Charleston Fishing Report — Week of November 12, 2026: Redfish on Flats, Trout, Sheepshead

Updated: Thursday, November 12, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 19, 2026

This Charleston fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the week of November 12, based on seasonal patterns and the cold front moving across the Southeast rather than verified catch counts. Mid-November usually brings clearer water to the Lowcountry marshes as temperatures fall, and that clarity makes it easier to find schooling redfish on low-tide flats while trout fill the creeks and sheepshead gather around structure. Treat it as a planning guide and confirm conditions with a local tackle shop.

What’s Hitting

Redfish are the main target, gathering into larger schools on low-tide flats and along oyster bars as water clears. Speckled trout gather in the creeks and rivers, often providing strong action. Sheepshead are found around docks, jetties and bridges. Black drum gather in deeper holes and around structure. Flounder are migrating toward the inlets. Trout often stack in deeper creek bends during the coldest mornings, then spread to shallower points and grass edges as the sun warms the water. Redfish schools on the flats become wary in clear water, so stealth matters.

Where to Find Them

The flats around the Charleston Harbor, the Wando River and the creeks near Folly Beach and Kiawah Island hold redfish on low tide. Trout gather in the creeks of the Stono River and the Ashley River. The Charleston jetties, the Folly River docks and the Ravenel Bridge pilings provide structure for sheepshead and drum. The Cooper River’s rice-field drains and the docks along the Intracoastal near Isle of Palms offer more sheltered options during wind. Breach Inlet and Capers Inlet concentrate flounder heading offshore.

Tides & Conditions

The new moon on November 9 increases tidal ranges early in the period, exposing more flats and concentrating redfish. Cold fronts bring clearer water and cooler temperatures. Expect cooler mornings after the front and a warming trend later. The lowest tides of the period are the best time to locate schooling redfish, while the incoming tide pushes them into the grass where they can be harder to reach. Clear water after the front makes long casts important.

Tackle & Tactics

For redfish on the flats, use gold spoons, soft plastics or cut bait. Trout respond to soft plastics under popping corks or live shrimp. Sheepshead prefer fiddler crabs or barnacles. Flounder take mud minnows or soft plastics. A seven-foot medium-light spinning rod with ten-pound braid and a twenty-pound fluorocarbon leader covers most of the inshore options. Downsize lures and slow retrieves after cold mornings.

Local Intel This Week

The Washout area on Folly Beach provides surf access for drum and whiting. Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park has a fishing pier near the Ravenel Bridge. The Shem Creek area offers public ramps. The Wappoo Cut boat landing gives access to the Stono River. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish. Watch for shallow oyster bars on low tides. Weekend traffic at popular landings can be heavy, so arrive early.

This Week’s Tip

On the lowest tides, look for redfish schools on the flats and approach quietly. Pole or drift onto the flat rather than running the motor, and cast well ahead of moving fish so the lure crosses their path naturally.