The speckled trout will start moving from their offshore areas back into the flats. One of these areas is Cape Romain, concentrating on Anderson Creek, Fenning Creek, Graham Creek, Harbor River, and Five Fathom Creek. Speckled trout will be following the bait into the shallows. The sow trout are ready to start to spawn and are getting hungry. Early morning or late afternoon topwater is your best bet for a gator-size trout in the Lowcountry, since the water temperature will be around 60°F.

Springtime also means that the redfish will start breaking up into smaller schools. Unlike their cousin the speckled trout, redfish don’t spawn till July through September, for about a six or seven week period. During the spring, your best bet to catch quality redfish in the Lowcountry is to concentrate on the Wando River. The Wando is the clearest and holds the most saltwater when compared to the Cooper and Ashley Rivers near Charleston. Another plus for the Wando is that the river has more oyster beds and more mud flats then the other two rivers that flow into the Charleston Harbor.

In the Murrells Inlet area, the flounder bite starts to pick up as they start coming into the inshore creeks from deep water. You best bet is to drift with the current in 6’ – 10’ of water -keeping in mind that the fish will be facing into the current - with mud minnows, live finger mullet, or with a paddle tail plastic, keeping the presentation as close to the bottom as possible. If you start near the jetties and work your way inland, you will also have opportunities for redfish and trout. This is a prime area to add an outstanding inshore slam to your personal list of accomplishments.

Cobia will start to move into the Broad River to spawn. This brings the anglers to start anchoring up at the Robert Smalls Parkway Bridge that crosses the Broad River. This is a popular place because there are concentrated numbers of cobia and a great opportunity to catch giant females. The Broad River has a swift current on the outgoing tide and is an area limited to experienced kayak anglers, in my opinion. This warning comes from several kayak anglers with more experience than I have. After all, you will be anchoring the kayak along with forty or so power boats in the area.

These are just some suggestions for angling in the springtime Lowcountry for saltwater species. There are hundreds of spots, but in my opinion these places will provide you the opportunity to catch the trophies that you dream about here in the Lowcountry.