Charleston fishing report for the week of October 1, 2026. Fall in the Lowcountry is one of the best fishing seasons of the year. The water is cooling, the shrimp are moving out of the creeks, and the trout, reds, and sheepshead are feeding hard. If you like inshore fishing, October in Charleston is a great time to be on the water.
What’s Hitting
This week on the water, sheepshead are feeding on the jetties, the bridge pilings, and the docks. Redfish are tailing on the grass flats during the flood tides, and they are schooling up on the low tides. Speckled trout are moving into the creeks and feeding on shrimp. Bull reds are at the jetties and around the harbor entrance. Flounder are on the creek mouths and drop-offs.
Where to Find Them
For sheepshead, fish the Charleston jetties, the Ravenel Bridge and other bridge pilings, and the docks in the harbor. For tailing reds, the grass flats in the marshes behind Folly Beach, Kiawah, and Isle of Palms on the higher flood tides. For trout, the creeks and creek mouths around Wando River and Stono River. For bull reds, the jetties and the harbor entrance.
Tides & Conditions
Charleston has big tides, and they drive the fishing. The last quarter moon this weekend softens them, but the flood tides are still high enough to push reds up onto the flats. The next new moon brings bigger flood tides, which are the best for tailing reds. Water temperatures are in the upper 70s and dropping.
Tackle & Tactics
For sheepshead, a fiddler crab or a piece of shrimp on a small hook and a short leader, fished tight to the structure. For tailing reds, a weedless soft plastic, a small crab fly, or a gold spoon. For trout, a popping cork with a live shrimp or a soft plastic. For bull reds, a fish-finder rig with a chunk of cut bait or a half crab.
Local Intel This Week
Public launches include the Remley’s Point boat landing in Mount Pleasant, the Wappoo Cut boat landing, and the Folly River landing. Shore anglers have good access at the Folly Beach Pier, the Mount Pleasant Pier, and the Charleston Harbor area parks. Fish are concentrated on the structure for sheepshead and on the flats for reds. Check current South Carolina Department of Natural Resources regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Tailing reds on a flood tide are some of the most exciting fishing in the Lowcountry. Watch for the tails and wakes as the water floods the grass, and make your cast a few feet in front of the fish. Be patient and quiet; these fish are in very shallow water and spook easily.
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