Check the weather before launcing

Safety is always paramount when fishing. No fish is worth risking the health and well-being of your family and friends. So in advance of every trip, I check the weather app on my phone. On Friday, it showed a strong thunderstorm approaching from the north. The radar loop looked simply awful. However, at the time it was sunny (very hot) and the winds were calm.

Seemingly a perfect day for boating. Without the benefit of my weather app radar, I would have been oblivious to the rapidly approaching storm. Given advanced warning, I prepped the skiff but did not launch. I am very happy I did not! After about 30 minutes, dark clouds began building on the horizon. A cool breeze began blowing and the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. When the storm arrived, it was as predicted. Heavy rain and strong winds (reportedly in excess of 50 miles per hour) lashed Daniel Island. Watching the storm, I worried about all the people currently out on the water. It was a truly dangerous situation.

After the storm passed, the tide was high and already flooding the marsh. So I decided to target tailing Redfish in the flooded Spartina (with a fly rod). Upon my arrival on the marsh flats, a couple of Redfish were actively tailing. It only took a minute or two to stalk (on foot) into fly casting range. On the second presentation, the tailing Redfish pounced on a tan over white (bead chain) Clouser Minnow. Fighting the fish, I was thankful for my weather app.

Strong thunderstorms are pretty common in the summer. They can build and approach very quickly. When planning your next fishing trip, please check the weather before launching.

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.