are looking to catch since each one is a bit different.


Well, having small kids, I would like to keep them interested. They love looking at and "petting" the fish so I would like to be in an area that has a decently constant hook-up rate. Also, I love catching rays last year. They put up a heck of a fight.


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## oldguy (Sep 15, 2014)

The beach at Hilton Head is flat in most places therefore plan on walking out a ways to cast. A longer rod will help with casting. I have had luck with shrimp, cut bait and Talipia (from the food store). Sometimes, I use Fish Bites (shrimp) and then cut up the first small fish I catch for bait. I have caught spots, sharks, whiting, red drum and blue fish. If you have kids, put the small fish you catch in a tide pool, plenty of entertainment for them while you fish. They will sleep well at night after chasing fish all over. Good luck to you.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

You're already ahead of the game with good fresh bait, and sharks and rays are easy to catch as long as your gear is up to it...a foot of single strand wire on a circle hook and a 50-60 lb shock leader will land you a few more sharks until you get in the 6+ foot range if you're really after them... 

Lots of good panfish for the table in the wash that time of year if that's what you're after. Not gonna get much else other than blues, sharks, rays, and a very small shot at a drum or cobia on big cut bait. Hand tie some 2 hook bottom rigs out of 25 lb mono or fluoro if you have it with some #2-4 kahle, circle, or 2x long shank J hooks. If you can find sand fleas you're golden, if not fresh shrimp (that you would eat) or Fishbites shrimp flavor in green orange or pink will find plenty of whiting and I've gotten a surprising amount of pompano on just Fishbites... Cut baits into thumbnail sized pieces. They're in close eating clams and sand fleas that are getting knocked loose by the crashing waves... Just gotta try to dodge the pinfish that time of year. 

Plenty of flounder that time of year, drag around a live mullet or hop a 1/2-3/4 oz bucktail and Gulp...all the way to your feet...but that's slower fishing and you need to cover ground and would be best left as something to do while soaking baits for sharks if you have kids with you IMO.

If you can go out at low tide and see any depressions, holes, sandbars, etc they will hold fish once the water covers it up a bit...as little as 1-1.5' of water and they could be out 10' from your feet...


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