I visited The South for the first time last week - staying in Beaufort, South Carolina with family. Our house was on Lady's Island and overlooked a vast marsh area. It was flat, hot, and beautiful. The trees, palms, and flowering plants were just breathtaking. The house even had its own golf buggy, which I used to transport my spreading, fat arse and fly-rod to the creek each evening to fish. On the advice of locals I fished one half day in a beautiful lagoon from Joe's inflatable boat, and I did see a lot of frisky mullet (in April!) A further three evening sessions on the creek next to the house, but being in a new place I like to do the right thing - not catch anything. It's rude, you see, to turn up and catch gobs of fish. Any fish really. It's much more interesting to spend one's week assimilating a new place. Besides, according to the local guides the fishing was off; red fish weren't on the feed yet; blues were sporadic; cobia were a month off; speckled trout were patchy; May would be better. I did hook one sting ray, which I was glad to see get away, but at least some fish and bait were there, and it was great to see something and somewhere completely different from what I'm used to. Each eve I jumped from the dinner table (okay - I lumbered under the weight of too many shrimp), and hopped aboard the fishing cart down to the creek to await the incoming tide. Within seconds of the turn, bait would concentrate and fish (later I learned these were rays) would set about the helpless "glass minnow" prey. It was a spectacular sight. So in the end I just sat and smoked a cigar as the rays slurped and hoovered and the tide rolled in. It was pretty darned good to spend the entire week catching absolutely nothing.
Fishing Cart
Paddling the lagoon, casting to mullet.
Waiting for the tide
That was quick
The Dupree Spoonfly
Raining bait - the rays move in.
I saw this place and it reminded me of all my good angling chums in CT.
Missed you, gents.
JA
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