In the skiff yesterday I heard one side of a phone conversation my client was having with a company to set up the delivery of a large trash container for specific disposal items. I imagine the guy on the other end of that call hears pretty much the same questions day in and day out. I also had someone reach out recently about how to smoke a pork butt because he knows I know a little about that topic. The times I am asked about my BBQ hobby it usually comes with approximately the same questions. When we reach out to someone seeking advice in connection to their job or because of one of their hobbies, it only makes since that we likely have the same questions as others. As a fishing guide I have fielded one question more than any other and to be honest I have asked the same question of other fishing guides. “When is the best time to come fish?” The variations of this question can be a fairly lengthly list, but over the years I would like to think my answer has evolved not just changed.
Here in the Lowcountry of Beaufort, SC my answer use to be geared toward the months that Redfish and Trout feast the most which is as the water cools in the fall and much of the bait is preparing to migrate or in the case of fiddlers, hibernate. Many locations are limited to only part of the year that they fish and like the Lowcountry many locations have certain species show up only in specific seasons. The Lowcountry is not a location though that only part of the year works. The hottest days of the year often still have happy fish to be caught, the other extreme has had me siting on my poling platform because the ice on it was too slippery to stand on and we still put fish on the fly on those days. So my answer has changed. In the shortest form my answer is now “whenever you can!” It sounds ridiculous but think about it, near the end of life no ever says “I wish I had fished less.” Instead I constantly hear, “I haven’t had my boat out all year,” “I don’t remember the last time I fished,” “whenever I have a day off the weather is bad,” and so on.
Certainly there are better times than others weather wise, tides wise, and seasonally. Starting down the road of waiting for those times though is setting yourself up for making excuses not to go. Through Building Anglers I am working on educating fly casters how to take advantage of their time on a skiff in saltwater where ever they fish; but as a guide here in the Lowcountry I am happy to provide the same information that I do to my clients to anyone that reaches out for information about our fishery. The more detailed answer I give to my clients on when is the best time is this response, “give me a window of when you are looking at being able to fish and I will respond back with which of those dates will likely be best from a tide stand point that matches that time of year.” Please contact me at tuck@buildinganglers.com, also follow Building Anglers in Instagram or Facebook @buildinganglers. Grab who ever you want to fish with and get out there!
