WILSON LANDING BECOMES SC’s 14th CLEAN MARINA

The South Carolina Clean Marina Committee has granted Clean Marina certification to Wilson Landing, a part of the Palmetto Bluff development on the May River near Bluffton, SC.

A flag and certificate were awarded to the marina at the South Carolina Marine Association annual meeting. SCMA administers the SC Clean Marina Program in cooperation with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and the SC Department of Natural Resources.

Becoming a Clean Marina involves using best management practices to be better stewards of the environment, SCMA President Bob Pilcher said in congratulating the recipient. “It isn’t an easy process and, in some cases, involves added expenses.” The marinas go beyond normal regulatory requirements in managing potential pollutants, keeping their facilities as “green” as possible and educating their customers on better environmental actions to keep our waterways clean.

“The committee was impressed with the efforts Wilson Landing has gone through to comply with the Clean Marina standards,” SCMA Executive Director Suzi DuRant commented. “The marina uses extensive vegetative buffers and permeable surfaces to filter stormwater runoff and even uses mineral oil instead of hydraulic oil in the lift slips over the river.”

The South Carolina Marine Association is a trade association representing the boaters and the boating businesses in the state. For further information, contact SCMA at 843-889-9067 or email SCMarineAssn@gmail.com.

The red drum is designated as North Carolina’s State Saltwater Fish for good reasons. They are abundant, grow to enormous sizes and can be caught anywhere the water is salty. They can also be caught by all popular fishing methods and bite well throughout the late fall and early winter when other game fish disappear.

The biggest runs of larger redfish or “channel bass” show up along the beaches in October and November. But the adult fish also school at the artificial and natural ledges near the beaches where anglers fishing for other species are often surprised when an adult red drum that can top 40 pounds strikes a bait and rips line off the reel so fast the drag system screams.

Surf fishing is probably the most popular method of catching red drum and is certainly a wonderful way to spend a sunny day whether the fish are biting or not. But pier anglers can catch red drum just as well. Anglers fishing from their own boats or fishing with guides can easily catch all of the smaller “puppy” drum, which reach about 27 inches in length before maturity, they want in the Cape Fear region’s backwaters.

In the rivers and creeks, anglers often see red drum feeding in the marshes through the exceptionally clear waters of late fall and early winter. Wearing polarized glasses can help anglers spot the spotted tails of the fish lifting out of the water as the fish feed. Other signs of fish include wakes or muddy water when the fish are startled, dorsal fins easing out of the water, and grass stems moving when redfish brush against them. By December, huge schools of suspended fish can be seen resting motionless above reflective bottoms that warm them.

Using a trolling motor or poling the boat, the angler approaches stealthily, then casts a fly, soft plastic lures or surface lure to the fish. The strike is explosive and the chances of the fish cutting the line and escaping in the thick grass or oyster beds is always a possibility. Seeing the strike and the good odds of the fish getting away are what makes sight casting for redfish one of the most exciting types of inshore saltwater fishing.

Bait fishermen can blind cast live shrimp and mullet on bottom rigs or float rigs to anomalies in the marsh such as oyster beds, docks, creek channels and grass bed edges. With natural baits, the action can be so fast that the angler can catch and release a dozen or more fish in a half-day of fishing. Anyone using natural baits for catching red drum should use circle hooks to prevent the fish from swallowing the hook.

Mike Marsh’s New Book, “Fishing North Carolina,” ($26.60 ppd.) along with “Inshore Angler – Coastal Carolina’s Small Boat Fishing Guide” ($26.20 ppd.) and “Offshore Angler – Carolina’s Mackerel Boat Fishing Guide” ($22.25 ppd.), are available by check or M.O. to Mike Marsh, 1502 Ebb Dr., Wilmington, NC 28409. Visit www.mikemarshoutdoors.com for credit card orders and more hunting and fishing information.

When the weather is “crappy” at sea, maybe it’s time to go and do some Crappie fishin’. That may not have come out right, but read on, I think you’ll see what I mean!

As you know by now, it’s wintertime and you have by now caught Speckled Trout and Red Drum every way you can think to do it, and that’s a good thing! But, wouldn’t it be nice right now to take a little road trip and get away and catch something different? I thought so too!

Well you are in luck ‘cause one of the most popular fish to catch in cold weather and cold water is the Crappie. There are several “local” area lakes and rivers that hold Crappie and some are places like the Lumber River, Lake Waccamaw, Upper Cape Fear River, The North East Cape Fear, and these are just a few areas.

Wilmington’s Greenville Lake has some very nice Crappies in it, and winter is the best time to fish here for crappies before the weed growth takes over in the warmer months!

Personally, I like the Piedmont region. This was where I was introduced to fishing by my Grand Pa Crews back in the early 50’s and it makes for a good overnight trip. High Rock Lake, for instance, is known for its crappie fishing.

A good day trip from the southeast coast is to areas like Jordan Lake and the Shearon Harris Reservoir just outside Raleigh, NC. These lakes host a very good crappie fishery.

If you need a guide for the Piedmont area lakes or any other area, visit www.pilotmedia.us and click on the “Fishing Guide” button under each of the four areas we cover. You can also find one on my links page at www.yeahrightcharters.com.

South Carolina has some outstanding Crappie fishing areas as well. The one in South Carolina that will always be in my mind is Lake Wateree. I have experienced some amazing crappie catches on this lake with some fish easily in the true 3 pound range.

As far as tackle and gear goes, I like a good quality spinning outfit. My personal outfit is an ultra lite Fenwick HMG Graphite rod with a Shimano 1000 reel and Suffix 6 lb line. A crappies worse nightmare!

Baits can be a personal choice. Many fishermen like live minnows, and I’ll even agree that sometimes they are the best, but, I am a jig guy myself. No, I don’t have a tackle box filled with a gazillion jigs. I keep it simple, a 1/16 ounce jig head and a tube jig with red front and chartreuse tails, yep, that’s it. Does it work?, well, just ask anyone in the High Rock Lake area if Capt. Butch has ever caught a crappie on High Rock Lake and most likely you’ll get your answer!

Not only High Rock, but the area also host lakes like Tuckertown, Badin, Lake Tillery, and many more areas as you come on down the Yadkin River chain towards the coast.

I know this is a Coastal publication and we all like to go coastal with our fishing. But look at it this way. Steaks on the grill are a very good choice for dinner and even though we could eat steak every night, still, after a while a hot dog on the grill is a welcomed change.

Don’t let the term “crappie fishing” mislead you. A day on a lake chasing crappie when the winter seas are too rough to head offshore is one of the best ways I have ever found to totally eliminate a bad case of cabin fever , at least for a little while anyway!

Be safe in whatever you do and keep God first place in your life. He will take you places you can’t even imagine!! Till next time, God Bless You All!

Fish On!

Capt. Butch Foster

www.yeahrightcharters.com