Moving to Columbia, SC Area. Please help....

[Dr. Dai Phan]

Hello all,

I am so glad to find this site and I hope you can help me in my inquiries. I would like like to know the following:

1. Are there places to catch blue crabs without the need for extensive equipments (like big boats)?

2. How about lobsters and crawfish? (that you can catch and eat).

3. Are there places to go fishing (both fresh and salt) and how good are they?

4. Are there places to catch ornamental marine fish for aquarium keeping? I see that Trigger fish are in SC water.

5. Are the beaches white and clean (like the one on Coronna beer ad on TV)?

6. I heard about artificial reefs in SC water. Can I dive and see the fish?

7. I heard about some islands off the SC shore with pristine beaches. Is this true?

I am an avid seafood lover especially shellfish. I love fishing althought I am a raw beginner. I love to be outdoor to fly my remote control planes as well as doing star gazing. I also love to catch marine fish that I can put in my aquarium. Will SC provide my needs?

Thank you and I eagerly look toward your replies. DP

[Dixie719]

Not an expert in SC, but your lloking at freshwater around you in Columbia. I know there are someplaces there, but never fished them.

Your gonna have to make a drive to Myrtle Beach or Charleston, SC which are both nice weekend getaways and not too far to see some SaltWater.

Here are some answers to your questions:

1) Spot in MB and Charleston, just got to put in a days work.
2) Not that I know of.
3) Yep, Great spots on the coast.
4) Not sure, maybe on a dive on the coast.
5) Not like the Corona commercial, but nice. CROWDED in season in the tourist spots.
6) Pretty sure, heard some good dive stories years ago.
7) No Idea???
8) Some very nice places there in Columbia and just a few hours away (Charlotte, MB, Charleston, etc...). IT's HOT there in the summer though, whew is it HOT!

[Nikonjedi]

Im in Charleston South Carolina... you'll be about an hour and a half to the coast and any salt water but there are plenty of lakes around there for fresh water... To answert them 1 by 1..

1) You don't need any expensive equipment... once you get down here all you need is a roll of kite string, a chicken neck and a dip net...

2) Crawfish are more up your neck of the woods. Lobster... they are here but you have to dive the reefs and wrecks off shore to get them...

3)Fresh- Better up near Columbia Salt- Anywhere down here from the North Carolina border to the GA border is good fishin. We have it all including Tarpon and we actually had a few bonefish caught up in Myrtle Beach this summer...

4) You can catch triggers here but they taste much better than putting them in a tank... I am not sure about catching fish for aquariums, I think you need a permit for it...

5) like he said yes but crowded in the summer. A lot of beaches will not let you fish from them in the summer.

6) Absolutely... just watch out for the sharks... the nearshore reefs near the harbor I wouldn;t dive, LOTS of big bull and tiger sharks, the off shore reefs and the ones up and down the coast I have heard are OK... stay away form the nearshore reefs near river mouths..

7) We have barrier islands that are pretty close to shore, easy kayak paddle and they are either protected or run as state parks and are VERY nice..

South Carolina will suit yo just fine. Just remember you are in the south, Be nice, obey the creel limits and you'll get along just fine. You can also check out

www.charlestonfishing.com

this is my local forum that has TONS of good info.. good luck and tight lines...