My First Time Catching a Red Fish in Beaufort, South Carolina

I have been looking forward to spending some time with my brother who is an excellent fly fisherman. Yesterday was a great day as we drove out to the waterways along Parris Island Marine Corp Station. Yes, Parris Island Marine Corp station is surrounded by the most beautiful waterways you have ever seen. It is rare that I can get on the base but being with my brother Maj. Brodie getting onto base was not a problem. We went out to one of the flats that flood with water from the Port Royal sound as the tide rises and it was Reds we were after. As we pulled up to our fishing area and got our gear ready I couldn’t help but think how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place and to have some time with my brother. It is turning fall now in Beaufort and the air temperature is cooling down to a very pleasant level. There was a salt air breeze, beautiful blue skies and large cumulus clouds billowing in the sky. It was just like all the pictures you see in the magazines about coastal living that make you dream about being there except I was there in real life. We waded out into the waterway and the warm brackish water which is water that has more salinity than fresh water but not as much as sea water flooded my feet. It is this water that causes the crab and shrimp to thrive and the crab and shrimp are what attracts the Red Fish to feed, my brother explained to me. He also pointed to the rippling in the waterways and like a true sportsman he pointed out how when the fish are feeding you will see a difference in the rippling of the water. “You need to spot them out and stay on the move”, he said. The trick is timing with the tide you need to get there while the tide is coming in and is still shallow enough to see the effects of the Reds swimming in the shallows and tailing. We spotted our first Red and slowly approached the location. With one, two, three swoops in the air with the fly rod and with accurate precision my brother landed the lour just in front of the Red and he latched on. He then handed me the real like a true big brother and let me bring in my first Red Fish. It was a thrill and the Red Fish was not the only thing that got hooked that day I can not wait to get back out and give it another try. It was a great day spending time with my bother, enjoying the Lowcountry and learning about the most incredible ecosystem we have here in the Lowcountry. Now I know why Beaufort is mentioned as one of the top 10 fishing areas in the country.