Did a little saltwater fishing in SC last week.

[huggyb1972]

I went for a little vacation down in Edisto Beach SC last week. Took the family down, Dad and I got to fish way more this time since we took the little fishing boat and moored at the marina. We're still running the old Chrysler Bassrunner powered with a 86 Mercury 60hp.
I got to land a couple sharks which for a Midwest guy in a small boat that's a great day at any size. Boy the fun we had

I redesigned 30' aluminum trailer to carry both sparks and the Chrysler down there and back. We got quite a few thumbs up going down the road. Makes for fun on the water if everyone wants to go play

 

[flashback]

You guys look like it was a good time..

 

[huggyb1972]

You guys look like it was a good time..

It was. I've never got to really spend any time in the salt water fishing. It's really a whole different game than what I'm used to. We got to do some crabbing also.

 

[dingbat]

Sharks on popping rigs...
Using frozen or day old bait by chance?

 

[huggyb1972]

Sharks on popping rigs...
Using frozen or day old bait by chance?

Caught some pogies about an hour before we got in that spot. Hooked them right on the dorsal fin. Hook on a steel leader and a 1oz weight about 15 feet down just drifting with the current. The pogies died pretty soon after we caught them like we were out there for about 3 hrs total including casting the bait fish.

 

[dingbat]

Caught some pogies about an hour before we got in that spot. Hooked them right on the dorsal fin. Hook on a steel leader and a 1oz weight about 15 feet down just drifting with the current. The pogies died pretty soon after we caught them like we were out there for about 3 hrs total including casting the bait fish.

The trick is live bait.....
Keep dead bait to chunk for sharks at night

Live line rig....6/0 Gami circle hook and a #50 mono leader.

Typically no weight, but some could be added if the fish are deep. Leave reel in free spool. Doesn't take long if there are fish around.

Live shrimp or mullet on a popping rig is deadly for trout and drum.

 

[huggyb1972]

The trick is live bait.....
Keep dead bait to chunk for sharks at night

Live line rig....6/0 Gami circle hook and a #50 mono leader.

Typically no weight, but some could be added if the fish are deep. Leave reel in free spool. Doesn't take long if there are fish around.

Live shrimp or mullet on a popping rig is deadly for trout and drum.

What is a popping rig? I've heard the term I just haven't had time to research it. I'm a Midwestern guy who likes to visit the saltwater, so I'm still learning. I understand pogies don't live as long if they're caught in a net as they do if you snag them.

 

[dingbat]

What is a popping rig? I've heard the term I just haven't had time to research it. I'm a Midwestern guy who likes to visit the saltwater, so I'm still learning.

Popping Cork Rigs, Fishing with Popping Corks | Salt Water Sportsman

Improved popping cork designs and newly developed strategies produce more catches in a variety of inshore fishing situations.

www.saltwatersportsman.com

I understand pogies don't live as long if they're caught in a net as they do if you snag them.

Pogie is local terminology.
Officially Atlantic Menhaden, known as Bunker and Shad further up the coast.

We catch and net them. Never noticed a difference in longevity either way.
The trick to keeping them alive is no square corners in bait well and lots and lots of water flow.

Lots of guys use a plastic 55 gallon drum cut in half. Drop a bilge pump over the transom to pump water in the tank. Just let the water overflow the rim and run out the scupper drains.

 

[huggyb1972]

Popping Cork Rigs, Fishing with Popping Corks | Salt Water Sportsman

Improved popping cork designs and newly developed strategies produce more catches in a variety of inshore fishing situations.

www.saltwatersportsman.com

Pogie is local terminology.
Officially Atlantic Menhaden, known as Bunker and Shad further up the coast.

We catch and net them. Never noticed a difference in longevity either way.
The trick to keeping them alive is no square corners in bait well and lots and lots of water flow.

Lots of guys use a plastic 55 gallon drum cut in half. Drop a bilge pump over the transom to pump water in the tank. Just let the water overflow the rim and run out the scupper drains.

Our live well in the little boat is essentially a plastic tote so the corners are rounded the pump system picks up water from the surrounding area. And keeps pretty good aeration. We keep it on the timer thing so we don't run the batteries down unusually fast. But it has to 30 minutes or less before we got on the sharks and there wasn't a live fish in there. We were on day 3 of fishing so the livewell had been filled and drained a couple times. It also has a solid cover so no sun getting through to overheat the bait. Weird huh?