“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
Home Malcolm Baldwin

Malcolm Baldwin

Blog_tag

October 4th, 2008 McClellanville, SC Inshore Fishing Tournament

04-10-08
Malcolm Baldwin

October 4, 2008
17th Annual McClellanville, SC Inshore Fishing Tournament
"The Creek Slam"


Entry fee $45/angler
50% of the entry fees are returned as prizes.
All proceeds go to Archibald Rutledge Academy.

Haddrell's Point Youth Angler is also awarded to the angler
under 15 on the team with the highest point total.

Register "early" by September 19th and receive a free T-Shirt

Forms are available to download:

Entry Form


Tournament Rules

Sponsorship Form


The tournament starts at sunrise, 7:13 AM. Low tide is at 5:12 AM, so we start fishing the incoming tide. High tide is at 11:38 AM. Last year we had 76 boats and first place took home $1990. We are also a little earlier this year, October 4th, which will help everyone with the elusive flounder. The allowable fishing area is bounded on the north by the South Santee River and the South by the Isle of Plams connector bridge. Each boat fishes as a team, and weighs in the largest of each species. All fish must meet the South Carolina rules and regulations for sizes and limits.

South Carolina Fishing Regulations

Call Malcolm Baldwin for sponsorship and entry information:
(843) 697-4340, or email malcolm@wpbaldwin.com

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Camping in the Francis Marion National Forest

04-01-08
Malcolm Baldwin

There are several different camping in the Francis Marion National Forest. If you don't want to really rough it, the Buck Hall Landing site is for you. There is a bath house with hot showers and flush toilets. There are 14 camper hook-up sites with camp pads, fire rings, picnic tables and 5 tent sites. The camp ground is on the Intracoastal Waterway and there is an on-site boat ramp. It is a beautiful setting with great access to fishing and shrimping in the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge.


There are several primative camping sites including the Elmwood Camp ground, 8 miles north of McClellanville on Hwy 17, turn left onto Rutledge Rd, and 4 miles on the left. This site serves as a DNR check station during hunting season. There is water and toilets available. This site is used by hunters during hunting the season. Also available is the Honey Hill site. This is located at the base of the old look out tower that is no longer in use, approximately 8 miles west of McClellanville on Hwy 45. This site is near the motorized trails.

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Hampton Plantation State Park

03-09-08
Malcolm Baldwin


A few miles up Hwy 17 from McClellanville, just off of the South Santee River on Wambaw Creek is the Hampton Plantation State Park. The original mansion built in 1735 remains. This 274 acre plantation was purchased from the Rutledge Family in 1971 and turned into a state park. There is a lot to see on site. There are picnic and bathroom facilities as well as trails to walk (click for map) including a walk through the old gardens with incredible camellias, azaleas, & live oaks.

The house is open for tours and is set up as an educational tool to teach not only about life in the plantation era, but also about the lives of the emancipated families that went on to settle in the immediate area. The home was a colonial era rice plantation. More recently it was home to South Carolina Poet Lauriette Archibald Rutledge.

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Catching Red Drum in the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge

03-07-08
Malcolm Baldwin

For my money the most fun you can have on the water in the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge (McClellanville, SC) is fishing for Spot tails (Red Drum). There are many different approaches you can take, fishing the flats, casting a grub, fishing the edge of the marsh with live bait on a float, or surf fishing.


Fishing the flats is a little like hunting and fishing combined. I am terrible at it, but the idea is to pole through the marsh flats at high tide. The Spot tails eat crabs in the marsh, so they usually have their tails sticking up out of the water while they dive for crabs. When you see that, cast a DOA crab in front of them. I have never had a lot of luck, but it gets your adrenaline going chasing fish through the marsh.

Surf fishing will usually produce the largest catch. In my limited experience, I have had the best luck with live finger mullet, the bigger the bait the bigger the catch. Shrimp work as well, but it seems to attract more sharks and catfish. For tackle, use fish finder with a sliding 2 ounce weight on 25 lb test line. Dick and I fished the Red Octorber Surf Tourney last year and won the aggregate length prize with our top three fish 40", 32" and 30". That was definately my best day in the surf.


For the most sure fire method, go in almost any creek anywhere near a drain or oyster rock. I prefer incoming tide just as it hits the marsh and fishing the bank with a float rig. Again shrimp or finger mullet work best. Cast as close to the marsh as possible. There are many different methods, and most better than mine. I am just a novice in perpetual training. The fish below was a picture I captured wtih my cell phone this fall (top quality photography).

I was fishing with my son on the banks of the "secret spot" when my son (Morrison, 8) hooded something that almost pulled him over the stern. He fought it for a minute, but it ran to the marsh and cut the line. I quickly re-rigged and put him back on the same spot and immediately got a hit. I let him fight for a second, and then
landed it for him, 32" (too big to keep, but fun to catch.)
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Recreational Opportunities in the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge

03-04-08
Malcolm Baldwin

The Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge is a preserve of over 100,000 acres of marsh, creeks and barrier islands. There are countless recreational opportunities. The map below shows the system of creeks and bays that make the Cape Romain Refuge a place you could explore and enjoy over and over again.


Fishing: Red drum, Trout, Flounder, Bonnethead Sharks are all plentiful in the creeks or surf. There are also close wrecks and bottom for offshore fishing opportunities.
WP Baldwin sponsors two annaual fall fishing tournaments, the Red October Surf Fishing Tournament and the McClellanville Creek Tournament. Both are open to anyone and offer cash prizes and raise money for local charities.

There are Three public boat landings. The Moore's Landing and the landing at Buck Hall Camp Ground are pay per launch, McClellanville sells weekly or yearly passes. Several guides serve the area:
Captain Ben Floyd 843-670-3123 or visit www.charlestonfishfinder.com
George Gallager 843-696-6000

Birding: Over 277 species of birds have been recorded in this preserve. The barrier islands and beaches provide protected nesting for various shore birds and make observation and photography good all year round.

Beaches: Miles of remote beaches only accessible by boat make a great place to shell and explore or just enjoy the beach away from the normal beach crowds.

Tours:
Coastal Expeditions
Nature Adventure Outfitters

0 Comments