SC Lowcountry

Hilton Head · Beaufort · ACE Basin

SC, USA

Open live forecast →

Target species: Tarpon and Redfish.

Weekly AI Outlook as of 06/05/26

Prime tarpon season is heating up with water temps pushing 85°F and stable weather through the weekend. Early June brings the first reliable silver kings to Port Royal Sound and ACE Basin creeks, with guides reporting rolling fish and active feeding on abundant bait. Focus on dawn patrol sessions before the afternoon heat — redfish remain a steady bonus target throughout the tidal cycle.

Generated weekly from live USGS gauge readings, weather forecasts, and recent fly shop reports. Updates Friday mornings.

About this Water

The South Carolina lowcountry — Charleston, Beaufort, and Hilton Head — supports a summer tarpon migration similar to its Carolina neighbors. Adult tarpon push into sounds and inlets from June through August, providing skiff-based sight fishing in rivers and tidal creek systems. Redfish on the fly through tailing tides remain the year-round headline fishery. Sea trout and the occasional cobia round out the inshore mix. The lowcountry's vast salt marsh ecosystem provides exceptional sight-fishing water.

The South Carolina lowcountry tides produce some of the highest tide ranges on the US East Coast — 6–8 feet — which floods the spartina marsh grass and creates the tailing-redfish opportunity that defines lowcountry fly fishing culture.

January Outlook

January in the SC lowcountry is the deep off-season for tarpon. Redfish are the year-round backbone of the lowcountry fishery and January is an excellent redfish month. The marsh creeks and tidal rivers of the ACE Basin hold good populations of redfish year-round. Speckled trout are in the deeper channel cuts. Black drum are on the oyster bars and shoal edges throughout the lowcountry.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider (slow-sink)
  • Black Drum Crab (oyster bars)
  • Seatrout Deceiver (deep channels)
  • Clouser Minnow

Tips

January lowcountry redfish: fish the creek channel edges and the wind-protected spartina grass edges. The ACE Basin in January is hauntingly beautiful — winter light, empty marsh, and undisturbed redfish. Black drum on the oyster bars throughout Port Royal Sound and the ACE Basin waterways. Tarpon season is 5 months away.

Water Notes

Water 46-54°F. Cold lowcountry winters. Redfish and black drum year-round. Speckled trout in deeper channels. No tarpon.

February Outlook

February delivers excellent year-round redfish fishing in the South Carolina lowcountry. The marshes and tidal creeks of the ACE Basin hold fish in every season. Cold water concentrates redfish in the creek channels and makes them somewhat predictable. Speckled trout in the tidal rivers and black drum on the oyster bars complete the winter picture.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider
  • Black Drum Crab
  • Seatrout Deceiver
  • Clouser Minnow (deep)

Tips

February redfish in the SC lowcountry: the incoming afternoon tide when the sun has warmed the spartina grass edges produces the best sight fishing. Redfish stack in the creek bends on incoming tide. A poling skiff allows approach to within 30 feet of feeding fish. Tarpon season is 4 months away.

Water Notes

Water 46-52°F. Cold but fishable. Redfish year-round in the marsh. Speckled trout in the deeper system.

March Outlook

March brings warming water and increasingly active redfish and speckled trout to the SC lowcountry. The ACE Basin's extensive tidal marsh system begins waking up. The first cobia scouts appear along the barrier island beaches in late March.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider (gold)
  • Seatrout Popper (warming)
  • Cobia Fly (coastal beach, late month)
  • EP Crab

Tips

March lowcountry redfish on the incoming tide are in excellent condition. The warming water triggers active feeding. Speckled trout are moving from deep winter channels back to shallow feeding areas. The first cobia along the barrier island beaches appear in late March.

Water Notes

Water 52-60°F and warming. Redfish excellent. Cobia possible along barrier island beaches late in month. Tarpon 3 months away.

April Outlook

April is prime time for the SC lowcountry redfish and speckled trout fishery. The ACE Basin in spring is extraordinary — massive tidal marsh, warm sun, and actively feeding fish. Cobia are staging along the barrier island beaches. Tarpon scouts are still 2 months away.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider (spring gold)
  • Seatrout Popper
  • Cobia Fly (sight-cast)
  • EP Crab

Tips

April in the ACE Basin: redfish tailing on the spartina grass edges in 6-12 inches of water on the flood tide. Speckled trout are aggressive on topwater in the creek mouths at dawn. Cobia sight-fishing along the beaches from Bulls Island south to Hilton Head is excellent in April.

Water Notes

Water 60-68°F. Spring conditions. Redfish and seatrout excellent. Cobia along the coast. Tarpon 2 months away.

May Outlook

May delivers excellent fishing across the board. Cobia are along the coast and nearshore structure. Redfish are tailing on the marsh flats. The first tarpon scouts occasionally appear in the lower ACE Basin and Port Royal Sound in late May. An excellent transition month.

Productive Patterns

  • Cobia Fly (nearshore)
  • Redfish Slider
  • Tarpon Toad (late-month scouts)
  • EP Crab

Tips

May cobia along the SC coast are staging near the nearshore shoals and along the barrier island beaches. Redfish on the ACE Basin's extensive spartina flats are in excellent spring form. First tarpon scouts possible in late May at the Ashepoo, Combahee, or Edisto river mouths.

Water Notes

Water 68-74°F. Excellent spring/early summer conditions. Cobia along coast. Tarpon approaching. Redfish and seatrout excellent.

June Outlook

June brings the first reliable tarpon to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Fish stage in the ACE Basin and Port Royal Sound, feeding on abundant bait. The SC lowcountry tarpon fishery is less pressured than Florida.

Productive Patterns

  • Tarpon Toad
  • Black Death
  • Cockroach
  • Redfish Fly

Tips

Hire a guide who specifically targets tarpon in the lowcountry. The fishery is different from Florida — more sight casting to rolling fish in tidal creeks. The ACE Basin is the prime area.

Water Notes

Water 80-84°F. Summer heat. Early morning focus. Redfish are a bonus throughout the season.

July Outlook

July is prime tarpon month in the SC lowcountry. Fish are staging in the ACE Basin and upper Port Royal Sound. Redfish are active in the marsh creeks year-round and provide an excellent alternative when tarpon aren't cooperating.

Productive Patterns

  • Tarpon Toad (tan/black)
  • Black Death
  • Redfish Fly
  • EP Shrimp

Tips

The ACE Basin provides extraordinary scenery and diverse fishing. When tarpon are slow, the redfish population in the marsh creeks is exceptional year-round. A dual-species day is common.

Water Notes

Water 84-88°F. Summer storms. Early morning most productive. Low tide concentrates both tarpon and redfish.

August Outlook

August tarpon fishing peaks in SC with fish moving through on the northward migration. The tidal rivers and creeks create ambush points. Redfish remain outstanding throughout.

Productive Patterns

  • Tarpon Toad
  • Redfish Fly (weedless)
  • EP Crab
  • Cockroach

Tips

August tarpon in the lowcountry creeks are spooky but very catchable with stealthy presentations. A poling skiff is essential. The ACE Basin's remoteness means fish see relatively few flies.

Water Notes

Water 84-88°F. Peak summer heat. Morning tarpon, afternoon redfish is the typical program.

September Outlook

September is the transition month in the SC lowcountry. Tarpon are beginning to depart southward but some fish remain in the ACE Basin through mid-September. The fall redfish season builds aggressively as water cools. September can be excellent for both species in the first two weeks.

Productive Patterns

  • Tarpon Toad (departing fish)
  • Redfish Slider (fall transition)
  • EP Crab
  • Cockroach

Tips

September first two weeks can still produce ACE Basin tarpon. By mid-September most tarpon have moved south. The redfish transition to fall feeding mode is happening simultaneously — September can be a superb mixed-species month. Fish the early morning for tarpon and afternoon incoming tides for redfish.

Water Notes

Water 80-84°F and cooling. Tarpon departing. Fall redfish building. Hurricane season — monitor forecasts. Excellent transition month.

October Outlook

October redfish season is outstanding in the SC lowcountry as tarpon depart. Tailing redfish on the spartina grass flats are the primary target. The lowcountry in October is at its most beautiful.

Productive Patterns

  • EP Crab (weedless)
  • Redfish Fly
  • Spawning Shrimp
  • Clouser Minnow

Tips

October redfish tailing on the grass flats is a world-class experience unique to the lowcountry. Fish from a poling skiff in 6-12 inches of water for tailing fish. The ACE Basin and Port Royal Sound are excellent.

Water Notes

Water 74-80°F. Excellent fall conditions. Redfish most active on falling tides over spartina grass.

November Outlook

November is one of the finest months to fish the SC lowcountry. Redfish are in their prime fall condition and tailing on the spartina grass flats in large schools. Speckled trout are excellent in the creek mouths and the sound's deeper grass edges. The ACE Basin in November light is spectacular.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider (gold)
  • Seatrout Deceiver (creek mouths)
  • EP Crab (weedless)
  • Spawning Shrimp

Tips

November lowcountry redfish: schools of 30-100 fish tailing on the spartina flats of the ACE Basin and St. Helena Sound. A poling skiff and good sight-fishing skills are the only requirements. Speckled trout in the creek mouths at dawn on topwater is a November bonus.

Water Notes

Water 58-68°F. Excellent fall conditions. Redfish and seatrout at fall peak. No tarpon. Best overall conditions of the year.

December Outlook

December closes the year in the SC lowcountry with good fishing between cold fronts. Redfish are in the deeper tidal creek channels and move to the warmest flats on sunny afternoons. Speckled trout in the creek mouths. The ACE Basin's remoteness means December fishing is quiet and serene.

Productive Patterns

  • Redfish Slider (slow-sink)
  • Seatrout Deceiver
  • Black Drum Crab (oyster bars)
  • Clouser Minnow (deep channel)

Tips

December lowcountry redfish: fish the creek channel bends and the deep grass edges on the flood tide. The warming afternoon sun on a clear December day triggers feeding activity on the shallow grass flats. Speckled trout in the creek mouths and the Chechessee and New rivers.

Water Notes

Water 46-56°F. Cold fronts every 7-10 days. Redfish year-round in the marsh. Excellent between fronts. Tarpon season is 6 months away.

Access & Approach

Charleston and Beaufort, SC are the main bases. Skiff guides essential for tarpon. South Carolina saltwater license required.

Nearby Fly Shops

Shops within roughly 50 miles. Live shop reports auto-discovered on the forecast page; this list is informational.

Regulations & License

Fishing in South Carolina requires a current license. Always verify season dates, bag limits, and any special-regulation waters before you fish.

South Carolina fishing regulations & license →

About Current

SC Lowcountry conditions on Current combine real-time flow data (USGS, WSC, CDEC, CEHQ), weather, tide predictions, hatch probabilities calibrated to this specific water, and recent fly shop reports from the area.

SC Lowcountry is one of 245 hand-curated waters in Current. The app and web forecast also generate AI outlooks for any unlisted river, lake, or saltwater flat anywhere in the world — drop a pin or paste a name and Current produces a fresh seasonal outlook with weather, flow context, and recommended techniques.

Open the live forecast for today's numbers and the 7-day outlook, or download the iOS app to carry it with you on the water.